missing cats - help needed to design cat tracker

[capannini]

Hello all - my first post and looking for some help. My girlfriend works with cat charities who are overloaded with lost cats. We need help in designing a simple tiny tracking device (gps or mobile phone technology) - any ideas where we can start?

 

[kubeek]

You mean so that people can track their own cats? I bet such devices are already on the market, even though maybe not aimed directly at animals.
I think you can expect production cost of a single device at around $200-300, and I don't think you will get to a quantity that allows for bulk discounts.
Also think about the fact that you would need the device to be taken off and recharged every once in a while, and there will be some fees for the gsm service.

I don't mean to put you off, but I think you should first search the internet what can be bought right away, and then think about producing your own device.

 

[Mike odom]

they are on the market, and they are aimed at pets... don't remember the name, though... the commercial I saw was aimed at dogs

 

[Mike odom]

a google search of "pet collar tracking device" yields a variety of products

 

[capannini]

Thanks for your quick response and initial thoughts. We have looked at products in the market and they are too large - mainly for dogs and larger animals. We had thought that an owner would have two trackers, (one on charge) - also save battery life by only activating it when cat goes missing.

We are wondering if the technology is quickly reducing the size of the components - I guess we would like to understand what components are available and how small a tracker could be made.

Any advice would be welcome!

 

[kubeek]

Well the biggest parts will be batterry and antennas. Anyway if you think something like this http://petslobby.com/2008/04/24/gps-cat-tracking-collars/ is too big, then I would say you're out of luck.

 

[dr pepper]

They sound expensive.
You say activate the collar when a cat goes missing, unfortunately to avtivate the collar means that there will have to be some electronics in the collar that can receive the activation signal, meaning that there will be some continous power drain, meaning you'd still have to recharge, allbeit less frequently.

 

[capannini]

I'm hoping that the design of components has moved on in the last 18 months (these products have been around for this long). The products are too large! So to recap so far, we need a rechargeable battery, a receiver, (to pick up the activation signal), a mini SIM card and transmitter - any other components?

 

[kubeek]

Antenna.

 

[capannini]

OK - can anyone advise best place to find and buy and assemble these components? I was told that we might be able to ask a University intern to do it as a project - any other ideas? Anyone done something similar?

 

[alec_t]

Post deleted.

 

[kubeek]

OK - can anyone advise best place to find and buy and assemble these components? I was told that we might be able to ask a University intern to do it as a project - any other ideas? Anyone done something similar?

Such project would take about 2 month of fulltime work for a single person I guess, so that could make a nice BA or MA diploma thesis for someone. Maybe try asking at technical universities near you if someone would want it.

 

[Mr RB]

OK - can anyone advise best place to find and buy and assemble these components? I was told that we might be able to ask a University intern to do it as a project - any other ideas? Anyone done something similar?

I think you might have unrealistic expectations of how easy it is to design a micro minature device with battery, SIM card, GPS receiver, SMS transmitter etc all in one device with extremely low standby consumption. Then there is the injection molding of the enclosure, manufacture of the collar etc.

A proper designer might take many months to get that product done and charge you $50k to $100k for design, especially if injection molding and mold design is needed.

Then another $20k for CAM, mold manufacture and setup, $10k+ for initial components and SMD manufacture. Then assuming this is a commercial product packaging design and manufacture etc.

Of did you think this is something you can slip $500 to a student and they will design your "worlds smallest" super-duper cat tracking product for you?

 

[jpanhalt]

Wouldn't it be easier to track the owner? That is, put a microchip in the cat. When it is found, go find the owner.

I think you are expecting too much of humans to; 1) Pay the money for a tracking device that attaches to the animal; 2) Buy the tracking device for the human; 3) Stop watching TV long enough to find their cat.

John

 

[ghostman11]

get a dog, ours find's cats all the time he has brought home a couple now and then

 

[davenn]

get a dog, ours find's cats all the time he has brought home a couple now and then

haha funny , but probably the cheapest way

unfortunately there are many posts on here like capannini's, where the poster just doesnt realise the complexity of what they are asking.
Capannini, for a unit like you are asking for its neither going to be cheap nor small.
1) to have a receiver and transmitter and batterypack to accomodate what you are wanting, its going to be the same or larger size than the ones already on the market
2) sooo the cat ( other animal) goes missing and you send out the activation TX to the receiver. you dont get a response...
is the reason ....
a) ... the receiver is out of range of your transmitter ?
b) ... the gsm TX out of range of a local cellular tower?
c) ... the battery gone flat ?
d) ... an electronic fault in the unit?
e ... all of the above ?

you will have no way of knowing which is the reason.
This is the EXACT reason, as posted earlier, that animals are microchipped then the owners can be contacted when the animal is found by some one. So so much easier and cheaper

Dave

 

[Mr RB]

A collar with a name and phone number on it does wonders too. Low tech but functional.

 

[Dean Huster]

Get a German shepard.

Oh! You want the cats in one piece. Tie GPS-enabled cell phones around their necks. If the sweet little things are that priceless, they're worth a cell phone apiece.

Or a doberman.

I'm highly allergic to felines, so my opinions of them will incite all sorts of hate from cat lovers. Sorry. Maybe I shouldn't post my "How to Clean a Toilet" instructions here.

 

[davenn]

...Sorry. Maybe I shouldn't post my "How to Clean a Toilet" instructions here.

I assume thats the one signed by "the dog" hahaha

had me laughing for ages ....

Dave

 

[canadaelk]

Our cats have tatoos in their ears, but that only helps if they are found.

Love a cat, it will love you back, and allways return. If it does not return, it is best not to know where (or how) it went. E