Issue link: https://resources.mouser.com/i/1442841
14 / Concept to Creation: Practical Applications for Smart, Connected and Secure IoT Solutions I don't have kids, but I hear they can be a pain in the rear. My heart goes out to the parents carrying three infants wailing at the top of their lungs (the parents wailing, not the children). It reminds me of a time when I was younger: My older brother, my younger sister, and I (all one year apart) were sitting in the car. I don't know why, but all of us were crying at the same time. My mother was driving and, apparently, we were so annoying that we tipped her over a bit. She pulled over, turned around, screamed, "AAAAAAAHH!" and turned back forward. We all went dead silent. She kept on driving and none of us made another sound for the rest of the ride. Parenting is a job in itself. Kids can wear you down and down (according to my parents, I was a pro at it). Most parents are willing to take on the extra work, but there is a limit to a person's energy, and there's only so many different things one can pay attention to at the same time. Anything that can offload some of that work would benefit both parents and their children. For this project, I wanted to make something that would ease the burden of parenthood. That was the inspiration behind Watchdog. Imagine taking your kids to the amusement park or mall, where they'll eagerly wander and explore…amongst the crowds of people and various visual obstacles that keep them out of your line of sight. I remember once as Figure 1: Atmel Studio will detect the board. (Source: Mouser Electronics) WATCHDOG: Herding Cats Has Never Been Easier Braddock Bresnahan for Mouser Electronics