Tracker for Bicycles??

[mudsweatnbeers]

 

Bike theft is a huge problem around the world (especially in the UK believe or not..) some intrepid dudes in the UK have come up with a tracker unit for bicycles.. There is an interesting chat thread on it in globalmountainbiker.com read about it here http://www.globalmountainbiker.com/forum/topic/9/page/1#93

mudsweatnbeers2009-06-12 15:48:11

[ShaughnK]

Interesting reading. I would pretty much presume that South africa is a leader in the tracking device stakes. You could probably buy a unit and leave it in your saddle bag.

 

To me the problem is always going to be keeping any unit charged up, you would need to remember to leave your bike plugged in to a charger.

[Tumbleweed]

crowdude, if the saddlebag gets dumped, you'll have no chance of getting your bike back.

[Sean Badenhorst]

I heard about a microchip that can be inserted inside the seatpost. Can't remember it's available or still in the making.

 

 

 

 

[Capricorn]

 

i'm by no means a luddite, but i dont think technology is cheaply available that allows tracking of bikes. IMHO, a system that relies on cell based tech stands a good chance, and frankly, whatever tech is used, needs to be built into the bikes frame so that it can only be removed/deactivate by an expert, presumably at the theft ring's primary location.

?Removal should devalue the frame to the point it's worthless.

Better money and effort would be spent ensuring its normal place of storage is secure, and riding in groups to prevent being singled out for special treatment.

Capricorn2009-06-12 23:19:43

[Tumbleweed]

I heard about a microchip that can be inserted inside the seatpost. Can't remember it's available or still in the making.

 

 

 

 

yup, i remember reading about that in mbuk. but it wasn't so much a tracker as a chip that would be scanned at somewhere like a police station or bike shop, if i recall correctly.

[homer]

read an article that technology is being developed to fit a tracker unit into the heel of a shoe to trace alzheimer patients. Perhaps this could be applied to a bicycle as well

[mudsweatnbeers]

I read somewhere that they are producing a unit as small as a grain of rice... Not sure how the thing is kept charged etc... I'll try and find the link and post it here... 

[rory21]

 

Tracetec have a product that you can put in laptops, motorbikes, quads, etc. do see why it wouldn't work on a bike. Not sure how big the unit is.

 

www.tracetec.co.za

 

rory212009-06-13 01:22:23

[Christopher Brunsdon]

The failure to implement this device will be with the power source. A modern cellphone has an average of 7 days standby time, but only 5 hours of streaming data / receiving GPS co-ordinates.

 

Size and cost is not an issue, as you get cheap keyring sized devices that can send GPS co-oridinates, like this:

 

http://www.stopshop.co.za/product.php?id_product=499

 

http://usa.chinavasion.com/images/thumbnails/chinavasion-CVSAP-3800-2-fcx.jpg.thumb_164x164.jpg

 

 

[Stretch]

its all about three things:

 

1. GSM unit

 

2. GPS unit

 

3. Power source

 

 

 

A device that fits in a laptop probably does not have a GPS unit and gets its power from the laptop battery. You probably find if you take the battery out the device does not work.

 

 

 

As for location from GSM, it can be used in urban areas, where your tirangulation method is based upon towers in close proximity but as soon as you go out into more rural areas the error increases substantially. We did an exercise a couple of years ago, and the error in the rural areas was significant - would be like finding the proverbial needle in a haystack - and that is why Location based Services (LBS) on cellphones has not really taken off.

 

 

 

And as fr grain of rice devices - i highly doubt it - we last looked into these devices about a year ago, and with out a power source - i.e connecting to a cars batter etc, the smallest we could it down to was about half a cellphone (thats with GSM and GPS) - ones with power are about the size of a cellphone (little bit thicker). You could place something like that under your seat, but how long will it take someone to realise that???

 

 

 

Anyway - thats my 2 cents

 

 

[Shebeen]

Interesting reading. I would pretty much presume that South africa is a leader in the tracking device stakes. You could probably buy a unit and leave it in your saddle bag.

 

topical subject!

 

www.freedomchallenge.org.za - we're working on the problem

 

 

To me the problem is always going to be keeping any unit charged up

nail on the head. bit worried to see how they last in the reception quiet spots.

 

shebeen2009-06-15 02:08:30

[Capricorn]

technology

 

form factor

power

those to me are the three defining criteria. Sure, we have some form of tech, but tech that fits criteria #2, the form factor? come back in 10 years.

Power: defines its detectable range, and how much of it's own power it has to carry. Again, it comes down to points ?1 and 2: tech and form factor.

Frankly, we not there yet. at least not at a price point and national security clearance level that warrants it being fitted on a bike.

[GreyOwl3.0]

But I saw in an episode of 24, where Jack Bauer used a very small transponder type of magafter to track some baddie...if it works for them without a power source, surely we could use the same tech for cycling?!

 

But seriously...is there no way of making something that could be activated, but left in a dormant/power saving mode...powered by a small battery? Which, upon recieving a signal powers up? Does that make sense? If not and its not already done, I have dibs on the patent!

Please bare in mind that I think the most technologically amazing thing is an iPod!!

We can split the atom, get monkeys into space...but cant make a bike friendly tracking unit?

 

I have another question...how come we have to get a tracking device for vehicles that have a built in Sat Nav system? Surely the Sat Nav reciever can be tracked? Or am I just a technomoron?

 

PS...can anyone please tell me how to load songs onto my iPod? I load everything twice!

[Capricorn]

 

like i said: there is something out there, we just dont have national security clearance for our pedalmobiles.

 

size will determine how much power it outputs in terms of a tracking signal. The smaller it is, the bigger, more powerful, and specialized the tracking equipment becomes. Frankly, run the thing off solar during sunlight hours, and then only sporadically at night and during low light conditions. duty cycle can change in direct relation to available battery levels to conserve power.

We could conceptually design this thing rite here. Open source hardware if you like

as for your iPod troubles: get the sansa or zune players.

Capricorn2009-06-13 02:28:22

[mtb0812]

I recon this could be really useful if the guys sort our the power challenges... c'mon brain boxes out there... find us a solution, I'm tired of having to explain to my insurance how my bike was stolen.... again!!!