Granny tracker needed..

Forums › Gadgets, robotics, home automation, electronics (including wearables) › Granny tracker needed..

kenkeniff

628 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 88

#157365 28-Nov-2014 16:49

Looking for simplest / cheapest solution to track granny who keeps going AWOL rest home.

Requirements;

Ability to set a geofence (i.e. alert when outside 500m of rest home)
Ability to request current location (either by SMS, email or web)
Decent battery life, simple to charge, easy to carry etc

Anyone have experience with one of these?

1 | 2

3919 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 752

Trusted

#1185042 28-Nov-2014 16:57

maybe something like this Garmin model?

Speedtest 2019-10-14

kenkeniff

628 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 88

#1185043 28-Nov-2014 16:58

Zeon: maybe something like this Garmin model?

A dog tracker, lol?

RunningMan

9004 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 4631

#1185047 28-Nov-2014 17:14

Try wandatrack

kenkeniff

628 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 88

#1185050 28-Nov-2014 17:21

RunningMan: Try wandatrack

Radio-based, no geofencing..

timmmay

20653 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 5166

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1185077 28-Nov-2014 18:08

Will she take it with her? Without meaning to be rude, do you need something that can be attached to her, put in a shoe, or will she carry a phone?

kenkeniff

628 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 88

#1185078 28-Nov-2014 18:15

timmmay: Will she take it with her? Without meaning to be rude, do you need something that can be attached to her, put in a shoe, or will she carry a phone?

She will take it if she *remembers* so ideal would be a wristwatch or similar with a decent battery so as to reduce the risk of forgetting to put it back on after charging.

I considered a smartphone but maybe too complicated..

nakedmolerat

4629 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 874

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1185091 28-Nov-2014 19:04

http://www.trackit.co.nz/product/Personal_Tracking.aspx

Quic Broadband

Move to New Zealand's best fibre broadband service (affiliate link). Free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE. Note that to use Quic Broadband you must be comfortable with configuring your own router.

Hiamie

355 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 101

#1185181 28-Nov-2014 22:08

You could consider this https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pillarapps.geolert for a cheap low tech solution using an Android smart phone. Perhaps use it with a Skinny mobile and the $16/ month prepay plan, or Vodafone $19/month plan.

I suspect you need a data plan for it to work - hence needing to put it on the prepay plan, but you could try it out to see if it is a possible cheap solution.

I have been playing with it for the last couple of days using my Samsung S3 and the Skinny $16/ month plan, and it is mostly reliable - but I wouldn't want to risk my life to it. You can set up multiple geo-fences, and have it SMS several phones if needed.

Tony

PhantomNVD

2619 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 759
Inactive user

#1185209 29-Nov-2014 03:24

kenkeniff:
timmmay: Will she take it with her? Without meaning to be rude, do you need something that can be attached to her, put in a shoe, or will she carry a phone?

She will take it if she *remembers* so ideal would be a wristwatch or similar with a decent battery so as to reduce the risk of forgetting to put it back on after charging.

I considered a smartphone but maybe too complicated..

sounds like there IS a use for the forthcoming "Apple Watch" :D

Seriously though, You might also need to think about recharge cycle for whatever solution you pick too?

nathan

5695 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1630
Inactive user

#1185525 29-Nov-2014 18:27

PhantomNVD:
kenkeniff:
timmmay: Will she take it with her? Without meaning to be rude, do you need something that can be attached to her, put in a shoe, or will she carry a phone?

She will take it if she *remembers* so ideal would be a wristwatch or similar with a decent battery so as to reduce the risk of forgetting to put it back on after charging.

I considered a smartphone but maybe too complicated..

sounds like there IS a use for the forthcoming "Apple Watch" :D

Seriously though, You might also need to think about recharge cycle for whatever solution you pick too?

Apple Watch doesn't have wireless WAN connection so not sure how a Apple Watch helps

nigelj

856 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 125

#1185551 29-Nov-2014 19:12

Hiamie: You could consider this https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pillarapps.geolert for a cheap low tech solution using an Android smart phone. Perhaps use it with a Skinny mobile and the $16/ month prepay plan, or Vodafone $19/month plan.

I suspect you need a data plan for it to work - hence needing to put it on the prepay plan, but you could try it out to see if it is a possible cheap solution.

I have been playing with it for the last couple of days using my Samsung S3 and the Skinny $16/ month plan, and it is mostly reliable - but I wouldn't want to risk my life to it. You can set up multiple geo-fences, and have it SMS several phones if needed.

Tony

If you were a Spotify user and didn't have an existing Spark-Spotify connection, the $19/mo 'Music Pack' would also work, register the Spotify subscription against yourself, works out (from point of view of cost of 'granny tracker') at about $7/mo for minutes & data (Spotify is ~$12-13 off top of head).

The problem with such a solution though is a) charging the phone, b) usability of the phone, not really sure there are any basic Smartphones at the moment (Remember those old Vodafone 'Simple' (non-Smart) phones? Need a smart version of that), c) attachment to Granny, sure she might remember to charge it up and be able to use it, but it's useless if she forgets to put it in her purse when she goes on her escapades.

If wearable tech was a bit more mainstream, what you'd really want is something to the following effect:

GPS device with GPRS (or maybe even a simple GSM/txt) connection, sown into her purse/handbag, some sort of QI/etc charging pad near where she always places her purse to keep it charged up (assuming she always take a purse/handbag with her, and she keeps it in the same place when not in use, and a QI charging pad/charging antenna in handbag wouldn't cause issues with any pacemakers etc)

floydie

474 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 49

#1185556 29-Nov-2014 19:51

get her to rob a bank...then she'll get home detention and a nice tracking anklet.

Zeon

3919 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 752

Trusted

#1186216 1-Dec-2014 11:07

timmmay: Will she take it with her? Without meaning to be rude, do you need something that can be attached to her, put in a shoe, or will she carry a phone?

I would second this. If she has dimentia and this is not part of her "routine" it won't work. Something that can be attached is probably much safer.

Speedtest 2019-10-14

meesham

973 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 266

#1186295 1-Dec-2014 12:36

There's an article on the Register today that covers this subject, I'm not sure if the products on the first page are available in NZ however - http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/11/30/be_your_own_big_brother_keeping_tabs/

Regs

4066 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 206

Trusted

Snowflake

#1186409 1-Dec-2014 14:39

Vigil Monitoring is building the next generation of "Granny Tracker". Full-on biometrics and handling the alert if tracker not worn. I know they were trialling, not sure when ready to release: http://vigilmonitoring.co.nz/

I also saw this 2 Life app which might not be right for this situation, but worth a mention: http://techday.com/netguide/news/kiwi-app-gives-peace-of-mind-at-the-press-of-a-button/195177/

Sales Engineer
Snowflake
www.snowflake.com

about.me/nzregs
Twitter: @nzregs

1 | 2