Responder context
A first responder access concept for essential contact details and information about how to support the wearer.
Wearable safety + communication concept
Wally Vault
Safety should never depend on someone's ability to speak.
Wally Vault is a wearable safety and communication concept for people who may be unable to speak for themselves. It is being built to help caregivers and first responders find essential context when time matters.
tricia@wallyvault.orgWhat it does / What it doesn't
WHAT IT DOES
Gives responders fast access to essential, caregiver-provided information when communication may be difficult or impossible.
- Selected emergency context
- Responder access
- Privacy-first by design
- Local-first: family information stays with the family, not in someone else's cloud
WHAT IT DOESN'T DO
It does not track people, diagnose conditions, replace emergency services, or make decisions for responders or caregivers.
- Audio/video recording: not the design goal
- No raw data stored in the cloud
Development status
Prototype in progress. Prototype pieces exist — integration and testing come next.
Development is active. Claims stay grounded.
Physical prototype pieces, design files, and code have been created. The device is in the build stage; integration, bench testing, and user feedback are next.
Wally Vault is not yet a commercially available or validated emergency device.
Patent pending · Two U.S. provisional patent applications filed
What we are building
A practical path to better context when communication is limited.
The goal is to help recognize that a wearer may need communication support and make selected emergency information available to the right responder.
Privacy by design
The design aims to avoid audio and video recording and keep sensitive information under family control. These features still require implementation and testing.
Designed for real life
Comfort, clear access, failure handling, and usefulness to responders will guide prototype testing.
The founder
Built for my son. Designed to help others.
Patricia Sanford is the founder and inventor behind Wally Vault. After years of looking for better tools to support her son when communication may be difficult or impossible, she began building one.
Patricia brought the concept to the March 2026 SC Assistive Technology Expo in Columbia to seek feedback, engineering guidance, and practical connections.
Where the project stands
Wally Vault is seeking engineering input and feedback from caregivers, accessibility professionals, and first responders while the prototype is developed.
Public concept materials describe the product direction and outreach. They do not represent product testing, safety certification, or a commercial launch.
Collaborate with Wally Vault
Engineers
Help evaluate the architecture, offline access, NFC/QR workflow, security model, and prototype reliability.
Caregivers
Tell us what information you would need a responder to see first in an emergency.
First responders
Tell us whether this information and workflow would be useful during a real call — and what would slow you down.
Contact / Collaborate with Wally Vault
Written correspondence is preferred.