With street violence in Rio escalating to daily fatal affairs, the city's inhabitants are seeking new ways to ensure personal safety. As news can spread quickly via word of mouth, a string of apps are helping Cariocans crowdsource information about incidents to keep themselves and tourists safe.

Brazil is home to 21 of the 50 most violent cities in the world, with drug trafficking, gang wars, political instability and poverty all fuelling the country’s high crime rates. How are regular Brazilians reacting to persistent urban violence? And how does crime affect their lifestyles?

Brazil’s high crime rates have many citizens looking to protect themselves – and their property – through technology. Me Appego is just one in a variety of safety measures available for drivers nationwide, letting users track their cars via an app and a small GPS device in their glove box.

As urban centres expand and densify, emergency services are scrambling to extend their reach. To help people feel safer in public spaces, tech brands are now harnessing the power of mobile networks and GPS tracking, with Nimb’s connected panic button proving that wearables aren’t just for workouts.