I have designed an Apple Find My backpack accessory suitable for outdoor use.

[Duncan.Y.C]

Hello, I’m Duncan. I would like to share with you a recent outdoor accessory design I’ve been working on.

The content below might be a bit lengthy, but I appreciate your time and look forward to your valuable feedback.

In May and June, I had an experience while camping where my bag got lost due to my wife’s oversight. Although not a major issue as I had an AIRTAG attached to it, we still spent a significant amount of time locating it.

Someone asked: If you were using an AIRTAG, why did it take so long to find your bag? This question was intriguing. Current trackers, although they help locate lost items, rely solely on limited beeping sounds once in close proximity. In nighttime or vast areas, even with a tracker, finding items can still be time-consuming.

Hence, I pondered on optimizing the tracker, enhancing its alert features with a louder beeper and a flashing indicator upon activation. I immediately began brainstorming, enlisting friends to help design blueprints and 3D models. After a month-long search, we finally found a company with Apple certification willing to produce MFI-certified PCBs for our project.

With technical support secured, we finalized the product specifications:

1. Must have FINDMY functionality.
2. Require a louder beeper.
3. Include a flashing light.
4. Lightweight design.
5. Allow for versatile usage.
6. Easy to carry or attach to a backpack.

This is one of our 3D design drafts.

 

Ultimately, our concept product looks like the one I’m about to show you below:

1. Equipped with a higher capacity battery
2. Featuring a louder beeper
3. A COB board serving as a light signal
4. Slightly larger in size for increased capacity
5. Slightly heavier
6. Magnetic function
7.  Added a larger hanging hole

 

From July to October, we conducted multiple 3D prints of the casing, making over 20 detailed structural modifications to better fit the PCB, enhancing durability.

We made modifications to the structure of the casing, lid, and buttons, transitioning from the initial modular design to an integrated design.

These adjustments made the interior of the casing more suitable for the PCB, ensuring secure external connections and improved durability. The louder beeper emits a more pronounced sound, with the added COB light source extending battery life for longer use.

To maximize the lithium battery, we included a Type-C interface, which is more eco-friendly and cost-effective compared to devices using CR2032 batteries. The larger battery allows for longer use of the COB light, serving as an emergency light source. Additionally, we incorporated a distress light feature for illumination or signaling for help.

https://youtu.be/_2YMBUKjuJc?si=J66gvbtUNXdUQt3s

We also added magnets to the casing for attachment to metal surfaces, like walls or car exteriors, providing a temporary external light source.

This is our fourth version of the product, compact with FINDMY functionality, weighing less than 30 grams—lighter than AirPods.

 

I am also very satisfied with this hanging hole; it has a large opening that can accommodate backpack cords of a certain thickness.

I tried purchasing some backpack hanging ropes and experimented with them; they seem to complement each other well.

 

While I am satisfied with the product, optimizing power consumption remains a goal for longer-lasting illumination.

I have been pondering about any additional expandable accessories.

What are your thoughts on this? Could you please share your feedback?

 

 

 

[Dan]

What a coincidence that just recently we had a thread from a new member looking for something exactly like this.

[Jerry Adams]

wow!  That’s a great project.

does this work when you’re not in cell phone range?

I haven’t lost my backpack so don’t really need this, but I have repeatedly left my trekking poles at a rest stop and walked off without them.  If my phone was communicating with bluetooth, and it lost connection, if it beeped, that would be useful.  But that’s a totally different problem.

[JG H]

When are you bringing them to market?

Price?

Waterproof?

Weight?

How resistant are the materials to cold?

[Duncan.Y.C]

Hi Dan, the person you were talking about is me. I have been wondering if there is someone else doing the same thing as me.

[Duncan.Y.C]

You are absolutely right, you’ve pinpointed the key issue. In areas without cell phone signal, this product can only be used as a temporary emergency light source.

[Duncan.Y.C]

This product weighs less than 30 grams and may not be waterproof. We are using a light-curing material called SLA for the construction, with the outer shell 3D printed. The cold resistance of the internal electronic components has not been tested yet. Thank you for your interest, but at present, it remains a concept product in the personal hobby stage and is far from being ready for mass production. There are no plans for sales in the near future.

[Jon Fong / Flat Cat Gear]

With a standard AirTag, won’t it set an alram off on your phone if the BT signal is lost?  Why wouldn’t that work on it’s own?  Just curious.

[Duncan.Y.C]

You’re right, but because people always have moments when they can’t hear the phone ring.

[AG]

have you considered conforming to Leave No Trace? specifically points 6 and 7? sound emitting devices are generally frowned upon on the trail.

[Zero Flight]

Love this!  Have you considered adding a single RGB LED to use as a multicolor strobe feature when triggered by FindMy or loss of connection to phone?  It would make visually spotting it considerably easier, especially in lower light conditions, then white or even white strobe.

[Jon Fong / Flat Cat Gear]

This product seems like a tough seel to me.   Currently, you can buy an AirTag for under $20 and it is a proven device (robust, waterproof, ets).  Second, you can get alerts through “Notify When Left Behind”.  Yes, you have to set it up correctly and there are a lot of features.  Also, the notifications are on your phone which you are carring with you.  Your concept is to notify the user from the device which is far away,  Sound and light diminish as a function of distance (non-linear) while the phone is in proximity of the user.  It would help to have a detailed Pro’s/Con’s list comparing the two methods.  My 2 cents.

[Chris FormyDuval]

What kind of range are you getting? Being able to both reach via Bluetooth and hear it puts a limit on useful range in the backcountry.  I can see some limited use cases, a flashing light does adds a nice feature.

[Author]

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