For years, wearable tech has been aimed at tracking personal appointments or fitness goals. Now, its next frontier might be protecting you in case of an emergency.
Last week, we wrote about the Dorothy app, a Bluetooth-enabled device that slips into your shoe and allows you to send a text or make a phone call by literally clicking your heels. Today, Fashionista reports on the Siren, a chunky ring that doubles as a wearable alarm.
The Siren was created by Kat Alexander following a "scary encounter" in college. After she raised nearly $1 million in funding, the Siren was born. It comes in six different styles, and could easily pass as a cool cocktail ring. But, it houses a "startling, unbearably loud alarm" that can be activated by twisting the top, decoder-ring style. The alarm is 110 decibels (that's your typical sandblasting or rock concert volume, in case you were wondering), and can be heard up to 50 feet away. Siren's site stresses that the alarm is not meant to summon assistance, but rather to repel a threatening person. The brand recommends pointing your screaming ring directly at an attacker's face or ear for maximum, eardrum-piercing effectiveness.
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At $245, the Siren ring is a rather pricey way to protect yourself. But, sadly, the "safety tax" is a tradeoff women are all too used to making — as any woman who's ever totaled up her late-night cab receipts will testify.
Critics say that items like drug-detecting nail polish and alarm rings put not only the cost of self-protection on women, but also the responsibility. To that, Alexander says:
"It's good [to have protection]. You can get on board with campaigns that educate men and also get on board with being proactive."
Here's hoping for a world where women no longer have to spend so much time, money, and energy just to walk safely down the street. (Fashionista)