With depressing statistics revealing sexual assault to occur every 107 seconds in the United States, it’s not unusual to carry some form of protection at all times — whether it’s pepper spray, a stun gun or a cute, cat-shaped keychain meant to gouge out the eyes of an attacker. A problem with these self defense products is having to fumble in a purse or pocket for them during a moment of need. A wearable safety device called Athena may help with this issue.
Athena, designed by a startup called ROAR For Good, is compact in size and only weighs an ounce, so it can be clipped onto a pocket or worn as a necklace. When pressed for three seconds, Athena will emit a loud alarm and send text messages to the wearer’s emergency contacts, alerting them to their location. There’s also a silent feature which allows the alarm to be sent without the attacker knowing it has been activated.
ROAR’s co-founder, Yasmine Mustafa, spent six months on a solo trek across South America, meeting victims of sexual violence. When she returned home to Philadelphia, a woman in her neighborhood was assaulted after going outside to put money in her parking meter. “Our goal is to start a movement where every woman can live their lives boldly and without fear,” Mustafa said in a statement to Jezebel. She says they want to make make existing self defense tools safer, because most women find the existing tools bulky and intimidating. ROAR worked with self-defense instructors and police officers to develop the product.
Athena’s Indiegogo campaign is currently at more than $239,000. Their initial goal of $40,000 was met within the first two days. “At the end of the day, our goal is that devices like these will no longer be needed,” said Mustafa.
Source: Athena: a Tiny, Wearable Device That Could Help Prevent Sexual Assault
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About steventorresramos
I have over (24) years of Computer Aided Drafting & Design experience and over (16) years of IT experience. After graduating high school I attended a Technical College and earned an Associate Degree in Drafting & Design. I then enrolled at the University of Puerto Rico where I earned an A.S. in Civil Engineering Technologies. While attending the Univ. of Puerto Rico I worked as a freelance Drafter for a variety of architects and engineers.
During my senior year I began to work for the firm Planning Management & Development in Ponce, Puerto Rico. Two years later I was offered the position at Mario Corsino & Associates, which later became InterGroup a medium size Civil Engineering, Architectural and Planning firm in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. At InterGroup I became assistant chief drafter where I was responsible for 20+ drafters & civil techs, and this is also where I began my IT training. In 2000 I decided to move to St. Petersburg, FL where I was hired as CAD Manager at Advanced Engineering & Design a small Civil Engineering firm established in 1998. Currently still employed by Advanced Engineering & Design I’m now the CAD/IT Manager.
I have also continued to expand my knowledge base in both the IT & CADD fields through continued training, certifications, and attending Autodesk University. I’m currently an Autodesk Certified Professional proficient in AutoCAD, Civil 3D and various other Autodesk products. I have been the President of the Tampa Bay Autodesk Users Group (TBAUG) since late 2007 and a member of Autodesk Users Group International (AUGI) since 1996. I have an A.S. Degree in Computer Networking , a Bachelors of Applied Science in Technology Management and currently finishing work on my Masters in Computer Information Systems. I’m a licensed drafter in the US Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and a Microsoft Certified Professional. I hold certificates as a Microsoft Certified IT Professional: Server Administrator, Cisco Networking Associate Professional and Linux Administrator.
