Glen Marais mom designs device to track children
Ngwenya, a wife and a mother of three, says for infants, the device can be put in their diapers as it is waterproof.
Parents can now track the whereabouts of their children, or adults with special needs, using a connected smart device.
The designer of the gadget, Sithandazile Ngwenya from Glen Marais, said she was inspired to create a safety device after having witnessed the escalation in human trafficking, child abduction and gender-based violence.
The device prioritises human safety and comes in two modes, track and panic. It has two buttons that can be depressed in an emergency, after which the owner can be tracked.
The smart device is in the form of a bracelet with a remote control device. A maximum of 10 recipients are pre-recorded on the device, and will receive an SMS with GPS coordinates in the event of an emergency. The tracker requires to be charged daily.
“The device can bring huge benefits to our daily lives. Safety and security must be the absolute priority to us, especially for those with special needs. The wristband allows caregivers and parents to locate individuals with cognitive conditions who go missing. This includes people with dementia and Alzheimer’s, even younger people with diminished mental capacity,” said Ngwenya.
The device can also be linked to a school registry for children with special needs at school. The children can tag in and out of school with it, and any emergency event will be relayed to the parents.
“This can be treated as a secondary platform by schools or colleges to know the whereabouts of their learners. In case of any emergency, children or learners can use the panic button to notify the 10 recipients.
“The device has a QR code or quick response code with student information. When a learner collapses at school, it can be picked up through the code. Children who are not at school can be tracked at all times, and geo-fenced all the time,” said Ngwenya.
Ngwenya, a wife and a mother of three, says for infants, the device can be put in their diapers as it is waterproof. It resists urine.
For senior citizens with dementia, they can constantly be tracked and geo-fenced as well.
For children and adults with epilepsy, the gadget is equipped with an automatic fall detector.
“Every device has two panic buttons to avoid false alarms. It also has a QR code with the learner’s information or the owner’s information so that when scanned by paramedics, all the information about the owner will pop up, including their health status.
“The device is dust proof and can also be branded to become part of the school uniform. The product is locally manufactured, and can be customised according to customer’s needs,” said Ngwenya.
