A new app called Sentinel is being launched by start-up company MindHelix Technologies LLP which seeks to improve women’s security especially in cities. The app can be used to send alerts to family and friends by the woman in a situation of distress. The alerts are sent on pre-configured numbers and email addresses and even works if the person’s phone is switched off. The app can be run on most smartphones available in the market today.

Link to app: market.android.com/details?id=com.mindhelix.sentinel

Recognizing how important the issue of women’s security has become in urban India, especially in the big metros, an app like this can help women inform their near and dear ones in times of danger. “Set to work in multiple scenarios including forced switch off of the mobile phone, improper exit and as it is for women in cities it can also trigger alert on signal loss for considerable time,” quotes the Sentinel website. Since the fact that smarthphone usage is on a high among professional women makes the viability of the app even more clear.

Sentinel Mobile App for Security of Women

The app is available on a variety of platforms including Java, Symbian, BlackBerry, Android, Bada and Apple. It can be downloaded from www.sentinel.mindhelix.com . It requires an active internet connection and GPS on the phone which is required to locate the person.

The app could however show some functionality hiccups if the internet connection is not working properly on the phone. But in terms of features, the simple click of a button sends the alerts to the configured numbers or in situations where the phone is switched off without exiting the application.

With alerts like last known location, direction of travel, mode of transport last used such as bus or car and the vehicle number available, this app could sure be a great help for women in cities.