The Lineable, the unfortunately named tracking bracelet for kids, aims to make it easier for parents to keep tabs on their little ones thanks to the magic of beacons. Essentially a wearable iOS-compatible beacon, the device notifies you when your child is too far away and it allows other iPhones to become a sort of ad hoc GPS system that can track your little one through the dark, scary woods (provided he or she is also surrounded by Lineable users.)
Created by Tyler Moon, a former Samsung developer, the Beacon and Bluetooth 4.0 compatible device that will cost a mere $5. To use it parents will slap it on their wee ones. When the wee ones leave the Beacon tracking area, the parents get a notification. Then, when the baby is too far from home, other Lineable users get notifications when the kid is near. This mesh network obviously depends on the popularity of the product, but I could see it being useful in bigger schools or playgrounds. The bracelet battery lasts a year and, interestingly, it features a patent-pending method to engage the battery when you’re ready to use the device, thereby preventing run-down while in storage.
A “multiple children” mode will allow teachers to keep tabs on multiple kids at the same time.
“Lineable connects all Lineable app users globally and use their smartphones to track lost children,” said Moon. “Lineable will utilize the resources of other nearby smartphones with Lineable apps to track its locations and this could expand globally as well.”
What inspired the product? “As Beacon and Bluetooth 4.0 are out in the market, Lineable thought of using these technologies in various areas,” said Moon. “Narrowing down the focus in a specific area, we decided families and children needed help and also children going missing are one of the biggest social issue that United States face as well.”
The project has hit $16,000 on Indiegogo, more than halfway to its $30K goal. The bracelet should ship in February 2015.
While the viral properties might be a bit ambitious, I’m sure there are some parents out there who want to know when their kids do a runner. Sadly it’s not hacksaw proof so little Cindy or Charles may be able to cut it off in a pinch. That’s why you have to back it up with a proper Omnilink prisoner locator, available to parents and select law enforcement.