Having a child is a huge responsibility. Ask any parent that question and you will receive a vigorous nod of the head. Children are prone to wander. They are curious beings and often throw caution to the winds, wandering off in unknown directions. Imagine losing a child at a crowded fair, all because they were attracted by the movement of a floating red balloon and you were looking in the opposite direction. Or imagine being unable to locate your toddler in your own house! Toddlers are an extremely restless lot and are prone to moving around…a lot. They make get themselves locked in a cabinet upstairs, or crawl into the basement, all without your knowledge. These may sound like implausible scenarios, but are sadly more common than you think.

This is where Personal GPS trackers come in. They are easy, accurate and reliable ways to keep track of your child or even elders. These are great tools for elder caregivers as well, since elders, are prone to getting lost or being unable to find their way back home.

There are two kinds of personal trackers available in the market. There is one that uses cellular signals and operates using a cell phone carrier and another which uses radio signals. A major disadvantage of the former is that that they work only in areas where there is cell phone coverage and in addition, have an ongoing service charge for the tracker. Radio wave trackers do not have a service charge but have a longer range and the signal transmission is limited to a handheld receiver. Though they have their pros and cons, these devices are almost indispensable in today's fast paced world and an almost indispensable.

Personal and security GPS trackers have become quite the rage lately, due to their numerous advantages, which can are as follows-

• Personal GPS trackers are small, lightweight and easy to carry around. They also come in attractive colors with a toy-like look to keep your child’s attention fixed. Since they are easy to carry, there is no danger of causing discomfort to your child.

• Child and elder GPS trackers immediately send out alerts and messages via text message, email and mobile device notifications.

• One click tracking enables you to quickly locate your child on a map.

• Personal trackers offer Geofences and allow you to customize designated perimeters for your child and elders. This way you can set “safe zones” and always receive an immediate alert when the radius is breached.

• Personal trackers let you set speed limits and send out alerts if this speed limit is reached.

• Made of extremely tough and durable materials, child trackers are strongand hardy devices which are by default, child, water, impact, laundry machine, dryer, pool, dirt and heat proof.

• These devices are extremely easy to use, with no external buttons and come with a very easy to install software.

• Personal trackers also have a log of activity and list out a map of most visted places. This way you can childproof your home more efficiently. In case of elders’ trackers, you can probably increase neighborhood awareness based on a history of their movements.

The Challenges

• Sometimes personal tracker devices are almost coin sized and can be shaped too small and this can pose a potential hazard to children as they can result in choking.

• Personal trackers especially need to be carried on person all the time and this might be a cause for concern especially when it comes to children, since they might just misplace them or throw them away.

• Handheld trackers need to be held on personal at all times and this might be cumbersome.

The Solution

• Although there have been advancements made with respect to design, size and aesthetics (some trackers are equipped with a keychain for easier handling), standard sized child trackers needs to be made compulsory across the market.

• Devices attached to wristwatches, wristbands, key chains, etc will be more likely to be carried on persona at all times.

• Mobile carrier based trackers have eliminated the need for handheld transmitters, enabling pet owners to track their pets through mobile applications installed on their smartphones or through the internet.