Rape Prevention With the Push of A Button

March 20th, 2016

Awake Goy

Michaela Whitton (AM) : A groundbreaking device was launched this week to make sure everyone can access help in an emergency, regardless of where they are. A team of engineers and developers have created Revolar — a tiny, wearable device that sends immediate alerts to contacts if the user feels threatened or unsafe.

Photo courtesy Baker-13333

Hoping to address the culture of fear women and other vulnerable groups face on a daily basis — Revolar means to fly again in Spanish.

The gadget is the brainchild of CEO Jacqueline Ros, whose teenage sister was a victim of sexual assault. In the aftermath of the rape, Ros found herself wishing her younger sibling had been able to push a button to ask for help, so she set about creating one.

Using the tragedy to try to ensure the same doesn’t happen to others, Ros and her team launched a successful Kickstarter campaign. In addition, the developers took part in the Techstars Boulder 2015 accelerator program, made the Top 25 for Sir Richard Branson’s Extreme Tech Challenge, and more recently, closed a $3 million financing deal with The Foundry Group.

After Ros raised a whopping $3.5 million, the wearable device, designed to clip onto your clothing or keychain, began shipping on March 15. It is due to be on the shelves in shops in April.

Marketed as the “world’s smartest personal safety device,” the slimline, 2-inch long gadget enables users to send differentiated alerts by the simple press of a button. Two presses sends a yellow warning alert while three times signals a red alert.

Built-in GPS means contacts immediately receive a text revealing the user’s exact location. For those who feel they need an extra layer of protection, Revolar can be ordered at revolar.com. A video showing the device in action can be found here.

Michaela Whitton, The Antimedia