Named after the Roman goddess of safe travels, ‘Adiona’ is a wearable set that empowers travellers to explore safely and mitigates impact in the event of a distress situation.

A number of high profile murder cases of women travellers have been reported in recent years in Latin America. On average, femicide claims the lives of 12 women a day in Latin America.

‘Adiona’ is a set that consists of a bracelet and a magnetic brooch that can be attached to clothing or used as a pendant. The pair functions as a way-finding tool as well as a safety device. The bracelet functions as a discreet way-finding tool that encourages users to explore without having to rely on their phones. When the GPS system detects users are about to approach under-lit or high crime rate neighbourhoods, it alerts users through haptic feedback and projects an alternative route on the inside of the user’s palm.

In the event of a distress situation, the brooch/pendant acts as a safety device. To alleviate cognitive load for travellers, the SOS signal is activated by an EMG-based hand gesture recognition together and baseline physiological markers change detection. The activation gesture of a clenched fist is instinctive and mimics the natural reaction when under threat.

When the SOS signal is activated, the camera on the brooch/pendant turns on and emits a strong flash that causes temporary blindness to deter the attacker. The bracelet sends a distress signal and the traveller’s GPS location to authorities and emergency contacts through a dynamic mesh network which does not require internet data. With the aim to combat the region’s high impunity rate, the camera helps travellers capture evidence and validates their reports as memory loss is often associated with traumatic experiences. 

‘Adiona’ gives travellers the agency to explore safely without full reliance on their phones and alleviates travellers’ cognitive load in the event of a distress situation. It also aims to increase accountability through more evidence capture in hope of tackling high impunity rate in Latin America.