A wearable device that combines video recording capabilities with emergency response features to provide safety and security for individuals was unveiled at this week’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

The Keocam (www.keocam.com) from Dubai start-up Keotech is a personal dashcam formed from a small, lightweight body camera that works in partnership with a smartphone.

This patented system continuously records the user’s environment in a one-minute loop, storing that loop on the camera and smartphone, so there are always two copies. In an emergency, it saves and uploads the previous and ongoing recordings to the user’s secure cloud, ensuring the evidence is preserved and accessible.

The device measures 5.3 by 4.8cm and has a high-strength magnetic mount.

Inspired by a personal experience in founder Brian Pemberton’s family, Keocam provides a tool to document threats and deter potential assaults through its always-on recording functionality.

“With alarming statistics showing that 92% of female runners express safety concerns and only 20% of assault victims report incidents, we recognised an urgent need for technology that will deter crime before it happens,” said Pemberton. “To do that, you need to offer an unnerving threat, the threat of being caught through irrefutable evidence. Keocam empowers users with peace of mind while creating a powerful deterrent against would-be attackers.”

It continuously captures 60-second video loops, ensuring crucial pre-incident context is never missed. Footage is automatically saved to the device and smartphone. During an emergency, a third copy is sent to the cloud. A tamper-proof power button prevents attackers from disabling the device. Emergency recording can be triggered via a device button, smartphone app or smartwatch. The device automatically alerts designated contacts with video footage and precise location data.

Features include IP67-rated weather protection, three-hour battery life, 160˚ wide-angle camera and high-strength magnetic mount. It will be available towards the end of this year and come in black or white colours.

Sexual assaults and hate crimes remain severely underreported globally, with evidence gaps significantly impacting conviction rates; just 2.5% of perpetrators face imprisonment. Keocam addresses this by providing evidence that empowers victims while serving as a deterrent.

“By combining always-on recording capabilities with tamper-proof operation and instant emergency notification, Keocam represents a breakthrough in personal security technology,” said Pemberton.