Future Technologies
Nokia Locate Sensor debuts at CES
By the Team on 12 January 2009
LAS VEGAS, USA – Nokia Research kept this one quiet – Nokia Locate Sensor can help you find lost keys, phones, bags, purses or anything you’re likely to need right before you rush out the door. Revealed at the Consumer Electronics Show, it’s currently a project kicking around the labs at the Nokia Research Centre, but it’s an interesting one.
First, quick explanation. The sensor is a tiny device, no bigger than a small thumb. It attaches to whatever you’d like to attach it to and communicates with your phone wirelessly (though we’re not totally certain how, just yet – there’s no official release so we only know what’s been reported so far). Drop whatever has the tag attached and your phone will alert you, via a software app that sits on your phone, and help you find the object, provided you’re within 100 meters of it (probably not good for speed boat jaunts then).
The system also works the other way around, so you could have the sensor on your person, and if you get separated from your device, an alarm will sound to let you know. Support for 100 individual sensors is provided by the app and each sensor has enough power to last 18 months before it runs out of juice.
This is all conceptual right now, albeit a working prototype rather than pie in the sky idea. Although I haven’t seen it in the flesh, I’m not sure if I like the idea or not. Something to help me find stuff before I rush out the door would be good – particularly for my wife – but I’m not sure if, practically, this would do the trick. It seems to have more in common with suddenly losing things, from what I can tell.
So, what do you think? Useful? Useless? Let us know in the comments below.
Read more about Nokia Locate Sensor on Electricpig, who also kindly let us use their pic.
Related posts:
- Nokia Locate Sensor: Your ideas?
- Nokia Locate Sensor sparks widespread reaction and ideas
- Poll results: Your ideas for Nokia Locate Sensor
Tags | Nokia Locate Sensor, NRC
January 12th, 2009 at 4:05 am
So basically a low power bluetooth keychain? I’d buy one if it’s not expensive.
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January 12th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
I love the idea how the sensor can sound an alarm if you are separated from your phone.
It could be very useful but only if it’s loud enough to be heard in busy city streets.
Looking forward to seeing how this technology develops.
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January 12th, 2009 at 4:58 pm
Stick one on your baby or wandering child and hey presto, never lose one again!
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January 12th, 2009 at 6:28 pm
I’d go for a few if the price was good.
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January 12th, 2009 at 8:11 pm
It’s innovative for sure.. But functional? Well, i think that big things are not as atractive as small things, if you know what i mean..
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January 13th, 2009 at 1:36 am
Nokia “Local” Sensor
See image:
http://www.electricpig.co.uk/2009/01/09/nokia-locate-sensor-never-lose-anything-again/nokia-locate-sensor-is-currently-just-a-prototype/
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January 13th, 2009 at 10:06 pm
The Sensor can be used for a lot more applications then simply Phone locator , I’ve mentioned alternate uses at
http://senseapplied.com/index.php/nokia-senses-and-locates/
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January 14th, 2009 at 4:08 pm
Really useful gadget, I hope it’s going to sell in a year or so.
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January 15th, 2009 at 11:49 am
This also works the other way around, so you can keep the sensor on your person and should your phone get nabbed or lost, the sensor will alert you, whilst also disabling your phone.
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January 28th, 2009 at 6:04 pm
How often does it update location data? If it’s too slow, using it for anything beside finding a stationary object will be impossible. Still, this is quite interesting. Applications for a high-update-rate version would be huge and wide ranging.
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February 9th, 2009 at 6:43 am
where can buy?
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June 5th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
whats the price?…couse ill put it on my Sony VX2100
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