Using a smart running vest, a group of Dutch engineers took on the task of enhancing runners' safety. Currently looking for support on Kickstarter, the product is called RunSafePro.

RunSafePro may be helpful for purposes other than running, despite its name. It is marketed as a safety wearable for commuters, cyclists, hikers, dog walkers, and runners. Its primary purposes include alerting your loved ones in the event of an emergency, making you visible to cars, and alerting you when someone is approaching from behind, reports New Atlas.

The vest needs a companion app for setup and modification, as would be anticipated from a smart device. The proposed monthly subscription fee is US$0.99.

A back radar that can identify approaching objects (cyclists, vehicles, or pedestrians) up to 30 meters (100 feet) behind you is one of the garment's safety features. Depending on the settings, alerts can be sent as visual signals on the vest itself, auditory notifications via headphones, or vibrations via a phone or smartwatch. Although the designers make sure that a 30-meter distance provides you adequate time to react, the system does not indicate whether the object is approaching from the left or the right.

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Instead of being overt and taking out your phone when you feel insecure, you can hit an emergency button on the vest. Your emergency contacts will receive your GPS location instantaneously from the system. A double press triggers a loud alarm and tells all of your emergency contacts, but a single press simply alerts your primary contacts silently. The program now lets users add up to 50 contacts, which may sound like a lot, but it does raise the likelihood that someone will turn up.

An integrated sensor that senses when you abruptly cease moving is another helpful feature. Your phone or smartwatch will receive a notification from the system asking how you're doing. It will alert your key emergency contacts if you don't reply within a set period of time.

You would need to have an iOS or Android smartphone with you in order to activate emergency notifications. You would need to combine the vest with an eSIM-capable smartwatch if you would rather leave your phone at home. The vest is intended to work with all of the major brands, including Apple Watch, Samsung, and Garmin.

It is not recommended to wear RunSafePro over a hydration vest because it is intended to be worn over clothing, including light layers. A hydration vest may compromise the accuracy of the rear radar, which requires a steady, unobstructed location near the body. RunSafePro is mainly intended for shorter runs, interval training, or walks where you wouldn't typically need water, according to its makers.

The vest's adaptable 360-degree lighting and reflective materials make you more visible from a distance, even in low light.

The product is washable, but remember to take out the electronic module, which the manufacturers claim is quite simple. Although the module cannot be washed in a machine, it is said to be resistant to perspiration and rain. Currently, depending on the settings, battery life ranges from three to six hours.

The vest, which will retail for $175, may be obtained with an early pledge of US$119. Additionally, a complimentary six-month app membership will be given to the first 1,000 early backers. Shipping will commence in October if the Kickstarter campaign is successful.