Team 503: Technology to Disrupt Human Trafficking

Florida has the third highest rate of human trafficking in the country. Our goal was to design a tool to help authorities track and prosecute potential offenders and disrupt human trafficking in the state. Our device featured an array of sensors, GPS, and cameras hidden inside a rearview mirror. The mirror allowed police to gather images and locations from inside the vehicle. Collecting these data points allowed authorities to create a map of trafficking hotspots. Additionally, it provided irrefutable evidence that a crime was committed. Our work focused on fitting the necessary technology inside the mirror. This was challenging because the electronics were likely to overheat in such a small space. The small space also restricted the size of battery that could be used.

There are 5 main components of the device. The camera captured images of potential suspects and victims, a sd card stored the images, a GPS tracker determined the location, and a battery provided the power. Additionally, it had a micro-computer to manage the operations of the device. The device had to be installed by an operator, and the team assumed up to a week to complete this task. Early designs considered using systems already existing in the car to gather data. However, the team found that self-contained components were easier to install, and therefore more likely to be deployed in the time allotted. Additionally, a self contained device can be distributed to rental companies, and installed with minimal disruptions to their vehicles. This would eliminate a popular method traffickers use to access a vehicle. A second part of our work was adding ways for the device to harvest energy from its surroundings. We looked at usingthe motion of the car, as well as changes in weather and temperature. None of these provided enough power to run the device but together they may be significantly extend battery life.