TrackNet, Inc., a LoRaWAN™ Internet of Things (IoT) solutions provider for consumer and industry, will take the wraps off its Tabs™ solution at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, next week (February 27-March 1).
Tabs combines a Wi-Fi / LoRa hub with Internet parental control and a broad range of sensor devices using long-range wireless technology with a reportedly easy-to-use mobile app to monitor child safety, home security, and home health.
The Tabs hub provides Wi-Fi coverage over an entire residence and Tabs’ sensor coverage over whole neighbourhoods with significant benefits not only to consumers but also to operators and service providers deploying Low Power Wide Area Networks (LPWAN).
For operators and service providers, the Tabs hub installed within customers’ homes accelerates and scales LPWAN deployments much faster than a solely tower-based approach, easily provides deep indoor coverage, and significantly reduces the network deployment capital and operation expense.
Contributing network coverage from the home
Each Tabs solution starts with a wireless hub, which provides the Tabs sensor coverage over an entire neighborhood or high-rise development, delivering immediate benefit to the consumer. Each solution further includes a Tabs extender, which is a Tabs sensor hub but not a full Wi-Fi router, to ensure coverage over the locations most frequented by families such as school, day care, or a friend’s house.
As more users install Tabs hubs and extenders they collaborate to build or improve network coverage over an entire city or region giving the users additional benefit for locating children, pets, elderly, or things. Most cities can already have 100 percent network coverage if just a few citizens utilise the Tabs solution.
This LoRaWAN network coverage built from the indoor Tabs hubs also has significant benefit to network operators who have deployed light outdoor network coverage with existing cell tower infrastructure. The hybrid deployment model of numerous in-home and in-building gateways mixed with light tower coverage is quickly being recognised as the optimal deployment model for LPWAN and being adopted by major operators globally.
In addition to providing connectivity, the Tabs hub also shields children from inappropriate web content and allows web time limits through the Wi-Fi parental control feature on the mobile app.
For children, the Tabs child wearable sensor gives parents visibility into their children’s location and activities. Parents can set alerts to be notified, for example, when their children enter or leave a location, don’t come home on time, or take longer than usual to get to a friend’s house.
Kids can be more independent but are just a button push away from mom and dad using the Tabs messaging feature, which allows children to send quick messages saying, “I’m safe,” or “ready for pickup,” without the cost or concerns of providing them with cell phones.
For homes, Tabs offers a suite of devices designed to protect the safety and health of families. Its door, window, motion sensors, configurable push-button, and multi-purpose trackers pair with the Tabs mobile app, giving families better visibility into what happens when they’re away or asleep.
Tabs further monitors air quality, temperature, and humidity to ensure homes are healthy and comfortable, and alerts users in the event that harmful gases or poor air quality is detected. A push-button feature on the multi-purpose tracker and in the form of a dedicated device lets users have one-touch access to frequently used functions.
The Tabs solution interfaces with Amazon Alexa and IFTTT-enabled devices so it can be combined or integrated with other home solutions such as Wi-Fi controlled lighting. The system also facilitates the next generation of neighbourhood watch, says TrackNet, by allowing users to share alerts with neighbours or friends while away at work or on vacation.
Tabs is now in trials with service providers who will bring it to market.
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