Digital Smarts - New Device Can Help Prevent Hot-Car Deaths

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On average, 38 children die in hot cars each year in the U.S. In an attempt to lower those numbers, Intel has developed a device to send an alert to a smart phone to warn a parent if they have left a child in a car seat. The Intel Smart Clip attaches to a child's car seat harness and warns adults via bluetooth when the harness is fastened and conditions in the car are potentially dangerous. The high-tech clip is swapped with the one already on a child's car seat, and communicates with an app on a smartphone that displays a green check mark when a child is out of the seat or a red X when a child is still buckled in. If the smartphone goes out of range while the red X is displayed, the app will sound off an alarm. The device was introduced at the Consumer Electronics Show in January 2015 and should be on the market within the year.