There has been some recent press about the new Evenflo car seat with "Sensorsafe" technology. It's supposed to help prevent hot car deaths. (Here is the product: http://www.evenflo.com/SensorSafe/)
Basically it just sends you an alert any time the car seat's chest clip is closed and the car is off, so you remember not to leave your baby in the car when you leave. It's quite a bit simpler than other ideas that have been tossed around, such as a sensor that determines how much weight is in the car seat to figure out whether there's a child in it. And the price is reasonable compared to other models, about $150. (Although those of us with older children will note that sometimes the chest clip is closed because there is a baby doll in there, rather than a real child!)
But here's the problem. You have to have the wireless receiver with you to get the alert. What's the chances that a parent will remember a wireless receiver, but not their child? Even if you keep it in your purse, there's a chance that you'll forget your purse, or maybe you typically leave your purse in the car when you get home anyway, or maybe someone else is driving the baby that day. Or what if you are simply sitting in the car with your baby, while the spouse runs into the store? It can't differentiate those circumstances.
Evenflo's Sensorsafe technology did give me an idea though. What about a simple heat sensor on the chest clip? Any time the temperature exceeds 90 degrees and the chest clip is closed, it would activate the car's alarm system. Then anyone nearby is alerted to the distress (not just the person who has the receiver), and they can rescue the child right away. When the chest clip is open, the sensor is deactivated, so nothing would happen when an empty car overheats. When the chest clip is closed and the temperature stays low, such as when everyone is waiting in the car on purpose, it won't go off either. What do you think?
Basically it just sends you an alert any time the car seat's chest clip is closed and the car is off, so you remember not to leave your baby in the car when you leave. It's quite a bit simpler than other ideas that have been tossed around, such as a sensor that determines how much weight is in the car seat to figure out whether there's a child in it. And the price is reasonable compared to other models, about $150. (Although those of us with older children will note that sometimes the chest clip is closed because there is a baby doll in there, rather than a real child!)
But here's the problem. You have to have the wireless receiver with you to get the alert. What's the chances that a parent will remember a wireless receiver, but not their child? Even if you keep it in your purse, there's a chance that you'll forget your purse, or maybe you typically leave your purse in the car when you get home anyway, or maybe someone else is driving the baby that day. Or what if you are simply sitting in the car with your baby, while the spouse runs into the store? It can't differentiate those circumstances.
Evenflo's Sensorsafe technology did give me an idea though. What about a simple heat sensor on the chest clip? Any time the temperature exceeds 90 degrees and the chest clip is closed, it would activate the car's alarm system. Then anyone nearby is alerted to the distress (not just the person who has the receiver), and they can rescue the child right away. When the chest clip is open, the sensor is deactivated, so nothing would happen when an empty car overheats. When the chest clip is closed and the temperature stays low, such as when everyone is waiting in the car on purpose, it won't go off either. What do you think?