CLARUS – getting home safe

它能做什麼

Injury-free self-defense due to light. A strong flash with varying frequency dazzles the offender in an emergency situation. The discreet safelight is not imposing as many requirements on the user as it is often the case with other self-defense products.

你的靈感

In 2016 thirty percent of the male population in Germany and 56 percent of the female population stated that there was a surrounding area, through which they would not dare to walk alone during nighttime. This number has increased by about 10 percent since 2006. (source: IfD Allensbach) There is a big market for self-defense products. However, many products in this segment put the user in potential danger due to the product itself. Conventional pepper sprays need to be aimed at an offender and can easily cause harm to the user, if not used correctly. Moreover, there is the fear of hurting another person and causing permanent damage.

怎樣運行的

In a 3-step-system, a combination of applying pressure to the device, a heart rate monitor and a drop to the ground, the light is activated. The varying frequency of the flashes cannot be decoded by the brain. The result is a daze, leading to a loss of orientation and vomiting. This technology has its origin in the military. Seven high quality 1050 lm LEDs and a loud piezo speaker are required to achieve this effect. While pressing the safelight together, the heart rate monitor differentiates between a human and a heavy object pressing on the device. When Clarus is dropped to the ground, a sensor detects the movement and the light is set off after a few seconds. During those seconds Clarus is brought in an upright position by the side parts to have a greater light range. Due to its barycenter it cannot land on the flat light surface on its top. The triangle shape is easy to grab and feels different from other objects in a handbag.

設計過程

Several mock-up models have been built during the 4 month process of developing this concept. The goal of the mock-ups was to find a shape that fits a variety of hand sizes and is easy to grab. The symmetry enables left and right handed persons to use the product the same way. Thinking about what would happen before and after an incident I came up with a way to avoid assaults in general. In the app you can define an emergency contact other than the police and give the all-clear-signal, if the device is activated by accident. Furthermore, safe routes can be planned with the help of the safety profiles. Whenever the safelight is unlocked or activated, time and location is sent to the authorities. The data is used to classify an area’s level of safety during a certain time. Additionally, there will be an emergency call, if the light is activated. Moreover, the three cameras placed above the LED’s provide a 360 degree angle to take pictures of the incident, which will be sent to the authorities immediately, in case Clarus is destroyed. If people feel at risk and the safelight is unlocked often in a certain area, the authorities could react with better illuminated paths or increased authority presence, to improve the area.

怎麼不一樣？

Pepper sprays require aiming. Pocket alarms can be effective, however do not stop an offender, if he has earplugs to protect himself. Clarus’ simple handling sets the device apart from other self-defense products. In a stress situation the body tenses up, resulting in applying pressure to the device as a natural reaction. All that is left for the user to do, is to let it fall to the ground. The safelight has a battery level indicator at the bottom and if the battery is running low, there will be a notification to charge it, on your smartphone. Forty percent of the battery are reserved for emergencies. Other products in this segment are usually marked as self-defense devices and do not give the user the privacy they want. Clarus is discreet and elegant. As self-defense products are not in use most of the time, they are unnecessary until the user is in danger. However, Clarus can be used as a flashlight on a dark way home as well.

未來計劃

The vision behind Clarus is a smart system replacing pepper sprays as a high quality safety device without the fear of permanent harm. A fully functioning prototype and refinements of the package and materials would take Clarus one step further towards a market implementation. This concept could make a significant change in the self-defense market and offers the possibility to create a safer world.

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