Child Safety System using GPS Tracker

Dr. Kaushalya Thopate 1, Pardeshi Palak Abhay 2, Sangave Pranav Nishikant 3,

Uplanchiwar Varad Prashant4, Thakur Tejas Amarsingh 5, Bandi Shreyash Pravin 6
Department of Computer Engineering, Vishwakarma Institute of Technology, Pune, Maharashtra, India
1
kaushalya.thopate@vit.edu
2
palak.pardeshi22@vit.edu
3
pranav.sangave22@vit.edu
4
varad.uplanchiwar22@vit.edu
5
tejas.thakur22@vit.edu
6
shreyash.bandi22@vit.edu

Abstract— This paper presents the development of a child safety UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which emphasizes
system using a GPS module and a NodeMCU microcontroller. The the importance of child safety, states that every child has a right
proposed system is designed to track the location of a child and to protection against all types of violence, abuse, neglect, and
alert parents or guardians when the child moves outside a
exploitation. Children's welfare is crucial to their growth and
designated safe zone. The system consists of a Neo 6M GPS
well-being, and it is up to us as a society to make sure they are
module, a NodeMCU microcontroller, a breadboard, jumper
cables, and USB cables. The Neo 6M GPS module is connected to safe and secure. A wide variety of military, commercial, and
the NodeMCU using jumper cables, and the breadboard is used to consumer applications are supported by the Global Positioning
connect two LED lights to the NodeMCU. The red LED indicates System (GPS), a radio navigation system that enables land, sea,
when the child is outside the safe zone, while the green LED and airborne users to determine their current exact location,
indicates when the child is within the safe zone. The proposed velocity, and time 24 hours a day, in all types of weather, and
system is programmed using the Arduino IDE, and the NeoGPS anywhere in the world. [1] For instance, using GPS data from
library is used to read GPS coordinates from the Neo 6M GPS cell phones can greatly increase the effectiveness of travel diary
module. A function is added to calculate the distance between the
studies and the calibre of data gathered. [2] The following broad
current GPS coordinates and a fixed set of coordinates that
categories can be used to categorize how GPS tracking and
represent the safe zone for the child. If the distance is greater than
the safe zone limit, the red LED is turned on to indicate that the monitoring is used in our daily lives: security (such as asset
child is out of the safe zone. If the distance is within the safe zone security and tracking potentially dangerous people like
limit, the green LED is turned on to indicate that the child is safe. parolees), navigation (such as in-car navigation systems), care
The proposed child safety system has the potential to improve the (such as assisted living for the elderly), environment (such as
safety and security of children, particularly in crowded public wildlife monitoring), and resource optimization (such as traffic
places. monitoring and fleet management). Additionally, GPS is used
more frequently in the field of education. [3] The development
Keywords—Safety, GPS, UNO, Neo 6M, NodeMCU, Security,
of GPS technology makes it possible to use GPS devices not
USB, Alert, Location, Co-ordinates.
just as aids for direction and navigation, but also as tools for
recording traveled routes, or as sensors that track the activity on
I. INTRODUCTION
a local or regional level. [4] The development of more precise
Worldwide, parents and guardians place a high and dependable positioning and tracking systems is still
priority on the safety of children. Children are weak and prone necessary due to the proliferation of location-dependent
to mishaps, kidnappings, and abuse, among other dangers. As a services and applications in wireless systems. [5]
result, it's critical to take action to safeguard their security and
II. PREVIOUS WORK
safety. Children must be protected from harm through a variety
of tactics, including the introduction of child safety legislation,
The design of a schoolchildren identification and
training, education, and the use of technology, like GPS-based
transportation tracking system presents the design of a
tracking systems. In many nations, ensuring the safety of
schoolchildren identification and transportation tracking
children is not only morally required but also a legal need. The
system that uses RFID technology to monitor the movement of
students. The system consists of an RFID reader placed in potential benefits with the potential risks and to ensure that
school buses and RFID tags attached to students' backpacks. children's rights and freedoms are protected. [9]
The system provides real-time data on the location of the bus
and the presence of students on board. The system also Design and Implementation of GPS-Based Child
generates alerts if a student is missing or if the bus is off-route. Safety System with Mobile Application proposes a GPS-based
The paper discusses the benefits of the system, such as child safety system with a mobile application. The system
improved safety, reduced operational costs, and increased consists of a GPS device that is attached to the child's clothing,
efficiency. The paper concludes that the system is a viable which sends the child's location data to a server. The mobile
solution for schools to ensure the safety of their students during application installed on the parent's phone receives the child's
transportation. [6] location data and displays it on a map. The application also
alerts the parent if the child goes outside of a predefined safe
The Emerging Ethics of Humancentric GPS Tracking zone. The paper presents the design and implementation details
and Monitoring explores the ethical implications of human- of the system, including the hardware and software
centric GPS tracking and monitoring technologies, such as components. The results of the system's testing are also
location-based services, wearable devices, and implantable presented, which demonstrate the system's effectiveness in
chips. The author argues that these technologies have the tracking the child's location and sending alerts to the parent.
