Tracking / Personal Safety Alarm Devices

[DuncanCT]

Was hoping to try push this as a Hub community project, so just try to cover cost. Seen how many of the neighborhood watches / civic associations assist in getting LPR (Licence Plate Recognition) systems up and running this would hopefully be something similar

 

Basic idea, as some have already mentioned, to using one of the LPWANs (Low Power Wide Area Network) as the starting point. So either LoraWAN, Sigfox or NB-IoT.

 

I think the advantage of LoraWAN is the ability of the community to control the network, but that also might be the biggest disadvantage.

 

Sigfox coverage already up, (https://www.sigfox.com/en/coverage) but geolocation tech still not at the level LoraWAN is. And NB-IoT means relying on the Cell companies.

 

The key differentiation to this I would assume here is battery life. Something you can fit/carry and not worry about for a year or so. Think something like a gate remote.

 

If anyone is using a similar device please link to compare.

Edited July 21, 2020 by DuncanCT

[JCPT]

I know of SEON. Its a one click button that sends a message to all near by emergency response units. 

 

https://www.seon.co.za/

[DuncanCT]

It sounds like LoRaWAN? I've been trying out a portable tracker made by Rak Wireless contract and GSM free (use 868MHz). I even set up a gateway on my home to help with coverage. They're cool but the coverage isn't great.

 

There's also the Garmin inReach, which isn't GSM based but is costly.

 

Out of interest what gateway are you using?

 

inReach is a great product but at R250/month + about R10 and hour to track you it would add up pretty fast.

[DuncanCT]

i think you are describing two different but similar devices here. and GPS+GSM based means they aren't cheap

you can get devices that go in your headset/seatpost or even ones that come inside a red rear flasher light. and they have a sim slot so you're in control of the data.

.

for your nanny, there's loads of personal tracker watches.

 

Bluetooth seems like the ultimate solution, as item cost can be cheep cheep.

i really think one of these will eventually win out and develop a large enough network to make it actually work outside of your house.

 

https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/best-bluetooth-trackers/

 

Think the BLE is great but needs to be paired with phone. I think the simplicity of having a device that can work just on it's own has a great advantage.

 

Saying that, if the rumored Apple tracking product that will take on Tile is true, it'll be very interesting. The shear volume of Iphone out there will make for a strong product offering.  

Edited July 21, 2020 by DuncanCT

[DuncanCT]

I know of SEON. Its a one click button that sends a message to all near by emergency response units. 

 

https://www.seon.co.za/

 

This look like the most similar product idea but at R200 it's similar to inReach.

[Shebeen]

Think the BLE is great but needs to be paired with phone. I think the simplicity of having a device that can work just on it's own has a great advantage.

 

Saying that, if the rumored Apple tracking product that will take on Tile is true, it'll be very interesting. The shear volume of Iphone out there will make for a strong product offering.  

 

 

 

Was hoping to try push this as a Hub community project, so just try to cover cost. Seen how many of the neighborhood watches / civic associations assist in getting LPR (Licence Plate Recognition) systems up and running this would hopefully be something similar

 

Basic idea, as some have already mentioned, to using one of the LPWANs (Low Power Wide Area Network) as the starting point. So either LoraWAN, Sigfox or NB-IoT.

 

I think the advantage of LoraWAN is the ability of the community to control the network, but that also might be the biggest disadvantage.

 

Sigfox coverage already up, (https://www.sigfox.com/en/coverage) but geolocation tech still not at the level LoraWAN is. And NB-IoT means relying on the Cell companies.

 

The key differentiation to this I would assume here is battery life. Something you can fit/carry and not worry about for a year or so. Think something like a gate remote.

 

If anyone is using a similar device please link to compare.

ok. so you are serious about this! i see lack of penetration being an issue.

for antitheft i'd be ok with a little chip to be epoxied into my bike, with cheap receivers at the 5 most popular WC mtb trails and at some big races. i'd pay for that. insurance companies should

 

 

 

 

the whole end point of these is to work with a network of phones, so i see android winning.

 

I'm not sure how many apple users will be happy to have their phones speaking to random stuff. 

https://www.pocket-lint.com/gadgets/news/apple/149277-apple-tracking-device-everything-you-need-to-know

[aquaratza]

LoRaWAN has potentially good coverage and there are a number of gateways already set up for it. There should be some coverage on the trails. I'll take my tracker out again soon and see what the coverage is like.

 

SigFox has a monthly fee afaik and you can't set up your own gateways unlike LoRa, which is free and a community effort.

 

I personally use my phone + Garmin and I bought an inReach tracker for TransBaviaans. I haven't had a chance to test it due to covid :|

 

I like all the things!

