GPS-tracked Clothing

Anil Kandangath writes "A Japanese firm has shown off new technology that enables GPS units to be embedded in clothing that will enable the wearer to be tracked continuously. The device is thin enough to be tacked on unobtrusively and is powered by a thin watch battery. It is also capable of taking biometric measurements and transmitting them PCs and handheld devices. Though marketed as a device to enable people to keep track of spouses, how long before such technology becomes intrusive in our lives?" Like tracking your spouse is ok?. What a world! Update: 05/29 18:00 GMT by Z : Not actually real. A Contagious Media project. Please do not try to monitor your SO's panties.

Comments

Re:spoof

[NetFusion]

The contagiousmedia.org is the giveaway. Slashdot covered this web page meme advertising contest earlier.

Isn't this a viral media competition entry?

[Colin Smith]

To see how many hits you can generate?

forgetmenotpanties.

www.contagiousmedia.org

Absolute Hoax.

[Beardo the Bearded]

I'm an EE. I work with GPS. Right now (well okay, during the week) I'm working with the cutting edge Xemics GPS engine. It's about 3cm x 4cm x 0.5 cm. That's the engine plus the em shield.

Now, let's add the following:

Batteries. The engine requires a steady 3.0 - 3.6 V supply capable of sustained current of 50mA. You're looking at a 1/2 AA form factor minimum.

Antenna. GPS antennas require a view of the sky. Beyond that, special antennas designed to fit against the skin are about as thick as a pencil and about 2 cm long.

CPU and circuitry to decode the GPS signal. (Polling RS232) The size is up to you. The minimum is about the size of a quarter, so I'll grant this part if they use the internal oscillator.

Let's assume the signal is to be broadcast. Then add:

Transmitter. This will probably include a crystal.

Antenna for the transmitter. If we're talking about a VHF transmitter at 150 MHz, the antenna is going to be about 24 INCHES long. (That's already 1/4 wave!)

Now fit this into panties unobstrustively.

No way. There is absolutely NO WAY a GPS tracker could be fit into a pair of panties. A jacket, maybe IF it was puffy.

A quick google search reveals

[fohat]

That this site is indeed a farce. http://www.gearlive.com/index.php/news/article/for get_me_not_panties_05260101/

the link

[westlake]

Contagious Media Showdown

Currently in second place, 175,000 visitors, 115 blog links. Geeks are so gullible when it comes to sex and tech.

Wake up Taco

[frovingslosh]

Boy, what a stupid front page article. Not only is it an obvious fake article, but it doesn't make any sense. The device supposedly transmits to other devices, including laptops and cellphones, but how does the untrusting spouse get the data in real time? Are we to believe that the cell phone constantly transmits the data but the user isn't aware of it? Or maybe incoming calls go to the panties before they go to the phone owner? And it just makes no sense anyway. Maybe the biometrics in the panties, but why waste power and deal with a gps receiver and antenna, when the phone it has to be used with could just have the GPS components anyway? How could you believe this???