There is no question that a wide variety of apps and gadgets have made our lives easier in several ways. Everything from GPS navigation to mobile banking has made certain tasks simpler to accomplish. But ease is not the only thing that technology introduced into our lives, it’s also helping us stay safe. While safety isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when someone mentions an app, sometimes in life when we become grateful that possibility.
Here are 5 ways that apps and gadgets are working together to keep us safer.
1. Backup Cameras
It may seem like the primary function of a backup camera is to keep a vehicle safe from damage from a stray post or from bumping into another vehicle while parallel parking. In reality, backup cameras are also helping to keep children, cyclists, and pedestrians safe from cars backing up without warning, this is particularly important around campus areas where bicycles often outnumber vehicles.
2. Walking/Dating Safety Apps
At one time, we arranged dates through mutual friends who knew both parties and could usually vouch for both. Anonymous dating is not anything new, as people used to place ads in personals columns, which equivalent to internet dating of today. Several apps, however, have made this “anonymous” dating much safer.
Walking alone around the city or even across campus can pose the same dangers that meeting a complete stranger does. Apps that allow you to share your location with your contacts can help them locate you if anything is amiss, and simple panic button apps like the Rave Panic Button allow you to get help with just a tap of your phone.
Technology solutions that can back you up if anything seems even slightly concerning offers freedom to do more in a day without added stress or having a family member worry sick about your whereabouts.
3. Safety Wearables
It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that if you part someone from their cellphone, you cut a significant hole in their safety net. Wearable gadgets are a little harder to part with and can often go unnoticed. This includes watches or fitness bands, but new wearable technology like smart rings and smart jewelry can easily be overlooked.
A WearSafe tag can be placed inside of your clothing or inserted in a pocket where it is not visible but can still alert help when you need it. Many of these devices automatically connect to public WiFi – which is becoming increasingly prevalent, so even if you don’t have your smartphone around, the wearable tech can still alert help.
4. Smart Cameras
Nowadays is easy to find a stolen phone, but what about a stolen car?
City cameras could monitor the movement of a stolen car, but the infrastructure isn’t up to date, and there isn’t enough police staff to follow the issue. If you don’t drive a Tesla, finding a stolen car will not be a simple process.
While those cameras are designed only to control the traffic flow, many campuses are upgrading their college-wide security systems to smart cameras.
Not only smart cameras have higher resolution than traditional security cameras, but they are also connected. If a car gets stolen from one area, smart cameras can track it via the license plate number across campus and sometimes even out into the city. This also helps keep students safe who might end up in a vehicle against their will.
On the one hand, dorms are often a hive of activity, but some of the worst deeds can go unnoticed right in the middle of all the busyness. Motion activated smart cameras can not only help you keep your valuables safe in your dorm room when you are not present, they can also help keep you safe when you are in it.
5. Smart Key Cards
Digital card keys have been in use for some time now to grant entry to specific areas while restricting access to others. They keep a record of when where the doors were accessed, but they can be used by anyone, which makes them susceptible to theft or misuse.
Smart key cards take this to a whole new level, however.
You can pair them with a cellular device or use on a phone itself. While many people may not notice their card going missing for a while, they are far more likely to notice their smartphone isn’t there pretty quickly.
In addition, since you can select a pin or some kind of bio-identification to activate most cell phones and tablets, they are far less sensitive to being stolen and misused. For instance, smart cards used on campuses can be loaded with cash to purchase items, therefore the fingerprint or retina scan protection on digital devices serves a great purpose.
A wide variety of apps and gadgets are coming onto the market to help keep people of all ages safe, especially students living on campus. From bicycle to dating safety, tech is helping make the college experience a far more pleasant and less scary one. Which is exactly as it should be.
Author Bio
Lisa Michaels is a freelance writer, an editor and a striving marketing consultant from Portland. She is the author of an Ultimate College Survival Guide where she shares tech and business tips for college freshmen. Connect with her on Twitter @LisaBMichaels.
