A team has come together to create a new, lightweight non-violent device called the Robocopp with intentions of ending violent crime. 

The Robocopp is a social startup project from OaklandNorth. The Robocopp weighs less than an ounce, is wearable, as loud as an ambulance when activated and is a sign to others that you may need help. 

“Our proposed uses are scaring off petty theft and aggressive wildlife, and using the noise as a signal for help,” said Public Relations Director of Robocopp Jill Turner. “Our mission is to make the world safe.” 

According to robocopp.com, the philosophy of those of Robocopp is that they “care very much about personal safety for women, men and children-in the city and outdoors. [They] empower people to travel and explore confidently.”

Outside of wanting all people to feel safe, those of Robocopp strive to not give the device a label that may construe the true meaning of what the device was created for or to promote the device for only one gender. 

“We don’t like to discriminate when it comes to gender or anything like that with the product because that is something that other people do,” said Turner. “They are marketing the personal alarms as ‘rape alarms.’ We care about any kind of victim of any kind of violence. We know the numbers say that there are male victims of sexual assault, rape, mugging and kidnap. It’s not just a female thing.”

Another important aspect of the Robocopp is not that it will take away from the job of campus security, but it may help them in needed situations. 

“It [Robocopp] also amplifies campus security,” said co-founder of Robocopp Sam Mansen. “That is one use we have started to look at because campus security can’t be everywhere at the same time. How do you make their job a little easier? Well, if you give them a sound from a device that a student can carry, that really helps point them in the right direction. That has been one benefit, making campus security guard’s jobs a lot easier.” 

Students may be able to help alert campus security when needed, but the co-founder of Robocopp was also thinking of family safety and alternatives to the average devices that are common to some. 

“We were looking at personal safety products that were available out in the market for my little sister,” said Mansen. “We couldn’t really find anything except pepper spray which doesn’t work most of the time and can give the assailant more weapons and a knife which I don’t want my sister using. There was nothing that made too much since for personal safety. We got really into research of what works when you try to give yourself a chance to get out of a bad situation and all the numbers pointed to alarms as the most likely to scare somebody away and get them to leave you alone. That has been the genesis of the project and this product.”

According to Mansen, the Robocopp project started over six months ago but was not available for sale until August. Robocopp is available on Amazon and to learn more about the device, visit robocopp.com.