In 2010, a freshman art student at Northern Illinois University, Antinette Keller, was abducted and murdered while painting in a nearby park off campus. Two years earlier, a school shooting in a lecture hall took six lives.
These tragedies have led a team of NIU alumni to develop EduProtect, a small wireless handheld remote that, when pushed, activates an app that automatically transmits the user's profile and GPS location to local police. Once the remote is turned on, the device immediately starts capturing audio and video, which can potentially be used later as evidence.
"It’s a simple, yet powerful way for students to stay safe," said CEO Joe Parisi.
EduProtect launched an indiegogo campaign in an effort to raise $20,000; the campaign ended on September 6th. The funds will be used to manufacture the remotes in bulk so that the company can increase distribution and make the product more accessible.
On top of stopping crime in action, the app also helps prevent it by allowing police to sort and filter historical crime data. This information can then be used towards future policing strategies; knowing exactly where and when crime has happened in the past allows the police to determine where and when crime is likely to occur again.