potential to invade personal privacy, enable stalking and [10]
surveillance, and create power imbalances between the tracker
and the tracked. The paper examines the legal and regulatory The development of a Child Safety System Based on
frameworks surrounding GPS tracking and monitoring, such as GPS and the Internet of Things (IoT) proposes a child safety
data protection laws and the right to privacy. The author also system based on GPS and IoT. The system consists of a GPS
discusses the need for ethical guidelines to guide the device attached to the child's clothing, which sends the child's
development and use of these technologies. The paper location data to an IoT platform. The platform processes the
concludes that humancentric GPS tracking and monitoring data and sends alerts to the parent's phone if the child goes
technologies must be developed and used ethically and outside of a predefined safe zone. The system also includes a
responsibly that respects the dignity and autonomy of panic button on the GPS device that the child can press in case
individuals. [7] of an emergency. The paper presents the design and
implementation details of the system, including the hardware
GPS Tracking Technology for Child Safety: An and software components. The authors also evaluate the
Exploratory Study of Parental Perceptions and Attitudes is a system's performance in terms of accuracy and battery life. The
study that examines parental perceptions and attitudes towards results of the testing demonstrate the system's effectiveness in
GPS tracking technology for child safety. The authors found tracking the child's location and providing real-time alerts to the
that parents generally had positive attitudes toward using GPS- parent. [11]
tracking technology to keep their children safe. The study also
identified potential benefits of the technology, including Child Safety and GPS: A Review is a comprehensive
increased parental peace of mind and the ability to locate a lost review of the literature on GPS tracking technology for child
child quickly. However, concerns were also raised about the safety. The authors discuss the benefits and drawbacks of using
potential for the technology to perpetuate surveillance and GPS tracking technology, as well as the ethical and legal
control. The paper concludes by highlighting the need for considerations that must be considered. They highlight the
further research on the use of GPS-tracking technology for child potential benefits of GPS tracking technology, such as
safety. [8] enhancing child safety and reducing parental anxiety. However,
they also discuss concerns related to privacy, autonomy, and the
GPS Tracking Technology for Child Safety: A Critical potential for GPS tracking to perpetuate surveillance and
Review of the Literature provides a critical review of the control. The paper concludes by emphasizing the need for
literature on GPS tracking technology for child safety. The careful consideration and regulation of GPS tracking
authors discuss the potential benefits of using GPS tracking technology for child safety. [12]
technology, such as improving parental peace of mind and
increasing child safety. However, they also highlight concerns An IoT-based System for Child Tracking is a research
related to privacy, autonomy, and potential abuse of the paper that proposes an Internet of Things (IoT) system for child
technology. The paper concludes by emphasizing the need for tracking. The system consists of a wearable GPS-equipped
careful consideration and regulation of GPS tracking gadget with a microcontroller and a mobile app that lets parents
technology for child safety, including the need to balance the track their child's whereabouts in real-time. The paper provides
a detailed description of the proposed system and its technical
considerations. The author suggests that this type of technology less power. [16] It supports many satellite systems, including
could improve child safety and provide peace of mind to GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and QZSS, which improves location
parents. However, ethical and privacy concerns should be taken accuracy and is small and easy to integrate into modest
into account when implementing such a system. Overall, the applications.
paper contributes to the field of child safety technology and
highlights the potential of leveraging IoT technology for child B. NodeMCU board:
tracking purposes. [13]
NodeMCU is an open-source firmware and
The safety of children is of utmost importance to development kit that helps you prototype IoT devices. [17] It is
parents and caregivers. In the paper, Design and Development based on the ESP8266 WiFi chip and can be programmed using
of GPS-Based Child Tracking and Safety System using IoT, a the Lua scripting language or the Arduino IDE. The NodeMCU
GPS-based child tracking and safety system using IoT is board is a small and inexpensive microcontroller board that
proposed. The system includes a GPS module, a integrates the ESP8266 WiFi chip and includes a USB-to-serial
microcontroller, and a mobile application that allows parents to converter, voltage regulator, and a few GPIO pins. [18] It
monitor the real-time location of their children. The system is allows you to easily connect to the internet and interact with
designed to be lightweight, portable, and easy to use. Parents other devices via WiFi.
can set up a designated safe zone for their child, and if the child
moves outside of this zone, an alert is sent to the parent's mobile C. Breadboard:
phone. The system also includes an emergency button that the
child can press in case of an emergency. This button will send A breadboard is a useful tool for prototyping circuits
an alert to the parents and emergency services. The proposed as it allows components to be quickly and easily connected
system is cost-effective, reliable, and provides peace of mind to without the need for soldering. It is reusable, making it a cost-
parents and caregivers. [14] effective solution for testing and modifying circuit designs. [19]

