UP school students create innovative sandal with built-in SOS feature for women's safety

In the last two decades, numerous products have been introduced to enhance women's safety, from pepper sprays and rape whistles to SOS buttons in cabs. Now, a new innovation has emerged – a sandal with a built-in safety feature – and what's truly remarkable is that it has been designed by school students.

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According to a report by News18, Amrit Tiwari and Komal Jaiswal, students at RPIC School in Siswa Bazar, Maharajganj district, Uttar Pradesh, are the brains behind this ingenious creation. The sandal has been designed to send an emergency alert in times of distress. With a button discreetly placed under the toe, the wearer can send an SOS alert at the push of a button.

SOS alert at your fingertips

The innovative sandal connects to a mobile application, allowing users to program the alert to be sent to designated contacts such as family members, friends, or any trusted individual. The alert not only shares the wearer's location but also transmits audio capturing the sounds in the vicinity, giving recipients a clear idea of what is happening around the person in need.

Amrit Tiwari, one of the students behind the invention, explained, "We have developed an application which connects the technology in the sandal to the phone. In the future, we plan to install a camera in the sandal, so that the surrounding sound, location, and visuals can also be shared."

A shock to the attacker

Komal Jaiswal, the other student involved, emphasised that the sandal was designed with safety in mind, ensuring it is accessible to any woman in times of emergency. One of the sandals in each pair is capable of generating enough electricity to immobilise an attacker without causing harm to the wearer.

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Affordable and accessible

At just ₹2,500 per pair, the sandal is affordable and practical, making it an accessible solution for many. The innovation has caught the attention of the Science and Technology Department of the Government of India, who have expressed interest in the unique design.