Skip to main content

The Wearsafe Tag could be a game-changer in fighting sexual assault

When it comes to combating the epidemic of sexual assault on college campuses, a ubiquitous point of contention seems to be the notion of context. Even when such heinous activities are reported, the lack of detailed information around the crime often becomes a painful obstacle, and survivors are pulled into a devastating cycle of denial, doubt, and blame. But slowly, technology has begun to offer some form of solution to this problem, the latest of which manifests itself in the Wearsafe Tag, a new kind of wearable with a specific focus on college students and preventing sexual assaults on college campuses.

Slightly larger than a quarter and attachable to just about any piece of clothing or jewelry, the Wearsafe Tag allows its user to instantly alert friends and family members to troubling situations with a discreet press of a button. Rather than relying on a phone to call for help, the Bluetooth enabled Tag allows the wearer to send an alert via email, text, and the Wearsafe app to a predetermined group of emergency contacts. Immediately, a group chat is started, and relevant parties can see where the Tag user is located by way of GPS information. But most important of all, pressing the Tag allows your friends and family to instantaneously hear audio data from your location — in fact, they can hear what’s going on up to 60 seconds before you even activate the device.

This means that Tag users will not only be able to provide audio evidence of ongoing events, but also contextualize (to a point) the situation, helping their emergency contacts quickly assess the situation and send help if necessary. And as a Wearsafe wearer, having access to your phone isn’t a necessity — in fact, the Tag works even 200 feet away from your smartphone

Rich Staropoli, a former U.S. Secret Service special agent who served both Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton calls the Wearsafe Tag a “game changer,” and with his own daughter starting college this year, the threat of sexual assault is more personal than ever.

As a father whose daughter is going to college in the fall I feel so strongly that this product should be on every college campus in America,” Staropoli says. “With the knowledge that students could  be wearing a Wearsafe-connected device, a college or university creates a significant deterring effect.”

Editors' Recommendations

One of last year’s most luxurious smartwatches finally has Wear OS 3
Tag Heuer Connected Calibre E4 Classic watch face.

Tag Heuer has announced that its luxurious Calibre E4 smartwatch range is all set to receive an update to Google's Wear OS 3 software, and that it will bring with it significant changes.

Google announced Wear OS 3 in May 2021, while Tag Heuer released the 42mm Connected Calibre E4 and 45mm Connected Calibre E4 in 2022, so the update has been a long time coming.

Read more
Bixby vs. Google Assistant: Which AI is better for you?
google assistant mobile.

AI digital assistants and chatbots (like ChatGPT) are huge now, and there are more than a few to choose from. If you, like many Android phone owners, have a Samsung device, then you have the choice between two AI assistants: the Google-backed Google Assistant and Samsung's Bixby.
What are the differences between the two assistants, and which one is better for you? Is Bixby better than Google Assistant, or should you  go all-in with Google's AI? We compared Bixby and the Google Assistant to find out. 
Bixby vs. Google Assistant: device integration

Google Assistant is available on all Google Nest and Home products, including Android TVs, lights, security cams, speakers, and more. Google Assistant is also available on Android Auto, so you can use the virtual assistant to execute commands when you’re driving. Google Assistant is available on other brands' smart devices too, so you can use Google's voice assistant on Lenovo's Smart Home System. You'll also find it in all of the best Android phones, but did you know you can also download and use it on Apple iPhones as well?
Samsung’s Bixby, on the other hand, is limited to Samsung devices, like the Galaxy S23 Ultra. It's also limited to only being able to control other devices via the SmartThings app, rather than having native support. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it is more restricted. However, full functionality of Bixby is limited to newer devices, so unlike Google Assistant, which tends to be available to older devices, you'll need to keep upgrading to get the most out of Bixby.
This won’t matter much for users who’ve been using Samsung devices for years and want to continue investing in new Samsung products, but if you live with people using different Android devices, Google Assistant might be a better option for smoother integration across devices.
The winner is pretty clear here. Google Assistant is available on a lot more devices, including Apple iPhones, and helps you to create a comprehensive system for convenient use. 
Winner: Google Assistant
Bixby vs. Google Assistant: performance and accessibility

Read more
Samsung may be getting ready to launch a new AirTag rival this year
Galaxy SmartTag

Samsung is not the first brand that comes to mind when you are out shopping for an object tracker. That kind of consumer trust and appeal is currently commanded by Tile, which kickstarted the trend, and Apple's popular AirTag. However, Samsung wants to wiggle its way into that space with yet another object tracker that's destined to arrive soon.

Citing unnamed sources, SamMobile reports that Samsung is planning a refresh of its Galaxy Smart Tag portfolio. And if all things go according to plan, the second-gen object tracker from Samsung will hit the shelves in the third quarter of 2023 — possibly around the same time frame as the launch of Samsung’s upcoming foldable phones.

Read more