Smartphones are now an extension of our lives. Even while walking down the street, we hold onto our smartphone like it is a lifeline … and for some it is. Smartphone accessories have evolved from providing protection from bumps and drops, even adding some stylish bling, into a possible first line of self-defense.

What smartphone accessories do you need to keep you safe while walking alone in a parking structure, or making your way home at night? And will they be able to help you escape an attack?

Smart Spray

Tayos Inc. has created an iPhone case that is able to hold a bottle of liquid, which can be easily dispensed via an atomizer called the Smart Spray. You can fill up the bottle with your favorite perfume or cologne, sanitizer, breath spray, mosquito repellent, sun block and even pepper spray for your protection.

Smart Spray comes with a funnel that allows users to easily fill the bottle with their desired liquid. Once you have enough liquid, just remove the funnel, attach the atomizer, slide the bottle into the Smart Spray case and then slide your smartphone into the case. Smart Spray is currently being crowdfunded on Kickstarter Inc.

Yellow Jacket

If you’re looking for something that adds a little jolt to your smartphone, Yellow Jacket offers cases with a built-in stun gun. Its basic model for the iPhone 4/4S offers protection for your phone with its PC & ABS hard plastic material, doubles your device’s battery with its rechargeable battery and has sharp electrodes that penetrate the clothing of an attacker to deliver a sting.

Yellow Jacket also offers cases for iPhone 5/5S with a detachable stun gun that has a higher voltage, dual-push trigger system and a dual safety mechanism that is made up of TPE soft plastic to protect your phone. It also has LED indicators to notify the user when the phone is charging. Pricing starts at $59.

The Defender

The Defender is a smartphone accessory that offers a personal protection system. It is a small stick equipped with a camera, a siren, Bluetooth for connecting with your smartphone, GPS for tracking your location and the highest concentration of pepper spray.

When the pepper spray is used, The Defender automatically takes a photo of the attacker and sends it to the company’s 24/7 monitoring service who then dispatches help to your location, thanks to the geo-location feature of The Defender. The Defender was successfully funded on Indiegogo, but you can still pre-order the device.

First Sign

First Sign, in partnership with Mace Wear, offers attack prevention and protection with the Mace Wear Pod and app. The Pod can be used as a pendant clipped on a headband or wristband or even as a keychain.

The pod is triggered when the user falls and pressure is detected by the sensor or when the panic button is pressed. When triggered, it sends an alert to the First Sign system, and it can even collect evidence that will help prosecute an assailant.

iKnucks

If you’re looking for something that helps protect you without having to spend too much, you might want to consider the iKnucks. The iKnucks is a smartphone case that doesn’t connect to an app, but offers you protection as it is shaped like a brass knuckle. If you’re into one-on-one hand combats, and always have your phone in your hand, iKnucks will be perfect for you.

Photo source: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:19418