N13,000 smart jewellery that will call for help if you're in danger
AUniversity of Alabama master’s student has developed an unusual tool to combat sexual assault: a bracelet.
The device monitors wearers’ vital signs and can pick up on changes that would signal being under attack.
The invention will go a long way in saving Nigerians from kidnappers and abductors because it can sense attacks and notify the police without you having to press a button.
The smart bracelet, still in the prototype stage, alerts a predetermined list of contacts and the police if it senses that the wearer is being harmed.
Additionally, it emits a loud alarm and is equipped with red strobe lights meant to scare away the attacker or get the attention of others in the vicinity.
The team behind the bracelet, Associate Professor Dr Ragib Hasan and master’s student Jayun Patel, are hopeful that the device can prevent sexual assaults, which are extremely common on college campuses such as theirs. Dr Hasan explained in a statement that the ability to call the authorities is usually unavailable to assault victims under attack.
He said: ‘’A major challenge to assault prevention is that, during an assault, victims often to not have an easily accessible way to call for help.
‘‘Whether calling 911 or using an emergency alert app or device, each of these tools requires users to press a button in order to call for help.
The bracelet connects to the wearer’s phone via Bluetooth if it detects a physical attack. Then messages are sent to the police and designated friends of the wearer alerting them of the danger It can also determine whether a wearer is standing or lying down.
If the device recognizes that a wearer is in danger it connects to their smartphone via Bluetooth and immediately messages emergency personnel and sends them the wearer’s location.
Additionally, it alerts friends the wearer has designated by way of an app.
Patel said: ‘‘The sensors allow the bracelet to collect user activity and continuously.
‘‘A machine learning algorithm detects and differentiates the user’s regular movement and unexpected and sudden movements that can be indicative of an assault.’’
The smart bracelet, if it were to be mass produced, could address a health issue that affects one-third of women and one-sixth of men in the US, according to the CDC.
The wearable devices designed in Dr Hasan’s lab are low-cost; the prototype for the bracelet costs less than $40.00 [N13,000].
The researchers are hopeful the price will drop even more if the product is eventually mass produced.
The technology could benefit a large portion of the population: one-third of women and one-sixth of men in the US alone experience sexual violence. vital signs