Track Anyone without Cell Service Using Lynq

There is a myriad of different places where family and friends can quickly become lost — fairs, backcountry hiking, concerts and even the mall, just to name a few. Even in areas with cell coverage, it can be a daunting task to find anyone separated from you, and no-coverage regions often results in repeatedly yelling their name, hoping for a response.

Lynq would be an invaluable tool in these situations, as its sole function is to lead you directly to those that have become lost in a radius of 3-miles (depending on topography). Apparently, it works so well that the US Pacific Command used them in 2017 with the Thai Ministry of Defense in a joint military exercise to help search and rescue teams locate missing personnel (as reported by TechCrunch).

The idea behind Lynq is simple — provide each person in a group (up to 10 can be linked) their own device and pair them with each other, assigning names to each one. As long as they’re in a three-mile radius, you can find them by name and direction, which is shown on a small e-ink display. Pairing is done by placing the gadgets next to each other and selecting a group size. The devices will automatically create a GPS-based network utilizing a proprietary RF protocol, so no additional input is required.

Lynq only features one button for menu navigation, which is done through either long-held presses or short. Entering names is done by rotating the device, engaging an onboard accelerometer to align an arrow to the letter desired, press the button and repeat as necessary.

Location data can be changed as well, such as distance, which can be in kilometers, miles or number of feet. You can even send simple messages, such as ‘come to me’ or ‘stay there,’ you can also set a home-base waypoint where everyone can meet up.

Lynq is capable of functioning for three days before needing a recharge and is military-certified to withstand the elements. What’s more, users don’t need a service subscription as the device works anywhere in the world right out of the box using the low-power network. Lynq is inexpensive as well, and the company (of the same name) is offering them on Indiegogo for $159 for a twin-pack with free shipping in the US. They do offer a single device for $79, so unless you have family or friends that already have them, you’re better off buying them in multiples.