LAKELAND, Fla. — As an avid runner, Brooke Lierman had become tired of always having to look over her shoulder.
“Every woman has a story of being scared while running or being harassed while running. I think that’s a big struggle,” said Lierman.
Lierman had had enough when she was startled by a car while jogging during quarantine.
“So fed up in that moment. This is supposed to be my escape, this is supposed to be fun and it’s no longer fun because I'm so worried about my own safety,” Lierman said.
The 21-year-old decided to create a device geared toward female runners. It’s called Over The Shoulder.
“It’ll start flashing brighter and brighter as that thing approaches. Kind of a little deterrent of ‘Hey, I see you. I know you’re behind me,’' she explained.
The device connects to your phone through Bluetooth. It will alert you when a person, vehicle, or animal is behind you and tell you how far away it is.
“There’s a camera on the device that uses AI and infrared to detect what is behind you. Think of it kind of like a Ring doorbell that you have on the front of your house,” Lierman said.
The Florida Southern College Business Administration major raised $31,000 to develop the prototype. She hoped to have it on the market by the end of the year.
Stevie Arnold walks around Lake Hollingsworth three times a week and would use the device as an extra layer of protection. “It’s another way to be safe. I’d really like that,” she said.
The device will help put women at ease about what could be over the shoulder.
“The main goal is just to give women their freedom back. I don’t think women should have to worry about what time am I getting home from work, it’s going to get dark, I can't get a workout in, or who’s behind me,” Lierman said.
