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A data scientist from Singapore has come up with a prototype of a brassiere which aims to help women deter perpetrators from sexually assaulting them.
Scott Fan’s Smart Bra technology has two sets of sensors that detect sudden increase in heart rate as well as external pressure exerted on the woman wearing it.
These sensors alert a police station with a signal when a woman is being assaulted or attacked, as reported by South China Morning Post last Tuesday, July 10. Other than the police, the Smart Bra can also send a signal to individuals the woman has personally chosen in advance. The sensors, too, are small enough not to give discomfort to the wearer.
“I have seen a lot of IoT industrial applications, but there are none for personal care equipment,” Fan said in the report. “There’s big market demand in this area, specifically in [the area of] women’s protection.”
IoT or internet of things pertain to a network of home appliances and everyday devices, such as the refrigerator or the television, that are embedded with software to connect to the internet and exchange data.
Fan added, “When somebody grabs or pushes you, and there’s external force, the sudden surge in your heart rate will confirm an attack and an alarm will be sent out.”
The possibility of the Smart Bra sending out a false alarm, however, may render one skeptical. Perhaps a rollercoaster ride or a bumpy road may set off the Smart Bra’s signal, but Fan clarified that there are certain conditions that trigger the sensors.
“To trigger the alarm, there has to be very close body contact and force, like when somebody tries to hold you or force you into a position.”
Fan is now conducting tests with his Smart Bra prototype with the hopes of further refining the product.
“We are also looking for public feedback. We plan to launch it in Hong Kong and China, Southeast Asia, India and Africa, where there are more powerless women.” Cody Cepeda/JB
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