A one-click alarm solution developed to help in emergency situations will soon be on the market. SafeFriend, created by Sverre Nolsøe from the Faroe Islands, allows users to send an emergency signal to their nearest family or friends within seconds, simply by pressing a button.
“I was sitting in my flat a few years ago, feeling frustrated by all the stories about rapes and other physical assaults,” says Sverre. “We constantly hear stories of people being assaulted. Forty-four present of women in Denmark have experienced either physical or sexual assault. I think this device can help people in need and also help prevent assaults happening.”
The small hand-held device is triggered when a person holds the device’s button down for three seconds. Contacts in a pre-defined list on the person’s phone are immediately notified of the emergency and can respond by calling or choosing other courses of action, such as calling the police or people located close to the person in need. The device provides GPS coordinates, making it easy to pinpoint the person’s exact location.
When we sail, we wear a life vest. In our home, we have a fire extinguisher in case of fire. When we ride a bike, we wear a helmet. Why don’t we protect ourselves in normal, everyday situations?” Sverre asks.
Sverre believes the device can also have a preventive function.
“Anxiety can have hugely negative effects on people,” Sverre says. “Devices like SafeFriend can make people feel safer, making them feel more comfortable in all sorts of situations. SafeFriend is not just for people in need, but it can also help prevent anxiety to some degree.”
SafeFriend recently won the Creative Business Cup Føroyar 2018 award, which Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark, presented. The four-person jury included people from various Faroese businesses, as well as Heini Zachariasen, co-founder and chief evangelist of the world’s largest wine app, Vivino.
SafeFriend will be available to buy online from October.
This article was originally posted on Faroeislands.fo
Words: Levi Hanssen
Pics: Safefriend