Many of us have felt uncomfortable or threatened at some point in our lives. Maybe you’ve found yourself in a situation where you questioned your safety following comments made by one of your peers. Perhaps this situation presented itself as bullying or sexual harassment. In such cases, often we simply need a friend or innocent bystander to not stand quite so idly by and to have confidence in stepping up to help us. This is where the SafeTeam comes in. SafeTeam creates a network of individuals to come and help if at any time you feel uncomfortable.
The SafeTeam group of products (app, website, and wearable technology) begins with the app itself and seems to be targeted mainly towards college students and young adults, specifically women. The app is designed to allow the user to send a “distress signal” of a varied intensity at any time he/she feels uncomfortable. These signals ping nearby users who may either accept or deny the request and respond appropriately to the severity of the distress signal. One feature of the app that has room for growth or improvement is the specifics of the distance that distress signals travel. The app synchronizes with the wearable technology (or Safelet) in a way similar to that of an apple watch.
Another portion of the SafeTeam is the website itself, which serves as a hub for the App and retail location for the “Safelet” merchandise. The website is complete with educational resources that help members of the SafeTeam feel more confident and well equipped when they respond to distress calls. It does not offer organized professional training, necessarily, however it does compile professional resources and is an excellent start for individuals with a sincere interest in being prepared to help others.
The wearable technology, as mentioned, is called a Safelet and visually is relatively small. It includes technology that is present in the Apple Watch creating vibrations and reactive touch.
One of the largest concerns during the SafeTeam’s presentation was determining what precautions would be put in place to assure all users were safe from predators of any kind entering the system and harassing members. This is addressed through a thorough personality test as well as a federal background check. Both of these are relatively effective ways to prevent anyone from abusing those who are already in uncomfortable situations.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed SafeTeam, and can see it’s real-world value and application in cities.
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