Domestic violence happens behind closed doors. Behind thick walls. Beyond the public. Most victims are women who are trapped in their own homes. Nobody can hear them and call for help. But Amazon could change that – with its ever-listening voice assistant Echo.

Yet, Echo only reacts to certain wake words and is not able to make an emergency call on command. Not mentioning a silent one to avoid further violence.

Our Idea: Echo of Help – the first voice assistant that reacts to domestic violence. The device responds invisibly to a custom code word and sends an individual silent alert to predefined contacts.

However, Echo of Help is just a prototype. A proof of how useful its extension is. And above all, an appeal to Amazon to implement the features into its own products to fight against domestic violence.

Echo of Help is a fully featured Alexa device extended with an additional software stack to implement a silent alarm. It was built using hardware and software from the Amazon Alexa Voice Service Development Kit boxed up by a self-designed 3D printed body. Among other processes responsible for handling Alexa related services a Python based custom code word engine is running on a Raspberry Pi microcomputer inside the device. Utilizing a web service this engine can generate a voice model off an individually spoken keyword with a simple training: The user provides three spoken samples. After that the code word detection is set active and runs in the background. When the engine recognizes the code word, Echo of Help sends a signal over a WebSocket connection to a custom developed web application that holds information about the user’s emergency contacts. The app connects to several web-services to send out short messages and E-Mails.

The device is currently a prototype. Together with the web application it features all needed functions – from pairing with a user account, administering emergency contacts and training new code words to sending out the silent alarm. All software components have been developed with Open Source projects.

Echo of Help by UN Women Germany is the first voice-assistant that reacts to domestic violence. The device responds invisibly to a custom code-word and sends an individual silent alert to predefined contacts.

However, Echo of Help is just a prototype. A proof of how useful its extension is. And an appeal to Amazon to fight domestic violence.

In April 2018, the idea spread as an open message to Amazon via PR, social media and influencers. All measures led to a microsite, where people got further information and could share our issue with the hashtag #EchoOfHelp.

At the time of this entry, the prototype was featured in most relevant German tech-magazines with a reach of about 15 million people. Around 1.8 million saw it via social media. And thousands on stage at the re:publica. Even members of the German parliament talked about it. Increasing the pressure on Amazon to react.

Echo of Help Help – by UN Women Germany – is the first Alexa voice-assistant that can send individual silent SOS-messages to predefined contacts. And the first one that reacts to a custom codeword.

The prototype is based on the Development Kit Amazon provides to enable others to integrate the technology into their own products. Therefore, it is a fully functional Alexa voice assistant – compatible to skills and reactive on the wake word Alexa.

However, Echo of Help is meant to be a proof of how useful its extension is. And an appeal to Amazon to fight domestic violence.

December 2017:

First talks with UN Women Germany against the backdrop of the new survey by the German Federal Criminal Police Office.

January – February 2018:

Development of the prototype including:

• Software

• Measurement / Dimensioning

• Drafting

• Construction of the first cardboard prototype

• Construction of the model in 3D

March 5, 2018:

Presentation of the prototype at UN Women Germany

March 2018:

Further development of the prototype including:

• In-house 3D printing of the engineered parts

• Adaptation of the electronics to the conditions of the prototype

• Assembly

• Testing

April 6, 2018:

Approval of the prototype by UN Women Germany

One of the biggest threats women face today lives under their own roof: Almost 109,000 women were victims of domestic violence in Germany at the last census. 146 died. That’s one woman every three days.

When their home becomes a dangerous trap, nobody listens. Except for voice assistants like Amazon Echo featuring Alexa. But for some reason Echo is not able to make an emergency call on command. Not mentioning a silent one to avoid further violence.

UN Women Germany wanted to change that.