Following the gang rape of a 23-year old student in Delhi in December, 2012, Manisha Mohan, an aeronautical engineering student at SRM University in the Indian city of Chennai, has decided to use her technical skills to try and do something to help protect women like her.
After talking to women living in the hostels about their experiences of harassment-called Eve-teasing in India, they developed a bra that is designed to deliver a 3800kv electric shock to any rapist.
The SHE (Society Harnessing Equipment) can also send a text message to a relative or friend and the local police station, with the GPS coordinates of the victim’s locations.
The bra is fitted with a pressure sensor connected to an electric circuit. However, the wearer won’t be receiving any electric shock.
“Firstly, the system is placed in a bi-layer fabric, which ensures insulation to the victim.
“Also, the pressure values for squeeze, pinch or grab have been calibrated. The force applied on hugging does not satisfy the condition for activation of the device, and there is also a self-activation switch where a woman can activate it by herself when in unsafe environment,” said Mohan.