Women often experience feelings of vulnerability and anxiety due to safety concerns, which can restrict their freedom of movement and limit their independence. ‘Kali’ helps tackle these issues by providing an extra layer of security.
By offering a reliable and discreet means of personal protection, ‘Kali’ aims to alleviate fears, promote self-assurance, and encourage women to reclaim their autonomy when walking alone.
The device utilises three forms of protection – a 140-decibel siren alarm, a purple ultraviolet ink dying spray to deter and identify a potential threat and a guardian alert system. When the device is activated, the user’s chosen guardians will be notified through the ‘Kali’ app and their exact location will be shared.
The key features of the ‘Kali’ app are journey planning, connection to their guardians, and the ‘Kali’ community. Through the app, users can plan their journey and select trusted guardians to follow their trip so that they can be alerted if the user does not reach their destination in the given time. They are also able to become part of a community where they can share their experiences and get advice, view others, and get external support if needed.
Shayna commented: “I have really enjoyed prepping for the Degree Show and being able to showcase my work. The part of the process I enjoy the most is the aesthetics side of design; creating impactful visuals through renders, graphics and producing designs that are unique. This is the area of work I would like to go into after graduation.”
Discussing the inspiration behind her project, Shayna said: “The inspiration behind this project was a mixture of both personal experiences, friends’ experiences, and news reports. I always feel on edge walking alone at night and regularly experience catcalling and other unpleasant acts from men.
“The main news story that hit home for me was the Sarah Everard case; she was just a young girl who did everything right and her life was cut short in a horrible way. There are so many other cases just like hers, and through my research, I found that one out of two women feel unsafe walking alone at night. I wanted to design a product that would give women the confidence to walk alone after dark and provide them with protection if ever in a dangerous situation.”
Shayna has created an interaction model of the device which allows the nozzle to be pressed but doesn't release the spray. Shayna commented: “This prototype allowed me to test the interaction of the product with users whilst also abiding by ethics.”