Edited July 21, 2020 by aquaratza

[Slowbee]

LoRaWAN has potentially good coverage and there are a number of gateways already set up for it. There should be some coverage on the trails. I'll take my tracker out again soon and see what the coverage is like.

 

SigFox has a monthly fee afaik and you can't set up your own gateways unlike LoRa, which is free and a community effort.

 

I personally use my phone + Garmin and I bought an inReach tracker for TransBaviaans. I haven't had a chance to test it due to covid :|

 

I like all the things!

We tested the in reach while in Zambia, worked the bomb. Just the data was an issue.

[Andreas_187]

For personal tracking WhatsApps live location is easy for people to see where you are. I wouldn't mind a tracking device hidden in my bike frame to locate my bike and (more importantly) the thieves who stole it

[Dirt Tracker]

Isn't that what Namola does on some level? Panic, messaging, tracking, locate, assistance, medical and armed response, communication all on a stand alone device-pod-keyring thing. 

 

https://www.namola.com/namola-plus

 

Obviously it's more angled to the personal use rather than a item to drop down a seat post or hide under a saddle. Issue I see in having the personal alarm / personal tracking and a device that is so small as to be able to be hidden and not found on a bike is that they're 2 different purposes. Really one would be as small and tiny as possible and not be found and just track the other is a personal device. If as a joint unit it's so small it can't be found on a bike then I am going to lose it for sure before walking out the door when looking to use it in it's personal alarm guise and any buttons would need a needle to operate. 

 

Also I'm not sure that I'd be pulling up my dropper to pop a tracker down my seat post before every ride and then trying to get it out after. Rather I'd love 2 options bundled in one system. 1 like the Namola type device to have with me and can be passed about around the family and nanny etc and then a track tag that can stay in / on my bikes 24/7 and be activated via an app or is constantly running (though my wife might realise how much time I spend at the cafe post ride) and they all work off the same service. 

[dave303e]

Here is my other 2c for what it is worth.

 

If you going to roll out a bike tracking service, take a hit early on in unit price, the subscription long term will make up for it. The real money maker will be having a few million bicycles streaming tracking data into a tracking database. This gives you a geolocated dataset showing you where bikes live, ride and move.

 

You can then quickly identify good locations for bike shops, if you can link it to brands you can do brand penetration to help certain brands know where there are large markets they have not penetrated.

 

Link bikes back to demographics and you can cluster your target markets and identify new untapped markets.

 

I can go on about these analytics for days, but then again it is my job...

[Grey Hubs]

Isn't that what Namola does on some level? Panic, messaging, tracking, locate, assistance, medical and armed response, communication all on a stand alone device-pod-keyring thing. 

 

https://www.namola.com/namola-plus

 

Obviously it's more angled to the personal use rather than a item to drop down a seat post or hide under a saddle. Issue I see in having the personal alarm / personal tracking and a device that is so small as to be able to be hidden and not found on a bike is that they're 2 different purposes. Really one would be as small and tiny as possible and not be found and just track the other is a personal device. If as a joint unit it's so small it can't be found on a bike then I am going to lose it for sure before walking out the door when looking to use it in it's personal alarm guise and any buttons would need a needle to operate. 

 

Also I'm not sure that I'd be pulling up my dropper to pop a tracker down my seat post before every ride and then trying to get it out after. Rather I'd love 2 options bundled in one system. 1 like the Namola type device to have with me and can be passed about around the family and nanny etc and then a track tag that can stay in / on my bikes 24/7 and be activated via an app or is constantly running (though my wife might realise how much time I spend at the cafe post ride) and they all work off the same service. 

THIS!

[DuncanCT]

The Namola Panic Tracker system looks good but it's a sim card based system with a GPS. This ends up being very power intensive. The newer IoT networks are much more power efficient and futureproof.

I'll start a summary on the first page to keep track of all the different solutions.

 

Please can you sub to this topic if interested.

[Slowbee]

The Namola Panic Tracker system looks good but it's a sim card based system with a GPS. This ends up being very power intensive. The newer IoT networks are much more power efficient and futureproof.

 

I'll start a summary on the first page to keep track of all the different solutions.

 

Please can you sub to this topic if interested.

I have also pinned this. As the info becomes available it will be very useful.

[DuncanCT]

I've updated my first post with summaries.

 

https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/186251-tracking-personal-safety-alarm-devices/?p=3686813

 

I think the three important metrics are going to be battery life, phone independence and resolution. None of which current examples excel at all of them.

 

Will do some more digging to see what products are available. Please keep posting links if you are aware of any other products.

Edited July 22, 2020 by DuncanCT

[Pieter-za]

I think the three important metrics are going to be battery life, phone independence and resolution. None of which current examples excel at all of them.

Why is phone ('GSM') independence a determining factor?  (Ito personal tracking)