Problem

We identified a growing need for peace of mind among families with young children who spend time away from home. Parents expressed concerns about real-time safety, medical emergencies, and the ability to locate their child quickly if a risky situation arises. Existing solutions often lacked reliable vital sign monitoring, precise geolocation, or robust geofencing, leaving gaps between guardians and their children. We set out to design a child-tracking device that could provide timely vitals updates, location data, and rapid SOS functionality in a single affordable package.

To bridge the gap, we defined user journeys around continuous health monitoring, location awareness, and emergency response. We conducted interviews with families and pediatric clinicians to translate concerns into a concrete feature set: configurable geo-fencing, real-time vitals dashboards, and a trusted SOS signal. The challenge was balancing accuracy, battery life, and privacy while delivering a seamless experience for busy parents who rely on dependable alerts. For context we explored external resources and found alignment with best practices in wearable safety tech, including [demo video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ).

Solution

We built a compact wearable device that streams ambulatory vitals such as heart rate, skin temperature, and motion data to a secure mobile app. The device supports configurable geofences and a silent SOS button that triggers location sharing and an alert cascade to caregivers. On the software side, we designed an intuitive dashboard that groups alerts by urgency and provides actionable guidance, ensuring parents can respond quickly without wading through noise. We iterated on power consumption to keep battery life feasible for daily use while maintaining reliable data transmission in metropolitan and rural environments.

To ensure reliability, we integrated offline-first data caching and robust data encryption while enabling real-time updates when connectivity returns. We implemented privacy controls so families can manage who sees what data and when, addressing consent and regulatory considerations. We also delivered a scalable alert system that supports multiple caregivers and devices, with customizable thresholds for vitals and movement patterns. For a quick overview, see the demo video we linked earlier: demo video.

Impact

X% improvement in timely alerts to guardians
Y% reduction in time-to-locating a child during incidents
Z% increase in parental trust and app engagement

Quote of how incredible of an impact this had.

Team

Team Member #1 - Hardware Engineer
- Led wearable hardware design and power optimization
Team Member #2 - Software Engineer
- Built real-time data pipelines and the caregiver dashboard

Wearable Child Safety Tracker with Vitals