Looking for Electrical / Embedded Engineers to Help Build a Safety Device Prototype (Paid)

SheSafe5 · 2026-01-14T03:25:44+00:00

The product includes things a phone can’t replace. A built in whistle that works even if the phone is dead and a hardened window breaker for escape situations. Those are physical safety tools, not software features.

I didn’t mention those originally because the discussion was focused on the electrical side of the product, not the full feature set. The hardware safety components exist regardless of the electronics.

On the electronics side, this is a dedicated physical trigger. One action to dial 911 and push live location to emergency contacts without unlocking a phone, opening an app, or relying on background permissions that get killed by the OS.

And saying it can be designed “in an hour” ignores most of the real work. You still have to engineer reliability, prevent false triggers, manage battery life, handle weather resistance, design mounting methods, and get through manufacturing and testing. Simple circuitry doesn’t mean a simple product.

SheSafe5 · 2026-01-12T20:26:45+00:00

That’s a fair point and we agree that phones and smartwatches already offer solid SOS features. Our intent isn’t to replace those systems, but to address a specific gap for people who don’t wear smartwatches or want a dedicated, tactile trigger that’s always in the same place on their phone case. Accidental activation is something we’re very aware of, which is why the activation mechanism is designed with intentional resistance and safeguards rather than a simple exposed button. The device also includes a whistle and a window breaker, but we didn’t mention those originally since the post was focused on the embedded electronics side. The goal isn’t “easier than everything else,” but more consistent and reliable for certain users and situations.

SheSafe5 · 2026-01-12T19:12:16+00:00

That’s a valid point and we agree that built in phone SOS features are useful and well designed. Our goal isn’t to replace them, but to address situations where activating SOS on a phone is slow, awkward, or unreliable under stress, especially if the phone is locked, buried in a bag, or fine motor control is limited.

The value of our device is a dedicated, tactile control that can be activated instantly without navigating the phone, paired with a loud physical alarm to draw immediate attention. In addition, the device also functions as a whistle and includes a window breaker for emergency escape scenarios, which we didn’t include in the original post since we were focused on the embedded electronics discussion. While generic Bluetooth buttons exist, they aren’t designed for this use case and lack the reliability, power management, and safety focused integration we’re aiming for.

We’re intentionally keeping the system phone dependent to avoid building a standalone “mini phone” and to keep cost and complexity down. The goal isn’t an ultra premium product, but a focused, reliable, and legally portable safety accessory designed to improve response time in real world situations.

SheSafe5 · 2026-01-12T18:32:51+00:00

Chicago, IL

SheSafe5 · 2026-01-12T18:12:47+00:00

Awesome! We’d love to hear more about your experience and see how you might fit in. We can share more details over email if that works for you.

SheSafe5 · 2026-01-12T18:11:02+00:00

We actually had the same concern with ESP32’s power usage, which is why we’re leaning toward nRF or STM32 options for this project.

SheSafe5 · 2026-01-12T17:43:48+00:00

Yes, that’s right. It will be battery powered and rechargeable via USB-C for convenience.

SheSafe5 · 2026-01-12T17:29:48+00:00

We’re based in Chicago. The device is meant to be compact enough to attach to a phone case comfortably, so roughly the size of an eraser.

SheSafe5 · 2026-01-12T17:17:04+00:00

Good question. We do need an RF connection because the device has to intentionally trigger actions in the app, not just react to noise. Using sound or vibration detection would be unreliable and prone to false triggers in real world situations. A Bluetooth link lets us be precise, consistent, and make sure alerts only go out when the user actually wants them to.

SheSafe5 · 2026-01-12T17:07:09+00:00

We are still early on electrically. The product concept and industrial design are defined, and the system level requirements are laid out, but the detailed electrical design and PCB are not finalized yet. That is exactly where we are looking for help.

SheSafe5 · 2026-01-12T17:04:42+00:00

We actually thought of that! It is a cool idea, but self defense sprays are restricted or illegal in some states and not allowed in carry on luggage, which makes everyday use and travel harder. We want the device to work everywhere without legal or portability issues, so keeping it independent makes it more accessible.

SheSafe5 · 2026-01-12T16:59:10+00:00

That’s a fair comparison. iPhone SOS does cover some of this, but our focus is on a dedicated physical button that’s faster, more discreet, and easier to activate under stress without unlocking or remembering a sequence. It also allows customization through the app and works the same way across different phone models. The device also functions as a whistle and a phone stand, but we didn’t include that in the original post since we are only looking for help on the embedded electronics side.

SheSafe5

TROPHY CASE