Electronics

Yepzon digital child tracker seeks field testers

Yepzon digital child tracker seeks field testers
The Yepzon child tracker
The Yepzon child tracker
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The Yepzon child tracker
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The Yepzon child tracker
The user can upload photos of the children to be tracked
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The user can upload photos of the children to be tracked
Yepzon pairs to a mobile device via NFC
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Yepzon pairs to a mobile device via NFC
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A child gone missing is every parent’s worst nightmare. Thankfully, digital technology can offer a helping hand. Devices like Hereo, Belluv and Mommy Here have been created to help parents keep their little ones under their digital thumbs. The latest to join the ranks is Yepzon from Finland, a positioning device currently at the type-approval stage. Its makers are seeking 50 testers all over the globe to see how it works in the field.

One of Yepzon's main selling points is its ease of use. Yepzon can be paired to a mobile device (Android, iOS, Windows Phone) with a tap via NFC, and has no buttons, which means it cannot be turned off. No registrations or passwords are necessary.

The user can assign a Yepzon unit to a family member (or valuable, if desired) by taking a picture of the person or object or simply by naming it. The information is then stored in the cloud. Several Yepzons can be controlled simultaneously, and the control can be shared to as many devices as the user wants.

The unit combines Bluetooth for near field location, GPS/Glonass satellite positioning and mobile phone network location, meaning that the child or object can be tracked next door or on the other side of the globe.

In terms of design, the waterproof Yepzon has the look of a small computer mouse and weighs around 60 g (2 oz). It features a sturdy string to tie it to the wearer's garment and, as there are no bits sticking out, it can comfortably be thrown in a child's pocket. The built-in battery is said to last up to three months thanks to sleep modes guided by internal sensors.

"All of our preliminary testing shows that Yepzon operates the way it should," said company founder Otto Linna. "The most important feedback is, however, the final user experience that then enables us to make the last tweaks before putting the technology on the market."

Yepzon announced the device will be made available in Finland before the end of the year. In the meantime, anyone interested in becoming one of the 50 global field testers can contact the company to register.

The video below illustrates Yepzon at work.

Source: Yepzon

Yepzon

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9 comments
9 comments
BRZ Brands
What a clever idea. I'm afraid I would forget to recharge the thing but if it gives me peace of mind regarding my kids I'd add it to my routine. Best of luck to them.
Bob Flint
As with any of the external tracking systems it's an accessory that can and will be lost, forgotten, or deliberately removed.
As a parent it's your job, not some trinket, and again your life partner (Smart Phone) to watch over your precious items. Imagine the first, and second false alarms, once it fails or falls off.
If you are so concerned, don't have kids, or implant an internal tracker, which you will have to remove once they become adults.
hdm
i wonder if anyone can hack this to find the children before the parents...i suppose the security is foolproof ..and that the kids can never lose this device.
Grunchy
This is worthwhile tech, it can be used with elderly who wander off also.
I think this manifestation is too easy for a kidnapper to identify and dispose of. Also, it should self-generate power, preferably with solar and movement, such as Citizen Eco drive and Seiko kinetic. Even if it generates only one signal in a day, it could be the tell-tale that solves a missing person case.
I suppose it's easy to block with a cellular jammer.
It would be nice to develop a missing person's MAC address registry system, over Wi-Fi for instance. Routers could communicate new MAC codes back to a central registry, and if a particular code corresponds to an ongoing investigation it would then be an important clue.
I wonder if an energy harvesting RFID scheme could be manufactured. For instance, the tag might harvest radio energy from nearby cell phones, or from FM broadcasts, until enough is collected to send out its own unique Wi-Fi or Bluetooth pulse. A device like that could lie dormant for an extended period, yet could wake up and silently call for help at an opportune moment.
f8lee
TO @hdm's point - I wonder what the pedophiles of the world would pay for a hacker who can connect to the device...
Aaryn Johansen
how are they going to lose it? it's a tracker!!!!!!!!!! derrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
Sudheer Kumar
hi am from India(Hyderabad) and i would like to buy this device. could any one help me out where i get from India. Really this is wonderful device to protect our child.-sudheer from India.
Sudheer Kumar
pl let me know hot to get in india
AlastairBlakey
Creepy guy in the ad. Really despise ads that work on fear too, that's just nasty.