5. Development of "children tracking" services using GPS transmitter

What sort of research themes are you planning from now onwards?

KawaguchiSafety and security service is the highest priority in a ubiquitous information society as well as healthcare and energy-saving services. Now we are focusing on the Global Positioning System (GPS) related to the use of sensor networks. Recent mobile phones are equipped with GPS receiver function. We think it's possible to extend our sensor network web service system to "child tracking" or child-location monitoring services if we used them as sensor gateways. The problem is that child's position can't be found in the underground and indoors environment where the radio signals from the GPS satellites can't reach. To solve this problem, we developed a GPS transmitter that substitutes for "GPS satellite" and operates in the buildings and underground malls. This GPS signal transmitter is compliant with IMES (Indoor Messaging System) proposed by JAXA (an independent administrative institution, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency). Future GPS mobile phones will be able to get the position using signals from GPS satellites or IMES signal transmitters and send an email with location information of children at any place to their family. We are conducting experimental tests in collaboration with mobile-phone carriers now and promoting research and development aimed at realizing more secure social environment by spreading services based on our sensor information web service.

Figure 9: Future expansion: "Children tracking" by GPS transmitter

(Publication: Mar. 30, 2009)