New Safety App Named After the Shield Charm Is the Perfect Protection for Muggles

Have you ever been in a situation where you felt unsafe and wished you could pull out your wand and yell Protego! to protect yourself? Well, now you can almost do just that, thanks to an app two computer science students at Ohio State created.

Angela Rucci, who is the mastermind behind the app, called it Tego. The name is derived from the incantation for the Shield Charm, Protego, in the Harry Potter series. Just like the spell, the Tego app is designed to act as an invisible shield against danger whenever you need it to. Rucci created the app during a 24-hour coding challenge. After being the victim of an assault shortly after moving to Columbus for college, it’s no surprise that Rucci decided to create an app that will protect others from the same dangers. She knows the trauma you have to live with after an incident like that.

And I was just super scared because it was my first time leaving home and I felt like I couldn’t make it on my own. So I was calling my dad, having him check on me wherever I went, and that’s a lot to put on another human.

Rucci is a firm believer in solving problems, specifically those other women face. The Tego app does exactly this. Of course, it’s not solely designed for women – anyone can use it.

I want technology to be solved by women when it’s meant for women. Even though anyone can use Tego, this is a problem a lot of women face, feeling unsafe when walking home, and I think it needs to be solved by a woman.

The Tego app is very easy to use too – you simply type in the address of the place you’re going to and select who you want to notify of your location. The app allows you to pick up to ten people to notify. They will receive notifications of your location in real time. You even have the option to send live video footage of your route or call the police in a situation where you feel unsafe. It’s basically allowing your friends to virtually walk you home, and when you think about it, it’s almost like having your wand right there with you too.

For those worried whether their location details will remain private, codeveloper Mark Thorn promises that users’ personal information will be treated with the highest level of respect. The data used by the app is encrypted and Tego will only track your movements when you ask it to. What really makes the app special is the fact that it doesn’t require users to hold their phones out for it to work – it uses real-time information to track your movement. This means that people can focus on their surroundings, instead of having to stare at their phones.

The Tego app is a must-have for anyone who regularly travels by foot or uses public transportation, and it’s free to use. It’s been live for about a month and more than a thousand people all over the United States are already using it. It’s definitely an app worth having – you can never be too safe, and the fact that it’s derived from a spell in Harry Potter just makes it that much cooler.

Marica Laing

Growing up, I was a massive fan of Harry Potter and my love for the stories grew as I got older. It’s no surprise then that I love writing about all things Potter related. When I’m not writing about all the magic, you’ll find me reading (probably something Harry Potter related), listening to music, or writing some songs.