SEONGNAM, South Korea, Sept. 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Rope Inc. (CEO Jason Cho), an innovative technology startup that makes AI traffic accident-detecting devices, announced that it has launched a campaign on Indiegogo, a global crowdfunding platform, to launch its eCall (emergency call) service in the global market.
A member of the Born2Global Centre (CEO Kim Jong-kap), Rope Inc. makes the Baton Plug, a device that automatically detects a car accident and sends emergency alerts.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 392,904 people lost their lives in car accidents last year, and with 35,092 of those deaths occurring in the United States alone. However, improvements in emergency rescue systems are known to significantly lower fatality rates and reduce the damages caused by car accidents. Google and Apple are striving to develop functions that use the sensors in their smartphones and accessories (Apple Watch) to detect when a vehicle overturns and automatically send a call for help. Some of such functions are already being provided.
Rope Inc., which was established in 2018, is a leader in this field. When the Baton Plug is installed in a car, it will intelligently detect a potentially-fatal accident. If the alert is not disabled in 30 seconds, the device will automatically send SMS text notifications to emergency service centers and designated numbers (emergency contacts). The recipients of the notifications will be alerted of the accident and provided with the accident's location data, enabling them to request the necessary help.
"Among the various situations I experienced while working as a traffic accident damage assessor for over 20 years, the most regrettable was a case in which the driver fell unconscious after a late-night accident and ended up dying from excessive blood loss because he couldn't call for help and there were no witnesses to help him," remarked Rope Inc. founder Jason Cho. "After that accident, I realized that it would be possible to prevent such deaths if accidents could be reported automatically. This got me interested in eCall services."
He emphasized, "After discovering that there were no suitable products that could be installed in the numerous cars on the road, I decided to launch a startup."
Most eCall services are available only with new cars, and users have to pay for the service separately.
It is also very difficult, and sometimes impossible, to apply such services to older model vehicles. But Rope Inc.'s product can be installed semi-permanently in any car with a cigarette lighter, regardless of the model or year.
Jason Cho said, "Many companies have tried to implement eCall services via apps, using the sensors already found in iPhones and Android smartphones. It is easy for these services to recognize falls, but very difficult to monitor car movements on various types of roads and intelligently recognize potentially-fatal accidents." Cho explained that this is why a separate device is necessary, and Rope Inc.'s Baton Plug is a device optimized to perform such a role. He added, "While this service cannot prevent accidents, it can help save lives by ensuring that people get help as fast as possible in the event of an accident."
Earlier this year, Rope Inc. launched Baton Plug, its strategic product, in South Korea, and it is currently conducting a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo for the product's global launch. During the Indiegogo campaign, which is due to end on September 23, the Baton Plug, which will have a market price of USD 119, is available for USD 54. Other discounts are also available for bundles designed for friends and family.
