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Mobile Technology

TrackerPad GPS stickers keep tabs on your belongings

July 24, 2015
TrackerPad GPS stickers keep tabs on your belongings
The TrackerPad is a small GPS tracker with an adhesive rear
The TrackerPad is a small GPS tracker with an adhesive rear
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The TrackerPad is a small GPS tracker with an adhesive rear
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The TrackerPad is a small GPS tracker with an adhesive rear
The TrackerPad is roughly the same size as a British 10 pence piece or a US quarter
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The TrackerPad is roughly the same size as a British 10 pence piece or a US quarter
The small size of the TrackerPad means that it can be attached to things discretely and without causing inconvenience
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The small size of the TrackerPad means that it can be attached to things discretely and without causing inconvenience
The TrackerPad can be used for tracking expensive items like bikes or cars
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The TrackerPad can be used for tracking expensive items like bikes or cars
Users can track the location of their TrackerPads via an accompanying smartphone app
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Users can track the location of their TrackerPads via an accompanying smartphone app
The TrackerPad is charged wirelessly via a wireless charging pad
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The TrackerPad is charged wirelessly via a wireless charging pad
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Nowadays, you can track the location of belongings such as wallets, bikes and bags with small GPS trackers, and the coin-sized TrackerPad is perhaps the smallest of the lot.

There are already some pretty tiny tracking devices on the market, such as the TrackR Bravo and the Tile. At only 10 x 10 x 3.8 mm (0.39 x 0.39 x 0.15 in), though, the TrackerPad is roughly the same size as a British 10 pence piece or a US quarter, making it significantly smaller than both of those options.

Whereas the casings of the TrackR Bravo and the Tile are made of hard materials, the workings of the TrackerPad are enclosed within a soft, flexible casing. It weighs just 1.6 g (0.05 oz) and is attached to objects using its adhesive rear.

The TrackerPad has a built-in prepaid SIM that communicates with the TrackerPad server and the server, in turn, relays info to an accompanying TrackerPad app on the user's smartphone (platforms yet to be confirmed).

Users can track the location of their TrackerPads via an accompanying smartphone app
Users can track the location of their TrackerPads via an accompanying smartphone app

Pads are paired with the app by scanning the unique QR code on the front. Once paired, the pads can then be named for easy reference. For example, you might name them after the object to which they are attached.

Using the app, it is then possible to select a TrackerPad pad by its name and view its location on a map. Automated location reports can be set up at intervals of the user's choosing and geo-fencing can be set up so that the user receives a notification if the Pad exits a defined boundary.

TrackerPads have a battery life of around seven days depending on how often their location is reported. The pads are charged using a wireless charger. Once a Pad has been placed on top of the charger, the user will receive a notification via the app to say that charging has begun.

The company says the devices are waterproof and can be used repeatedly. If a one loses its stickiness, the adhesive surface needs only be run the under water and to "reactivate" it.

A Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign is underway for the TrackerPad. A pledge of £30 (US$46) put you in line for two TrackerPads, a wireless charging bay and codes with which to download the accompanying smartphone app. Delivery is expected in December 2015 if the campaign succeeds.

The Kickstarter pitch for the TrackerPad is below.

Source: TrackerPad

UPDATE (Aug. 6/15): TrackerPad has now moved its crowdfunding campaign to Indiegogo.

TrackerPad - Sticky GPS tracker pads (Suspended)

View gallery - 6 images

Tags

Mobile TechnologyGPSTrackingAdhesiveInternet of ThingsKickstarter
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8 comments
fusen
Read the KickStarter comments and please do not fund it any more.
mtimoma
This looks awesome! A lot of comments on the Kickstarter page seem to say that its unfeasible. Any news on whether or not this thing actually works as described?
jhirai20
Yeah this device is BS. He doesn't explain how it works, like how does it transmit coordinates to your phone? There is no Bluetooth or Cellular module listed in the specs. So how will that work, Magic?!
PoppyAnn
these would be great for use on radio control planes which go missing now and then trying to locate one which has lost the radio link and flown of into the sunset can take weeks (if ever) to locate and having one of these inside would show where to go to try and pick up the model/pieces.
Dziks
can I stick it to my child's backpack or jacket and track him on his way home? Is there something like that already on the market (working in Europe!)? I would really need it.
VictoriasViewpoint
I read the comments on Kickstarter, and viewed the demonstration video, and the first negative comment I saw (regarding the video) was how iPhones do not have slide-over keypads. But Androids do, that's how my phone works, and I didn't see anything in the description that this was for a particular type of phone (maybe that's a clue that it's not legit, I don't know, or maybe I just didn't see it). To me, though, based on that one comment, that doesn't even seem like a reasonable criticism of the product. So..next!
I then went on to read the 82 comments about this product. The main argument seems to be that the inventor will not slice into the pad to show people there are electronics inside. That seems like a fairly reasonable request. Though, to be fair, I can't recall ever seeing any electronics item for sale where the website shows the components inside it. So, to me, that's a wash.
The other comments are things like, "it's a video, anyone can fake this", which seems odd considering what do you want the inventor to do? Come to your house and show you? Someone suggested that the inventor meet one of the backers and video that - but then I can see other backers yelling, "Shill!" and that wouldn't really solve anything.
I am not tech savvy. I am just playing devil's advocate here. I'm really not sure what the inventor can do at this point to quiet his detractors, except possibly answer their (reasonable) questions, which he hasn't - aside from his demonstration video, I don't see any comments from the inventor addressing specific, legitimate concerns. That, to me, is the most damming thing about this product - the inventor's lack of response.
I am going to continue to watch this and see what happens. If the product works as claimed, it would be something I definitely would buy for my son - who is constantly losing everything.
rik.warren
I too am skeptical. The article states it has a prepaid SMS capabilities via a micro SIM, I suppose. Many questions remain. It states the battery life is 7 days based upon ping rate and I suppose one can activate with an SMS command, all pretty standard. But the SIM must be powered at all times and that drains the battery. Additionally depending upon the placement of the device GPS may run full time after start up attempting to get three satellites and this has a great uses a great deal of power. Is a network location solution available is the device cannot get a gps fix? If so the accuracy is problematic. Looking for a 10 pence sized coin in a square block sounds like a challenge. I realize you would be looking for the object tracked not the device but still. But unlike Tile et al this seems to attempt to get a true position not just proximity and call it tracking.
jjsmail
A GPS AND a Cellular phone AND antennas AND a 7-Day Battery in a little sticky label? Maybe quite a bit thicker. Sorry - not having it.
I'm a development engineer in this area, and the current BEST devices that do this are about the size of a small stack of poker chips.