Mobile medical alert systems like the GreatCall Lively Mobile and the Bay Alarm Medical Splitsecnd In-Car Medical Alert offer instant access to a 24-hour emergency response center, but they are designed for the elderly and for those who require immediate medical attention.
The Katana Arc ($99) operates on the same principal, but offers 24-hour emergency response to anyone who feels that their personal safety is at risk.
Designed to ward off sexual predators and other violent characters, the Katana Arc attaches to your mobile phone and has a panic button that uses your phone to dial an emergency response center.
It also sends a text message to your predetermined circle of friends to alert them of your situation and your location.
You'll have to pony up $15 per month to take advantage of the 24/7 emergency response feature, but in return you get a first line of defense against those who would do you harm.
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Design and Features
At 3.8 by 2.2 by 0.4 inches (HWD) and 2 ounces, the Katana Arc will add some extra bulk to your phone.
It comes in a choice of 10 colors including Steel Gray, Ice Blue, Pearl White, Lavender, Ruby Red, Magenta, Vivid Violet, Bronze, Silver, and Pink.
The back side of the device contains a 3M adhesive pad that attaches to the back of your phone.
You can apply it directly to the phone or the phone's protective case, and it can be removed and re-applied up to five times before the adhesive loses its stickiness.
On the front of the device, facing outward, are a recessed button and a piezoelectric speaker, and there are removable tabs on the top and bottom edges.
The black tab on the top holds a wristband cord that's tucked away in a recessed channel around all four edges, and the red tab on the bottom triggers a piercing 125dB siren when removed.
Inside are two non-rechargeable batteries.
One is used to power the Bluetooth radio that pairs the Arc to your phone, and the other is used to power the speaker.
The batteries are rated to last up to two years, at which point the Arc has reached the end of its life cycle.
Whereas mobile alert systems such as the Philips LifeLine GoSafe 2 are equipped with cellular, GPS, and Wi-Fi circuitry, the Katana Arc relies solely on Bluetooth technology to connect to your phone.
There are several ways to trigger an alert: When you're wearing the wristband and you feel that danger is imminent, simply drop your phone to release the red tab.
This not only triggers the audible siren, but places a call to the 24/7 emergency response center.
The folks at Katana suggest using the wristband when walking alone at night or when you find yourself in any vulnerable situation.
You can also trigger the audible alarm by using your finger to remove the red tab.
To stop the siren, simply replace the tab.
To trigger a silent alarm that also calls the response center, press the button on the Arc three times, or hold the button down for three seconds.
Lastly, you can use the in-app buttons to call 911 or send an alert.
In order to connect to the 24-hour emergency response center, you'll have to subscribe to the Response Center Plan, which costs $15 monthly or $144 annually.
The plan allows response agents to locate your position based on your phone's location services, and they will contact emergency responders, such as your local police, upon your request or if you are unable to respond.
The agent will also stay on the phone with you until the crisis has passed and will activate text notifications (or emails) and phone calls to your Katana Circle, which comprises a list of trusted contacts that you provide when you set up your account.
You can use the Arc without subscribing to a plan, but you won't have access to the emergency response center.
However, you will be able to send notifications to your Circle and they will be able to see your location when you've triggered an alarm.
Your Circle can contain up to seven members who you want notified in the event of an emergency.
When you choose who will be in your circle, you should make sure that each member is willing to help (whenever and however possible) if there's an emergency.
When Circle members receive an alert they will be able to see your location, at which point they can click the "I Can Help" button.
This lets you and other Circle members know that someone is available and connects the Circle member to a shared conference call between you and other members who have responded.
The idea is to create a support group that will help see you through whatever situation you are in and do whatever it takes to make sure you are safe, including notifying the local authorities and Circle members who may be close to your present location.
The Katana mobile app (available for Android and iOS) opens to a screen that shows your current location using Google Maps.
Below the map are buttons for each member of your Circle, as well as a Send Alert button that lets you trigger a silent alert from the app, and a button that will place a 911 call.
Tap the three-bar icon in the upper left corner to open a menu where you can edit profile information, check the Arc's battery level, and add members to your Circle.
There's an option to pair the Arc with the app and a tutorial that explains how the Arc and the app work together.
Installation and Performance
Installing and pairing the Arc is easy thanks to its excellent in-app instructions.
I downloaded the Katana mobile app and followed the instructions to allow Katana to use location services on my phone and to create an account using my email address and a password.
You can also sign up using Facebook, Twitter, or Google+.
I filled in my profile information, which included my first and last name, mobile number, home address, year of birth, and car type, color, and plate number, and was asked to select the annual subscription or the monthly subscription.
There's also an option for No 24/7 Response Center.
Once I entered my subscription information I was prompted to add contacts for my Circle.
This can be done using contacts from your phone or you can create new contacts on the fly.
When you add a contact, you can have him/her contacted when there's an audible alert, a silent alert, or both.
To continue adding contacts, press the plus button.
To pair the Arc with the app I made sure Bluetooth was enabled on my phone, tapped the three-bar icon in the upper left corner, and tapped Pair App to Arc.
I pressed and held the button on the Arc, tapped Start Pairing Process in the app, and the Arc was immediately paired with my phone.
The Katana Arc worked perfectly in my tests.
I was connected to a live emergency response agent within 20 seconds on average whether I used the silent alarm button, removed the red tab, or pressed the Send Alert button in the app, and Circle members always received their push alerts.
Live emergency response agents were always friendly and professional.
Moreover, the in-app map relayed my location accurately, and the audible siren was more than loud enough to scare off a would-be attacker.
Conclusions
Originally designed with women's safety in mind, the Katana Arc is ideal for anyone who wants an extra layer of protection.
It goes where you go and connects you to a live emergency response agent and to your circle friends with the push of a button or by simply dropping your phone if you're using the wristband.
Its 125dB siren is loud, and in our testing, the emergency response time was plenty fast.
Granted, the Arc will add a bit more bulk to your phone, but that's a small price to pay for your personal safety.
The Bottom Line
The Katana Arc is an innovative personal safety device that attaches to your phone and connects you to a live emergency response agent and your most trusted friends with the press of a button.
