This Minimalist Wearable Device Could Protect Your Child

What's This?

By Dani Fankhauser2013-10-10 02:59:15 UTC

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Name: Guardian

One-Liner Pitch: With Guardian's smartwatch, always know where your children are located.

Why It's Taking Off: Wearable gadgets for specific purposes are growing in popularity, and the price point on Guardian makes it very accessible for parents while still addressing a key pain point.

In the future, it should be impossible to lose anything. There's Tile, a bluetooth-enabled tracker you can attach to a wallet or keys, and Tagg, the tracker for your pets. Bluetooth capabilities seem to improve with every smartphone release, making these types of trackers extremely reliable. The latest location-aware device aims to help parents keep track of their kids.

Guardian is a wearable gadget made by Beluvv, a startup in Taiwan. The founders are seasoned entrepreneurs and parents who felt this simple technology could go a long way in keeping children safe. While the issue of missing children is a complicated one, Beluvv's product, called Guardian, could definitely be part of the solution. Waterproof, with a battery that lasts up to a year and priced at $25, it's hard to justify not purchasing the device if you have small kids.

Other similar products have been introduced — Revolutionary Tracker is $199 plus a $25 fee each month, while a tracker called Kid Alert intended to sell for $49 after a crowdfunding campaign but appears to have failed. Whereoscope was a Y Combinator startup that shut down after eight months with a similar product.

There are a few variables that could play into whether a device such as Guardian will succeed in the market. The first is technology. Guardian is only compatible with iOS devices that have Bluetooth 4.0 (so the iPhone 4s, iPad mini or 3rd gen and newer). This could be a big step up from earlier products.

The second variable is price point — Beluvv's location in Taiwan means quality manufacturers are easily accessible, says founder Oni Chen. The criticism a product such as Guardian will get is that even the best technology is no reason to not watch your children. That said, at $25, Guardian costs not much more than the classic ID bracelet or the leash backpacks sometimes seen in busy public places. It's not a replacement for good parenting, but in the unfortunate event that a child was lost in a mall, being able to locate your child even 10 minutes faster makes the product well worth it.

While Guardian can definitely provide parents with peace of mind, would it be much help on a larger scale?

According to Ernie Allen, president & CEO of the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children, when a child goes missing, the most effective technique to recover them is rapid response — also emphasized is the power of a "good, old-fashioned photograph."

"Somebody knows where these children are and if we can reach enough people in a timely way with the best possible images and information, we can bring many more children home," Allen wrote in an email.

Here, it's possible that a company such as Beluvv could pitch in. The emergency search feature can notify others in the network with information about your child, including a photo. As people's attention moves from mass media to their mobile devices, it's crucial that these types of emergency notifications continue to flow, getting in front of people who can be of help.

Guardian can be preordered now and will ship globally in November.

Images: Beluvv

Topics: Business, Family & Parenting, smartwatch, Startups, The Launchpad, wearables