WASHINGTON (Map, News) - For many moms and dads, it’s a daily nightmare — not knowing where to find their child.

Soon, they can track the kids with an unobtrusive new GPS-based gadget.

Location Based Technologies, Inc. debuted its PocketFinder Personal Locator at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last week. Public release is scheduled for March.

The concept may sound intrusive, but teenagers surveyed by the Anaheim company’s CEO David Morse liked this PocketFinder benefit: Fewer phone calls from frustrated or frantic parents. In addition, when a PocketFinder carrier wants out of a social situation, the ideal excuse is right at hand.

‘Tweens and younger children liked the 2-ounce, waterproof disk for another reason — the cool factor.

Morse recounted the inspiration to The Examiner: “Every night my [business] partner had to dial all around to find his preteen son.” The “Where’s Frankie?” frustration drove development of a reliable, practical personal tracker that could last a week on a single charge.

With PocketFinder, parents may check via computer to make sure their children arrive at school in the morning and at an agreed-upon location after school. A “safety zone” distance can be set. By setting a speed limit, the device would send alerts to both parent and child if the limit’s exceeded. Alerts can be transmitted by e-mail, cell phone or both.

A patented accelerometer also measures impact connected with a sudden stop. So if an impact parameter is set, Morse said, “PocketFinder would send an high-impact alert if a child or pet experiences an impact of more than 3 G.” That could signal a bike crash, getting hit by a car, falling from a tree ­— detected shifts from speed to sudden stop likely to signal serious injury.

Morse added PocketFinder will be useful for family members affected by autism, Down syndrome and Alzheimer’s.

Pets can also be tracked by a PocketFinder inserted into a collar pouch. If a cat darts out a door or a dog leaves a yard, movement and location can be tracked immediately.

Another business specializing in the GPS-based family and pet tracking is Zoombak.

As for privacy concerns, Morse notes that parents of children up to age 18 have the right to know their kids’ whereabouts. The always-on device could be tossed aside, “but why would you not want to protect yourself?” asks Morse.

Wary parents could do what Morse’s partner has done: Weld PocketFinder to the car key chain.

For more information

Family and pet GPS-based tracking devices:

» PocketFinder

$129.95 plus monthly subscription less than $15

800-615-0869

pocketfinder.com

» Zoombak

$199.99 to $249.99 plus monthly service plans $9.99 to $14.99

866-951-0101

zoombak.com

Comments from Examiner Readers

8:37 PM MST on Thu., Jan. 17, 2008 re: "Using GPS to track down your daughter ... or your dog"

Examiner Reader said:
I would buy one just to make sure my 16 year old was safe. Finally technology is making the world a little better

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9:15 AM MST on Wed., Dec. 5, 2007 re: "GPS to track social workers, ticket writers in Baltimore Co."

Examiner Reader said:
12:16 must be one of the workers being tracked. How could it be a waste of taxpayers money to ensure that County workers are doing what they're being paid to do during their workday? As a taxpayer, I want to know an inspector isn't hanging out at McDonald's drinking coffee when they're supposed to be performing work. I hope the tracking results in the workers that are not doing their jobs being fired and replaced with folks that are willing to earn their salaries instead of those that think the County owes them a job!

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9:23 AM MST on Tue., Dec. 4, 2007 re: "GPS to track social workers, ticket writers in Baltimore Co."

Examiner Reader said:
12:16 needs to get a life. Tracking workers who are in danger is a good solution in addition to detering all slackers ( our tax dollar ). Good solution using up to date technology.

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12:16 PM MST on Mon., Dec. 3, 2007 re: "GPS to track social workers, ticket writers in Baltimore Co."

Examiner Reader said:
I hope they put one on Fred Homan and Suzane Berger. They need to keep track of these two rather than snow plow operators. What a waste of tax payers money. Here goes Smith again.

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