invisaWear , DifferenceMakers
We want to make people feel safe at all times.
invisaWear won Innovative Technology Solution and $4,500 at the 2016 Idea Challenge. Team Members include Erin Graceffa '16 (Electrical Engineering), Rajia Abdelaziz '16 (Electrical Engineering/Computer Science) and Raymond Hamilton '16 (Electrical Engineering).
While there are a variety of existing solutions to give people peace of mind, most are either obnoxiously obvious, often out of reach, or both. Many college students carry pepper spray which is typically buried at the bottom of a purse or backpack. While there are countless safety applications for mobile devices, making a 911 call or opening up said application, draws attention to the user. Few are both discrete and easily accessible. invisaWear addresses this issue by creating a discrete and easily accessible way of contacting help. invisaWear is a wearable device that connects to a smart phone via Bluetooth. With the simple push of a button, invisaWear sends help messages and location information to predetermined emergency contacts. Additionally, this device can be attached to an existing accessory or article of clothing, creating an accessible and discrete way of contacting help while avoiding drawing attention to the user.
This team worked on this project as part of their capstone. During this time, they applied to the Engineering Prototyping Competition and won 3rd place, a $500 prize. They also received valuable feedback through this process. In the spring, they attended many of the DifferenceMaker workshops, practiced their pitch, and did more research. Their hard work paid off.