By Andrew Liszewski
The Kiddo Kidkeeper from Smart Target is like a 21st century version of those ‘kid leashes’ you see some parents using with their toddler. Except it doesn’t look as stupid. The system consists of a transmitter which you attach to the kid and a receiver which is carried by an adult. The transmitter continually emits a signal which is picked up by the receiver and is used to determine how far away the kid has wandered. When they go farther than a preset distance a warning sound and visual alarm on the receiver will go off allowing the adult to retrieve the child.
In terms of range settings the Kiddo receiver actually only has 2 options. The short range setting will alert the adult if the child has gone more than 4 meters (about 13 feet) away while the long range setting will sound the alert when a distance of 8 meters (or 26 feet) has been reached. The transmitter is also waterproof which means it’s pool and beach-friendly and can even be used at airports and on airplanes without disturbing the avionics.
[ Kiddo Kidkeeper ] VIA [ Gizmag ]
Perhaps the other way around. When the kid’s coming at you, get a few seconds of warning time. 🙂
“and can even be used at airports and on airplanes without disturbing the avionics.”
Do NOT let your kid wander around the plane. What ever happened to parenting?
I like the fact it’s waterproof. So no alarm when you kid is lying at the bottom of a pool 4 metres away 😉
I have to agree Skeptik. My parents somehow managed to keep track of my whereabouts when I was younger. And this device basically means I have to listen to both the kids that are running around screaming and the alarm that the parents are ignoring.
Or, you know…. you could actually watch your kids without spending any money.
How does being waterproof guarantee noninterference with the avionics?
And 26 feet is a long way. Is it really possible for your kid to go that far on a plane?
I’m really too paranoid to even need (or trust) one of these – my eyes are rarely off my kid in public anyway. It could break; your kid remove their end (or put it on the luggage belt – heh).
What seems odd to me is that the alarm sounds on the adult side. If one’s kid is wandering off in an airport or mall with hundreds of people around, wouldn’t you want *him* to be the one with the noisy beacon?
Would be more helpful with a directional finder.
Well, please define parenting… Is it confining your child to live in home? Restrict them to play in parks? Restrict them of making new friends?
I really don't believe that's the best way of parenting our children…. Yes it's true we live in a dangerous world but it's also true that our kids deserve to learn from the world, run freely, fall and get up!
I see Kiddo as a great help there… I use mine quite often and at least I don't get frustated looking around and not finding my kid!! That's bad parenting!
Have tried one of those products that advertise to do just that… Pointless I must say!
The directions come all wrong!
Well, please define parenting… Is it confining your child to live in home? Restrict them to play in parks? Restrict them of making new friends?
I really don't believe that's the best way of parenting our children…. Yes it's true we live in a dangerous world but it's also true that our kids deserve to learn from the world, run freely, fall and get up!
I see Kiddo as a great help there… I use mine quite often and at least I don't get frustated looking around and not finding my kid!! That's bad parenting!
Have tried one of those products that advertise to do just that… Pointless I must say!
The directions come all wrong!