An Alternative Wearable Tracking System Based on a Low-Power Wide-Area Network

Area of Science:

• Wearable technology
• Internet of Things (IoT)
• Wireless communication

Background:

• Traditional tracking systems often rely on power-hungry networks like GSM.
• There is a need for low-power, cost-effective wearable tracking solutions.
• Integration of electronics into textiles presents unique design challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an alternative wearable tracking system utilizing a low-power wide area network.
• To integrate a GPS receiver with a textile substrate for location tracking.
• To demonstrate a low-cost alternative to existing commercial tracking products.

Main Methods:

• Integration of a complete GPS receiver onto a textile substrate.
• Utilizing the SIM-less SIGFOX network for data transmission.
• Designing, simulating, and testing a customized UHF antenna on jeans fabric.
• Analyzing the specific absorption rate (SAR) for regulatory compliance.
• Developing a remote server for data decoding and visualization via SENTILO.

Main Results:

• Successful integration of GPS receiver and custom antenna into a wearable textile.
• Demonstrated transmission of latitude and longitude coordinates via the SIGFOX network.
• Experimental validation of the system's functionality and wearability.
• Analysis confirmed compliance with electromagnetic radiation regulations.

Conclusions:

• The proposed wearable tracking system is a viable and low-cost alternative to GSM-based products.
• The system offers utility and wearability for developing sensor nodes.
• This approach leverages low-power wide area networks for efficient tracking applications.