IIT Kharagpur Develops Electronic Child Tracking System for Student Safety

In an effort to strengthen the safety of children when they commute to and from schools, professors and students from IIT Kharagpur have designed an effective and affordable electronic tracking system for children.

The device makes use of RFID (radio frequency identification), which is a simple technology that utilises radio waves to read and capture information stored on a tag attached to an object.

Picture for representation only. Source: Flickr 

The overall system consists of a tag and a reader. It was made after a detailed survey involving several parents and with inputs from the Kolkata Traffic Police.

“We have collected data from more than 7,000 parents, primarily from South Point School and St. Xavier’s and we identified where interventions are required. Safety and security came across as two key points,” said Bhargab Maitra, a professor at IIT Kharagpur told IANS.

The student ID cards will be tagged with RFID and RFID card readers will be installed in busses. Once  the ID card is read, the student is identified in the database and a text message is sent to the child’s parents, informing them that their ward has boarded the bus.

A message will also be sent once the child gets off the bus. Additionally, a GPS device will be installed, enabling parents to track their children in real-time through a smartphone application.

In scenarios where the bus halts suddenly or any other disturbance occurs, the police will be immediately informed. The system will begin work on a pilot basis at the South Point School in Kolkata in a couple of weeks.

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