ICE: The first-of-its-kind Brixton student personal safety app that’s got your back
- Designed by student in Brixton ICE is a discreet pocket-sized disk allows users to alert friends and family instantly if urgent help is required
- App launches in response to a YoY 14% rise in sexual offenses in England and Wales
November 2016: ICE (In Case of Emergency) – a pioneering personal security device that lets users – at a touch of a button – send a distress signal to emergency services friends and fellow ICE users will launch on Indiegogo an international crowdfunding platform on 8th November. Synchronized with each user’s smartphone via Bluetooth the key fob sized device is set to keep people safe by providing them with a mobile network of protection anywhere in the U.K.
Founded by students at the School of Communication Arts in Brixton, the app is launching in response to the Office of National Statistics reports which have confirmed that year on year there was a 14% rise in the number of sexual offenders recorded with a 16% increase in rape cases compared to 2015. These figures cannot be ignored and software such as ICE will act as a preventative measure.
The first-of-its-kind device consists of a small lightweight disc which can be easily attached to a key-ring or bag, and an app that harnesses geolocation technology. When activated via a button press, it transmits the distressed subject’s exact location within a matter of seconds. The signal can also be activated via wearable technologies such as smart watches, using either the button or a pre-designated safe word.
When the emergency button is pressed, the ICE disc strobes red and buzzes. This tells the user their call for help has been recognised. ICE will then do three things:
- Alerts nearby ICE users to come and help them by sharing the distressed person’s exact location
- Automatically sends a text message to emergency services, with the location and mobile number
- Sends a text message to pre-designated ICE contacts (they don’t need to be members of the platform). This alerts them that help is needed and includes a web link revealing an exact location
Nine months in the making, Marc Lewis the Dean of the school has worked closely with his students and the country’s top design, marketing, PR and engineering agencies, to produce a stylish, robust device. The battery lasts for a year, while the ICE button has been tailored to prevent ‘false’ presses.
Marc said: “My students’ and family’s safety is a primary concern. ICE lets everyone from friends, family and emergency services know if they are in trouble instantly so we can help. It harnesses the power of technology as a force for good – potentially helping to make neighbourhoods safer through ‘crowd-sourced’ security’.
“We wanted to design something that works with almost every mobile and is affordable for all, without sacrificing design. We’re thrilled to have got this far, and are confident ICE will flourish when it launches on Indiegogo next month.”
ICE crowdfunding will go live on Indigogo on 8th November 2016 and the retail price for the device will be £30. It is compatible with all Apple devices and most Android devices, and requires just a phone signal and internet connection to function.To register interest, sign up for the beta and find out more information on ICE, please click here
LINK https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/ice-personal-security-for-the-mobile-generation#/
