Thanks to GPS-equipped jacket parents know where children are

Parents may not worry about their child with a new piece of winter wear that includes a global positioning tracker.

Photo: Thanks to GPS-equipped jacket parents know where children are

The jackets, released this week by the British clothing company Bladerunner, have a GPS tracking device in the lining. The device can track the jacket anywhere in the world within 4 square meters (43 square feet).

"The jacket is not something that was released due to people losing their kids," said Adrian Davis, a partner at Bladerunner. "It was originally made for mountain climbers, skiers and snowboarders."

Davis said the company decided to make a children's version to target parents concerned about their children's safety.

Using Google Earth maps, users can watch the jacket wearer move. The movements are updated every 10 seconds.

But they do not need to be online to find out where the person is. Users can also receive alerts to their e-mail or cell phone when the jacket leaves the boundary, meaning parents could potentially receive alerts whenever their children skipped school, left the neighborhood or went to someone's house - so long as the child was wearing the jacket.

Bladerunner, which designed the jacket and commissioned Asset Monitoring Solutions to craft the tracking device, made headlines in the spring when they released slash-resistant clothing for children, aimed at those worried about increasing knife crime in London.

The new jacket is also equipped with the slash-resistant lining. The tracking device uses a rechargeable battery that can last for about 18 hours.

A children's tracking jacket costs 250 pounds (US$500, 360 EUR) plus 10 pounds (US$20, 14 EUR) a month for the tracking technology. An adult jacket costs 350 pounds ($US700, 500 EUR).