Recently while instructing self-defence at Columba College Dunedin I heard of an invention by senior students that I considered had much merit and showed initiative.
The Despike device won one of the two most prestigious awards
– the TODD Corporation prize.
This invention is a proactive device in the fight against drinks spiking and related sexual assault such as date rape.
I heavily promote through operation education preventative measures to make responsible citizens hard targets. I consider this invention to be a simple inexpensive means to reduce risk and by its very purpose and intention make aware and educate our citizens to the dangers out there.
The initiative for this device was sparked while listening to a rape crisis presentation during rape crisis week presented at Columba College. The 2003 rape crisis week focus was on drug related rape and the students were presented with facts and figures and details of this form of sexual assault.
The group of young inventors are all from the same economics class and decided to invent the device to reduce the risk of drink spiking as part of the young enterprise program 2003. Initially there were twelve students working on the project along with a technical advisor Dr. Vickers the head chemistry teacher at Columba College, Suzanne Bishop, the student’s teacher, and a business mentor Stuart Anderson.
The Despike device won one of the two most prestigious awards the TODD corporation prize. The Young Enterprise competition is a nationally based competition that is also conducted in other countries around the world.
The initial invention was designed to fit the neck of an RTD bottle as according to research the most at risk were females between eighteen and twenty-five years of age that predominantly drink premixed alcohol from bottles.
Although the idea for the project was college based, the students now found them selves having to work independently on the project utilizing their free time and meeting once a week at lunch time for one hour. This was very different from class related projects and great preparation for life after college.
Following the decision to make such a device one of the girls specializing in graphic design formulated drawings and exact plans for the device. The next stage was to approach a local engineering company to make rough prototypes for evaluation and testing. The completion phase of the testing and modifying of the prototype designs led to having a plastics company design accurate cad drawings followed by producing proto types. These prototypes have been trialled and proved by the inventors and have proved very effective.
They are user friendly to drink from and make drink spiking difficult if not impossible by the design itself combined with the bottle contents carbonation rising.
The three members of the original team that are continuing with the project are Esme O’Neill-Dean in the capacity of marketing director, Nicola Williams director of production and Anna Thompson the financial director. There is a strong possibility the team mentor Stuart Anderson from signal management will remain closely involved.
The future for Despike looks promising and the three remaining members have formed a company and have contact with the universities, breweries, Hospitality Association of New Zealand as well as the police, rape crisis and Dunedin’s Mayor Sukhi Turner.
At the Regionals Despike won the media prize, the best presentation, and the innovation award for 1st overall.
They also took the National Realize a Dream, Genesis Energy Excellence in Technology Practice Award.
To date Despike and its talented inventors have been featured on TV1 and TV2 as well as channel 9 and in the Otago Daily Times as well as on several radio stations and the product has not yet begun mass production or distribution.
The plan is to have Despike on the market in all of New Zealand’s major University orientation packs in 2005 or possibly in test markets before this date.
This inexpensive simple, but effective device that will certainly increase safety and reduce casualties of sexual violence can only be attributed to brilliant young minds addressing a serious threat to young ladies personal safety in a responsible and proactive manner.
Hopefully we will see as part of a duty of care Despike being available where ever alcohol is sold or served in the near future.
I thank Esme for providing the information for this article and congratulate her and the rest of the group, their supporters and Columba College for a project well done.
