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Seattle University Grad Addresses Campus Safety with Smartphone App

Seattle University Grad Addresses Campus Safety with Smartphone App
6/26/2015
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Chris Bernardi

As an undergraduate at Seattle University, Rob Monkman was held at gunpoint, robbed and helplessly watched as the assailants kidnapped his roommate. What seemed like his worst nightmare had become a life or death reality: The robbers threatened to kill his roommate if he called the police, leaving the fate of two young lives in unpredictable hands. Fortunately, he and his roommate came out of the situation unscathed and Monkman turned the experience into an opportunity to help others avoid similar scenarios.

In 2013, Monkman launched React Mobile, a mobile app that lets its users discreetly notify a network of authorities and contacts if they are in trouble. With the press of a button, a customized alert is sent out to a contact list, notifying them of the user’s GPS location. Monkman has recently expanded on his idea with the React Sidekick, a separate panic button device that is connected to the React Mobile app through Bluetooth. It currently retails for $59.99, an affordable price for college students seeking peace of mind.

“Holding a phone can make you a target for attackers because you are displaying valuables,” University of Washington student Suzanne Scharlock says. “Using the React (Sidekick) Bluetooth device is a safer and more discreet way to be safe as you walk home.” A pilot program for the Sidekick will launch in July at Seattle University, where about 100 students will try it out. Occidental College and the University of Washington will also test the app and Sidekick, moving toward Monkman’s goal of making his invention a campus-wide solution. (For more details about Monkman’s experience and invention, check out USA Today College.)

Students, would you use React Mobile or the new React Sidekick? What methods do you employ to stay safe on campus?

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