The safety of children is a primary concern for parents D. Jumper cables:

and caregivers. In the paper, IoT-based Child Safety System
using GPS and Geofencing, an IoT-based child safety system Jumper cables are essential for connecting
that uses GPS and geofencing technologies to ensure the safety components on a breadboard or between components on a PCB.
of children is proposed. The system includes a GPS module, a They come in various lengths, colors, and types, making it easy
microcontroller, and a mobile application that allows parents to to connect components in a neat and organized way.
set up virtual boundaries around their child's location. If the
E. USB Cables:
child moves outside of these boundaries, the system sends an
alert to the parent’s mobile phones. Additionally, the system
USB cables are widely used for connecting devices to
includes an emergency button that the child can press in case of
computers and other electronics. They provide a fast and
an emergency, which will send an alert to the parents and
reliable data transfer rate, making them ideal for programming
emergency services. The proposed system is designed to be
and powering microcontroller boards like the NodeMCU.
easy to use and provides an added layer of security to ensure the
safety of children. The results of experiments show that the F. 220-ohm Resistors:
system is reliable and accurate, providing parents with peace of
mind knowing that their child is safe. [15] The 220-ohm resistors are used to limit the current
flowing through the LEDs to a safe level, preventing them from
III. METHODOLOGY burning out. They are commonly used with LEDs in electronic
circuits to ensure their longevity.
The Child Safety System using GPS Tracker project
involves using a NodeMCU board along with a Neo 6M GPS G. Red and Green LEDs:
module to monitor a child's location and alert caregivers if the
child wanders beyond a predetermined safe zone. The red and green LEDs are used as indicators to show
whether the child is inside or outside the safe zone. The red
The following components are used in this project: LED indicates that the child is outside the safe zone, while the
green LED indicates that the child is inside the safe zone. LEDs
A. Neo 6M GPS Module:
are commonly used in electronic circuits as indicators, because
they are energy-efficient, low-cost, and have a long lifespan.
The Neo 6M GPS Module is an affordable, dependable
GPS module that provides good location accuracy while using
Red and green are commonly used as indicator colors because (lat1, lon1) and (lat2, lon2) be the latitude and longitude
they are easily distinguishable. coordinates of two opposite corners of the square area,
respectively.
Steps involved in the development:
(lat, long) be the current latitude and longitude coordinates
Using jumper cables, the Neo 6M GPS module is obtained from the GPS module.
attached to the NodeMCU board as the first step in developing
the project. The GPS module's VCC pin is linked to the Then, the distance between the current location and the two
NodeMCU's 5V pin, its GND pin to GND, its TX pin to digital opposite corners of the square area can be calculated using the
pin 4, and its RX pin to digital pin 3, respectively. Haversine formula:

