Personal Alert and Safety System
CS 410 Blue Group
Ray Bland, Daniel Cox,
Brittany Dufort, Braden Gibson,
Marcus Henry, Jon Szewczak
Societal Problem Statement
• In the event of a personal emergency, security
professionals at higher education, business and
civil complexes need an effective way to allow
individuals to quickly and silently communicate
their location to first responders.
Background
• In times of need people call 9-1-1 for emergency
assistance.
▫ Personal Crimes (i.e. Robberies, Assaults)
▫ Accidents
▫ Injuries
• On many campuses and other organized
complexes, security professionals (public and
private) have instituted first response
paradigms.
Background
• Existing security paradigms rely on verbal
communication with people in need.
• Verbal communication usually comes after the
event has taken place.
• Average response time is 8-11 minutes after first
call.
Solution
• To develop a way of sending a silent signal to
security dispatch in the event of a personal
emergency.
• Solution would make use of radio frequency
based key fob devices carried by individuals.
• When a fob button(s) were pushed a signal
would be sent out.
• Through a series of transceivers that signal
would be translated to dispatch.
Solution
• The dispatch station will have an easy-to-use
graphic user interface that maps the location of
the emergency beacon.
• Once activated the fob would automatically
repeat its broadcast until reset by responders.
Benefits of the Proposed Solution
• First responders do not need location
information from victims.
• Victims do not have to fumble around for a cell
phone and dial a number; a button push is all
that is required to summon aid.
• Aids in locating, in the event the victim is
moving along the grid.
• Allows dispatch to know that an alert is still
active.
Benefits of Proposed Solution
• Based on proven technology.
• If a victim is not near an emergency phone
location (blue tower), they don't have to
scramble aimlessly to find one.
• Would help alleviate students' fear of safety on
campus and possibly raise incoming student
interest in the school.
• Could act as a deterrent.
Technological Components
• Hardware
▫ Radio Based Key Fobs
▫ Radio Transceivers
▫ Radio Control Hub (connected to dispatch station)
• Software
▫
▫
▫
▫
Fob controller
Transceiver controller
Control Hub controller and Driver
GUI based on a mapping API (Google® Maps)
Determining Customer Base
• Many possible customers:
▫ Universities or Colleges
▫ Business complexes (i.e. Google, Microsoft, Intel,
Trump Tower)
▫ Civil complexes (i.e. the Capitol Building)
• Scoping Issues
▫ Due to time constraints the focus will be on
Universities.
 Old Dominion University to be specific
Old Dominion University
• Old Dominion University, whose growing
number of students continues the projection of
future victims and offenders, represents a
suitable client for this solution.
• Their adoption of new technology in the past
indicates a high probability of willingness to use
funds to secure the safety of their facility and
students.
Potential Issues with Solution
• High cost of implementation
• Large front-end cost of development
• Slightly limited market (i.e. facilities large
enough to have their own security professionals)
• No financial return on investment
• FCC regulations
• Radio broadcasting ranges
• Abuse/Misuse
Similar Solutions
• The Guardian system by TTI is a solution that is
based on the 802.15 short range networking
protocol.
▫ Appears to have a maximum area it can protect.
 http://www.ttiguardian.com
▫ Uses key fobs, repeaters and a central hub
• The Centurion system by StopTech broadcasts a
voice message to radio capable devices when an
alarm is triggered.
▫ Has a very long range
▫ Alert messages are pre-programmed
 http://www.stopstick.com/centurion.html
Similar Solutions
• Personal Safety Alarms
▫ Small devices that emit a loud noise and a bright
flashing light. Used as a way to scare off a
perpetrator.
• Medical alert remotes
▫ Uses a device connected to a phone line to initiate
a phone call to predetermined number.
 (i.e. “Help, I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!”)
Questions?