A Port Macquarie man has designed a travel safety app that connects travellers with overseas emergency services and embassies at the touch of a button.
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The app by engineer and inventor Neil Wallace can also translate critical emergency questions into the local language.
In the event of a terrorist attack, accident, natural disaster or crime, the Travel Aware app can provide important emergency information, contacts for 2172 embassies worldwide, translations of key emergency phrases in more than 200 languages and secure storage of passport and insurance details.
Wallace said he designed the app after identifying a need for people to seek help quickly and easily if they are caught up in an emergency situation overseas.
“The app has been in development for more than three years and the launch has been planned for months, however, the terrible situation with the recent terrorist attacks in Paris has highlighted how beneficial this app could be,” he said.
The app is currently available to poeple from the top 10 travelling countries in the world - Australia, USA, UK, Canada, Japan, China, France, Germany, Brazil and South Korea, and will be available to more countries soon, with upgrades already in development.
The aap has undergone vigorous testing to ensure the accuracy of data, which is stored securely in the phone, meaning it can be accessed offline.
Assistant Minister for Innovation Wyatt Roy described Travel Aware as a great step forward for Australian travellers as well as a good example of new technology being developed in Australia.
The app is available for Apple and Android phones for $3.99, which includes future upgrades such as additional countries and translation languages.