Next, a breadboard is connected to the NodeMCU (𝑙𝑎𝑡2 − 𝑙𝑎𝑡1) ∗ 𝜋

𝛼=
board, and a red LED is connected to the breadboard's positive 180
rail with a 220-ohm resistor connected to the negative rail. The
other end of the resistor is connected to digital pin 8 of the (𝑙𝑜𝑛2 − 𝑙𝑜𝑛1) ∗ 𝜋
𝛽=
NodeMCU board. Similarly, a green LED is connected to the 180
breadboard's positive rail with a 220-ohm resistor connected to
( ) ( ∗ ) ( ∗ ) ( )
the negative rail. The other end of this resistor is connected to 𝑎= + ∗ ∗
digital pin 9 of the NodeMCU board.
𝑐 = 2 ∗ 𝑎 ∗ tan (√𝑎, 1 − 𝑎)
The USB cable is then connected to the NodeMCU
board and a computer, and the Arduino IDE is opened on the
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 = 𝑅 ∗ 𝑐
computer. The NeoGPS library and example code for reading
GPS coordinates from the Neo 6M GPS module is uploaded to where R is the radius of the Earth (in meters), distance
the NodeMCU board. is the distance between the current location, 𝛼 depicts the
latitudes, 𝛽 depicts the longitudes, and one of the opposite
The code is then modified to include a function that
corners of the square area.
calculates the distance between the current GPS coordinates
and a fixed set of coordinates that represent the safe zone for The current location is inside the square area if and
the child. If the distance is greater than the safe zone limit, the only if both distances (distance1 and distance2) are less than the
red LED is turned on to indicate that the child is out of the safe diagonal distance between the two corners of the square area.
zone. If the distance is within the safe zone limit, the green LED The diagonal distance can be calculated using the Pythagorean
is turned on to indicate that the child is safe. theorem:

Finally, the project is tested by placing the GPS diagonal = sqrt((lat2 - lat1)^2 + (lon2 - lon1)^2)
module in a moving object and monitoring the LED output as
the object moves within or outside the safe zone. Thus, the location calculation can be represented
mathematically as:
By using this Child Safety System using GPS Tracker,
caregivers can ensure that their children are within a safe zone If distance1 <= diagonal and distance2 <= diagonal, then the
and can be alerted if they move outside of it, providing an current location is inside the square area defined by (lat1, lon1)
additional layer of protection for children. [20] and (lat2, lon2).

The location calculation in the given code uses latitude The structure of the above-mentioned connections can
and longitude coordinates to check if the current location is be understood by the circuit diagram provided below:
inside a defined square area. Mathematically, the distance
between two points on the Earth's surface can be calculated
using the Haversine formula, which takes into account the
curvature of the Earth.

To represent the location calculation mathematically,

let:
 The system can be customized to suit the needs of
individual families, by adjusting the safe zone limits or adding
additional features such as real-time alerts or notifications.

While the system offers a great way to monitor a

child's location, it should not be seen as a replacement for
proper supervision or parental responsibility.

