Kota student develops device that can send distress calls without internet

A class 12 girl here has developed a safety device that can be attached to a women's wrist watch to help her send emergency alerts to family members in case she is threatened or assaulted without internet.

Bhavya Agrawal told PTI that she has uploaded the details of the project in Namo App -- official app of the prime minister of India -- as she needs funding to compress the device into nano size.

Currently, the device weighs about 500 grams, she added.

"The rising incidents of crime against woman drove me to focus on developing a device for their safety through which they could seek instant help in time of need and if required can be under family's surveillance," said Bhavya, 17, whose favourite subjects are math and science.

Taking help from YouTube, she eventually developed the device, which without internet or data connection, sends an alert and location navigation through GPS to family members of a woman in emergency situations.

Bhavya said the GPS module in the device is directly connected to the Global Positioning System satellites which allows it to send or receive messages and calls without internet connection.

A GPS device can instantaneously give one's exact position and time, almost anywhere on the planet, for free. A person only needs a GPS receiver for that.

"A woman just needs to push a button to send the message that would be delivered to family members' mobile phones within 10 seconds. It has a second button to make a call," Bhavya said.

The device, equipped with GPS, GSM module, audio receiver and transmission, would work even in bad weather conditions, she added.

For her innovation, district administration, Kota, felicitated Bhavya on August 15 during an Independence Day function in Ummed stadium here.

Bhavya aspires to become a scientist or an inventor to serve the people, especially women.

Her father, Paresh Agrawal, who is in electronics business, said he felt happy after her daughter developed the device.