While many of us have smartphones which we use daily to stay connected, there are scenarios where they simply don’t work or a smartphone would be overkill. Among the usual smartphone features, they are useful for quickly finding out where someone is with a quick text, phone call, or even through location-based apps. However, those features all require one thing: a solid cell signal. There are times when you may be out of range of a cell tower or be at an event where the reception is poor or overcrowded and that’s where LynQ comes in.
“After 3 years of development and field tests with government partners, highly respected music festivals, theme parks and ski resorts, we’re excited to share LynQ with the world today,” said Dave Shor, CEO of LynQ. “Today we are focused on our consumer launch and building a B2B rental business aimed at outdoor, adventure, festival and parent audiences, yet the applications for LynQ are endless with military, disaster relief, special needs and Alzheimer’s patients already slated for 2019.”
With a range of up to three miles (just under five kilometers) and up to three-day battery life, LynQ lets you locate other members of your group without needing to have access to a phone, cellular or wireless network, or an app. LynQ has been tested with the U.S. and Thai governments, Telluride Ski Resort, Envision Music Festival, and the Thompson Foundation for Autism. In military testing, U.S. Pacific Command credited LynQ with reducing the time it took to locate wounded soldiers by 61 percent.
As you can already imagine, a weatherproof standalone location device has many uses, especially one that is easy to use, can be set up quickly, and supports groups of up to 12 people. In addition to being able to locate other members of your group while camping, at a festival, skiing, or more, LynQ can also be set up to alert you when someone leaves a safe zone making it perfect for those suffering from Alzheimer’s, young kids, or even pets.
Some use cases of LynQ include:
- Child safety – Parents can feel comfort in knowing exactly where their children are while allowing them the freedom to explore.
- Any off-the-grid activity – Adventure seekers, such as skiers, hikers, travelers or cyclists, no longer worry about phone signal, maps or phone battery life.
- Alzheimer’s/Elder care – Caretakers and family members can monitor their patients or loved ones that are at risk to wander.
- Special needs care – Wandering is a leading cause of death among Autistic children.
- Public events – From music festivals to sporting events, networks are often overloaded, eliminating cell signal while maps are useless in crowds and without landmarks.
- Military applications – LynQ was selected to participate in U.S. and Thai government joint R&D exercises centered around the location of wounded and unconscious soldiers. A formal U.S. government cited a 61 percent reduction in response time locating wounded soldiers when using LynQ – literally the difference between life and death.
- Pets – Keeping tabs on pets during hikes or animals in open fields has never been simpler.
Technical specifications and features include:
- Size – Dimensions: 4” x 2” x 1” Weight: 73g
- Long range and long-lasting – Range of up to three miles and up to three days on one charge.
- Real-time tracking – Display shows the distance & direction of every group member at all times.
- Groups – Creates a closed private network for groups of up to 12 people.
- Message capability – Communicate location with group members through commonly used messages.
- Boundaries and Notifications – Alert system lights up, vibrates and rings the instant a group member or child leaves a user-designated safe zone.
- “Homebase” – “Homebase” locations can easily be set to return to static locations, such as a car, campsite or landmark.
- Technology – A new way to leverage GPS, LoRa and a custom antenna, LynQ’s proprietary algorithms and communication protocols redefine the capabilities of peer-to-peer location.
- Durability – The military-tested device is designed to withstand any climate or situation with its weatherproof and waterproof durability.
- Multi-wear – Includes rugged carabiner clip that can snap onto clothing or gear and can be slipped into a pocket, pack or pouch.
- International – Works anywhere in the world without phones, infrastructure or subscriptions.
LynQ is currently pre-selling on Indigogo with pricing starting at $154USD for a 2-pack with shipping anticipated in the fall of this year. It has already nearly doubled it’s flexible funding goal with a month left in the campaign. As with any crowdfunding campaign, there is a risk supporting them. We’ve recently heard about several that we’ve written about that have failed or are having issues. Our reporting on Indiegogo campaigns does not mean we support or are affiliated with them. Support at your own risk.
What do you think about LynQ? Is it a device you’d find handy? Let us know in the comments below or on Google+, Twitter, or Facebook.
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