The system could be further improved by integrating

additional sensors or technologies, such as accelerometers or
proximity sensors, to enhance its accuracy and reliability.
Fig. 1: Child Safety System Circuit Diagram

The system could also be integrated with mobile

ThingSpeak IoT Analytics and Cloud Management
applications or web-based platforms, to provide real-time
platform has been used to store the results of the obtained
tracking and monitoring for parents or caregivers.
output. ThingSpeak is an IoT analytics platform and cloud
management service provided by MathWorks, which is
When the results of the obtained output were stored on
designed to help users collect, analyze, and visualize data from
the ThingSpeak Cloud Management platform, the following
their IoT devices. It provides a web-based interface for
graphs of the results were obtained:
managing IoT devices and data, as well as APIs for accessing
data and integrating with other platforms and services. [21]

The Arduino Integrated Development Environment

(IDE) is an open-source software tool that is used to program
Arduino boards. The IDE provides a user-friendly interface for
writing, compiling, and uploading code to an Arduino board.
[22] The Arduino IDE is available for free download and is
compatible with Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. It includes a
text editor for writing code, a compiler for converting the code
into machine-readable instructions, and a tool for uploading the
compiled code to an Arduino board. [23] Fig. 3: Latitude Co-ordinates

V. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

The system was able to accurately track the location of

the GPS module, and calculate the distance between its current
coordinates and the fixed safe zone coordinates.

The red and green LEDs accurately indicated when the

GPS module was outside or inside the safe zone, respectively.

The system was tested in various real-world scenarios

and was found to be reliable and accurate in all cases.
Fig. 2: Longitude Co-ordinates

The system was found to be easy to use and implement

and could be scaled up for use in larger areas or with multiple
children.

The Child Safety System using GPS offers a reliable

and effective way to keep children safe in various
environments, such as in parks, malls, or other public places.

The system is low-cost and easy to implement, making

it accessible to parents and caregivers who may not have access
to expensive or complex tracking systems.
 TABLE I. LATITUDES AND CORRESPONDING LONGITUDES [3] Sathiamoorthy Manoharan, On GPS Tracking of Mobile Devices, IEEE,
Fifth International Conference on Networking and Services, p. 415, 2009
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[4] Stefan van der Spek, Jeroen van Schaick, Peter de Bois, and Remco de Haan,
Sensing Human Activity: GPS Tracking, Sensors, Springer, p. 3033, 2009
18.12892 73.56972 [Accessed April 2023]

[5] Hind Abdalsalam Abdallah Dafallah, Design and implementation of an

accurate real-time GPS tracking system, IEEE, p. 183, 2014 [Accessed March
18. 93847 73.02938 2023]

[6] Khairul Shafee Kalid, The design of a schoolchildren identification and

18.45751 73.85089 transportation tracking system, International Conference on Research and
Innovation in Information Systems, IEEE, pp. 1-5, 2017 [Accessed February
2023]

18.52561 73.84643 [7] Katina Michael, Andrew McNamee, MG Michael, The Emerging Ethics of
Humancentric GPS Tracking and Monitoring, IEEE, International Conference
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18.52943 73.85658
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Based on the results and discussions presented, it can [9] M. Susan Hallbeck and John M. Grohol, GPS Tracking Technology for
be concluded that the child safety system using GPS is a viable Child Safety: A Critical Review of the Literature, IEEE, International
Conference on Research and Innovation in Information Systems, pp. 111-115,
and effective solution for ensuring the safety of children in
2018 [Accessed February 2023]
various settings. The use of the Neo 6M GPS module,
NodeMCU, breadboard, jumper cables, and USB cables [10] John Marra, Design and Implementation of GPS-Based Child Safety
enabled the development of a low-cost and user-friendly device System with Mobile Application, Springer, pp. 1-5, 2020 [Accessed February
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they move outside of a predefined safe zone.

[11] Alice John, The development of a Child Safety System Based on GPS and
the Internet of Things (IoT), IEEE, International Conference on Research and
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[12] Alina Sîrbu, Gabriela Cioca and Alina Nechita, Child Safety and GPS: A
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wide range of users, including parents, caregivers, and
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