ionKids’ child lockdown monitoring system

Posted May 12, 2005, 5:38 PM ET by Barb Dybwad
Related entries: Wearables, Wireless

Be it via RFID, webcam, GPS, vending machines or creepy bears, there are plenty of ways to keep tabs on the little’uns. In the ionKids’ system, parents use a wireless base station to track up to four children, who each wear a wristag bracelet device that can only be removed with a special key (is that safe?). The wristag even comes equipped with skin sensors that will set off an alarm on both child’s and parent’s devices when the gap between child and unit becomes too large (better not get itchy under that bracelet, kid). The alarm also sounds if the child strays beyond the range established by the parental overlords. Plus, for $200, the system comes with cute little decorative stickers and bezels so you can both gloss it over and pretend the whole process is actually very fun.