A portable safety device to empower women + minorities
Skills/Tools
Fusion 360 Keyshot 3D Printing Prototyping Figma
97%
of women aged 18-24 years have been sexually harassed in the UK
80%
of women feel unsafe walking alone after dark
66%
of women aged 16-34 years experienced harassment in the last year
THESE NUMBERS SHOULD BE ZERO
Ali aims to rethink the power of a safety device.
Meet Riley
Let's watch how her story unfolds.
Problem Storyboard
Riley's issue with violent safety devices.
Project Goals
Build Confidence
Promote practice with Ali so users feel prepared in sticky situations.
Community Engagment
Power comes in numbers and sharing suspicious behavior can empower users.
Accessibility
Easy to use in high stress situations and implement safeguards to prevent accidental activation.
Take Ali With You
Small, portable, and lives in a convenient location to use.
Process
Interview Insights
From women, minorities, and self defense experts
Users don't feel fully confident, especially with violence. Fear that a device like pepper spray could be used against them.
Majority share their location with loved ones.
People are conditioned to sounds like a car alarm, a new unique noise is needed.
If not practiced under stress, there is a delay in cognitive processing to use a device when in danger.
Exploring Analog Interactions
What could activate the device?
Phone, Keys, Wallet
How could this seamlessly lives with items you carry everyday?
“Holding hands with a trusted relational partner, like a friend, a romantic partner, a parent, a sibling, a child, is literally good for your health.”
-James Coan, Psychologist
Prototypes
Emphasizing form follows function by focusing on size and ergonomics,
Ergonomic Testing
Trying out various forms of size and device activation.
Solution Storyboard
Overcoming fears of traveling at night/alone.
Ali App
When guard or danger mode is activated, it will plot the day, time and location of that event on a community map. This can help determine what streets are safest to travel on.
If traveling alone, use Ali’s Find a Buddy feature to find a nearby volunteer to walk with you for security.
Use Ali’s practice mode to get comfortable using the device in simulated scenarios.
Activate in Confidence
Squeeze for guard mode, which gives a haptic response. Press the button for danger mode to set off a unique alarm sound.
Packaging
A USB-C charging port lives under the silicone squeeze pad for protection against outdoor elements.
