Do you ever find yourself in a situation where you need to leave an important personal possession like a suitcase or duffle bag behind while at a public location? Do you then worry about your possessions being stolen while they sit out of sight and without protection? A group of students at Lund University in Sweden believes it can put these situations to an end with an innovative alarm that protects your baggage.
Appropriately named Serenity, the device senses when a bag is being moved or opened, sending off a screeching 107 decibel alarm until the thief stops. Though sensitive enough to detect an unauthorized opening or theft of the bag, Serenity is smart enough to know that an accidental bump of the bag doesn’t mean a theft is occurring.
One of the Serenity’s Inventors, Andrew Lentz, was inspired to create a bag-protecting device after he spent time worrying about his bags when he should have been enjoying a vacation.
“I was by myself on a beach in Mexico and had to leave my bag unattended to take a swim. But while I was in the water I just couldn’t relax, as I was constantly worrying about my things,” Lentz, a Master’s student in Entrepreneurship and Innovation, said in a Lund University publication. “It was right then and there that I started to think of a possible solution to this problem.”
The process for putting Serenity to use requires three simple steps: clip the device—about the size of a USB stick—to your bag, set a security code, and sync the device to your smartphone or wearable via Bluetooth. Up to seven people can be synched to the device. When you want to open your bag, simply enter a passcode on the device itself or through the Serenity app. In the event that the bag is zipped back up after use, Serenity will send a reminder to the user.
In addition to thwarting thievery, Serenity also ensures that a bag isn’t left behind. If you or another person assigned to the device begins to wander too far from the belongings, a notification will be sent to the associated smartphone or wearable device. Forgot where you placed your bag? Use the Serenity app to pinpoint where and when you were last near your possessions.
Serenity automatically syncs with your device, and doesn’t have to be turned on before each use. Serenity’s alarm can be turned off when you’re at home by setting an automatic disarm feature that syncs with a home Wi-Fi network.
The Serenity team has launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund the molding and certification of the device. Launched with a $40,000 goal, the campaign has gained $9,910 in pledges from 97 backers with 23 days remaining in the movement.
Lentz, along with Lund University Industrial Design students Bo Möller and Jiang Qian, are joined on the Serenity team by a number of engineers, programmers, graphic artists, filmmakers, and social media professionals.
