This Smart Pepper Spray Snaps a Photo of Your Assailant and Sends It to the Police

Curing the societal germs that beget assault will take a lot of time and effort. In the meantime, a burgeoning industry has emerged bent on producing smart devices to help women defend themselves from danger. Enter: The Defender, a smart pepper spray that connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth. In the event of an assault, spraying the assailant activates an alarm and snaps a photo of the target. The device is monitored by a 24-hour response team that will alert authorities and pass along the photo.

Here’s the hype video from The Defender Indiegogo page:

As you can see, The Defender is billed as a Smart Personal Protection Device. As it reached its funding goal last month, the product should be made available in the coming year. A recent profile in The Guardian addressed several concerns, such as the product’s prohibitive cost ($170 for the device plus one year of service) and issues pertaining to potential fraudulent use. The device would also be illegal in places like the UK that restrict what can be considered “offensive weapons.” Still, it’s hopeful that the success of their campaign will lead to further developments in personal safety technology.

Keep reading about The Defender and other similar devices at The Guardian

Check out the official Defender Indiegogo

Photo credit: The Defender via The Guardian