Women’s
safety is a very serious issue and one that needs immediate attention. Sexual
crimes against women are on the rise worldwide and the situation is quite a
grim one. Women of various ages and social standings have reported being
victims of sexual assault.
According to a report by the United Nations (UN)
compiled from government sources, more than 250,000 cases of rape or attempted
rape were recorded by the police annually. The reported data covered
65 countries. But a
few scientists from MIT may have found a solution to this problem.
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Intrepid is a garment
sticker that was invented by MIT scientists led by their chief researcher Manisha
Mohan. This sticker senses forceful touch, and may be a revolutionary product that may save
numerous women from across the world from a great deal of suffering. It’s a
pretty smart piece of technology and practically invisible to anyone except the
wearer.
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Intrepid
is a small sticker which sticks onto your bra. It contains a smart sensor which
records your movements. It learns the way you usually undress and when it
notices a deviation from the usual routine, it sends a message to your smart
phone asking if you consent.
If you don’t respond within a time period of thirty
seconds it sounds an alarm and notifies your ‘safety circle’ which is a maximum
of five people whose contact you have provided. <o:p></o:p>
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It also starts recording audio, while calling one of the
responsive contacts and letting them know your exact location. If it’s
a false alarm the user has the option to deactivate it within a maximum of 20
seconds.
While Intrepid was primarily made as a
bra sticker, it can be worn practically anywhere, on any item of clothing. This
product isn’t just for women. Men, Children, and the elderly also become
victims of sexual assault and therefore Intrepid is suitable for anyone who
wishes to be safe. <o:p></o:p>
The idea of Intrepid though was born
with women’s safety in mind. Mohan has since expressed in an interview that she
was inspired to invent Intrepid by her experience as a college student in
Chennai, India. <o:p></o:p>
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Intrepid is a smart and revolutionary
idea. If marketed it could bring about a sea change in the field of women’s
safety. We can only hope that this product reaches the masses as soon as
possible. <o:p></o:p>
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