Radhakrishnan, an electrical engineer, took a sabbatical two years ago. The 65-year-old resident of Nolambur however had no intention of lying back in a grandfather’s chair and taking things easy.
Instead, he scoured the Richie Street for electrical parts that would go into a volunteer-driven project — portable gadgets for women and senior citizens in the case of an emergency.
Numerous improvisations later, Radhakrishnan has designed three such gadgets, all of them functioning on the same circuit.
Watch-like gadget
His first device is a contraption that can be mounted near the entrance of a house. The controller to this device is not a switch but a watch-like gadget that can be tied to the wrist.
“This is meant especially for senior citizens, who in a medical emergency, can immediately activate the alarm, which will carry up to 500-600 meters, and thus alert the neighbours. I had initially created a remote switch and let my sister sample it. But I realised that some people are bound to misplace it or it may not be accessible when needed,” he explains.
He says the the gadget can be worn even while sleeping, as it will not make a false alarm. Only the wearer can deactivate the alarm.
Something handy
Following suggestions that he recreate the portable version of the first gadget, he reconfigured the electric system so that it could be fit into a pouch that can be strapped to the hip.
“In a emergency situation, a user can just press the button on the pouch and let the alarm sound, which is currently set as a woman’s cry for help. A passerby, who is probably 60 metres from the victim, can hear the alarm,” he explains.
The pouch comprises a mini speaker and amplifier.
Like smartphones, there is a slot for a sound card; users can reset the ‘call for help’ alarm to any language or voice. Designed to serve multiple purposes, the pouch has slots to keep a mobile and valuables while shopping and walking.
An alternative version of the portable device is designed for women on motorcycles.
While the main circuit, which includes the speaker, is placed right below the horn, the he switch to this system is embedded in the remote key of the vehicle.
As next step, Radhakrishnan is taking his gadgets to the police departments.
Radhakrishnan can be contacted at 9884621378.
