Nerds Republic

Kids always look for the newest trends. Whether a style of clothing, a video game, or the latest tech, if it’s cool, they need it. Things like this are usually passing fads, but like tattoos, some trends are little bit harder to get rid of than others.

Take these LED implants that you place under your skin, for example.

About the size of a small coin, the Northstar V1 is a silicone-coated chip that’s illuminated with LED lights.

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The chip is designed to emulate bioluminescence, which is a natural phenomenon that occurs in animals like butterflies and deep-sea fish.

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Since these require surgery, many doctors are unwilling to do the procedure. Sadly, this often leads to dangerous self-surgery. Others seek help from professional body modification artists like Jowan Österlund.

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He recently installed three of these at a Cyborg Fair in Dusseldorf, Germany. Making a small incision in the skin, the chip is inserted just beneath the surface.

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Tim Cannon, the founder of the company that created the device, was one of these three people. The original device, called Circadia, was the size of a pack of cigarettes, and it was designed to record data from the user’s body.

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While the implants are pretty gross, these little ones record similar data. They use health monitoring software and transfer that data to linked mobile devices.

But honestly, these implants can’t be safe. Just get a Fitbit, okay?

One of the saddest realities that we face is the fact that the world is an unsafe place. Violence against women is a global problem, and it’s one that women from all walks of life have to deal with each and every day. While it’s important that we work to fix the root of this issue, one company has created a piece of wearable technology that will at least help women stay physically safe and emotionally empowered in the meantime.

The accessory, called Athena, clips directly onto clothing and handbags, and it can even be worn as a necklace. The idea is that users keep it within arm’s reach so that they can use it if they ever feel threatened.

Here’s how it works:

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When you feel threatened, all you have to do is reach for Athena — which is specifically designed to be discreet and fashionable. When you push the small button and hold it down for three seconds, the device emits a powerful alarm to stop attackers in the their tracks. But that’s not all.

Because Athena is linked to your smartphone through an easy-to-use app, alerts are sent to parties of your choosing whenever you push the button.

ROAR: Athena

These alerts will include your exact location.

If you don’t feel like setting your Athena device to sound an 85-decibel alarm every time the button is pushed, you can set it to silent mode, much like a cellphone. That way, you can still discretely send out distress signals.

ROAR: Athena

Athena is also designed to withstand the elements, so you’ll always be safe, rain or shine. Plus, the battery can last up to three months on a single charge!

And the team behind this amazing invention wants to do more than create a useful device.

ROAR: Athena

Through a project called “ROAR for Good,” the entrepreneurs behind Athena plan to use proceeds from the product to support organizations that teach empathy to children across the country. Studies show that lack of the emotion correlates directly to a marked increase in sexual violence.

Much like anything worth accessorizing with, there are different color options available!

ROAR: Athena

You can wear Athena in a ton of different ways! Style it to you heart’s content, ladies.

ROAR: Athena

ROAR: Athena

(via Wimp)

The creators of Athena have one simple goal, and that is “to protect women from physical assaults at the touch of a button.” It’s pretty clear that they’re well on their way to reaching that goal.

If you’re interested in preordering your very own Athena, or if you want to learn more about this team’s amazing mission, head over to their Indiegogo page!