(Image source from: Jammu Links News)
A group of young Indian entrepreneurs, with an intent to insight resolution for women safety have won a million dollar prize for developing a wearable smart device for women that can be in use to direct emergency alerts if threatened or assaulted.
Leaf wearables
Among five finalists selected, New-Delhi based Leaf Wearables was one from the 85 teams hailing from 18 countries for the dollar prize organized by Indian American philanthropists Anu & Naveen Jain titled 'Women's Safety XPRIZE,' aimed at addressing the safety of women and girls by leveraging technology.
The women's safety wearable was found by Manik Mehta, Niharika Rajiv and Avinash Bansal students of IIT Delhi and Delhi Technological University following December 12, 2016 gang rape in New Delhi. The project was named as 'Safer Pro,' an enhanced new version of their earlier smart safety devices.
"Women safety is a global problem, it's a global epidemic. A safe environment for women is a fundamental human right, it should not be considered a luxury and yet in today's world, with so much advancement in technology and innovation, we still have not been able to solve this problem," Anu Jain, founder of the Women's Safety XPRIZE, told PTI at the award ceremony organized in United Nations on Wednesday.
Teams participating in the challenge for million dollar prize had to make a device, costing not more that USD 40 and capable to work without internet. It should comprise of emergency alert, all within 90 seconds.
"It was in 2012 that the Nirbhaya rape took place in Delhi," Mehta, the start-up's co-founder said, adding that it was then that they decided "enough is enough. Delhi is unsafe and things are not changing at all. We have got to solve this problem."
The start-up has previously launched two wearable devices. "We are not saying we have made the perfect device. We are saying we are working on the problem and we are going to make one billion families safe and connected," Mehta said.
The team will continue to work on its product moving forward to amend it.
Rajiv said so far the product has focused on getting the information out if someone is in a situation where they feel threatened and the next mile is to ensure that help gets to them. She said the prize money will help jumpstart all our efforts.
"We wear technology everyday, we are counting our every footstep through technology. Let's use that technology and innovation to provide safety for women and girls around the world," said Anu Jain, co-founder of technology company InfoSpace.
The World Health Organization estimates that across the words one in three women have gone through either physical or sexual violence in their lifespan.
By Sowmya Sangam
