Bluetooth Wristband Alerts Caregivers About Your Kid’s Allergies

There’s a new way to protect your kids from dangerous food allergies—that is, if the company behind the technology can get some support.

AllerGuarder is a Bluetooth-based wearable that a child would wear around his or her wrist. Parents input information about a child’s food allergies in the AllerGuarder app and ask caregivers to install the app, too. They are then alerted to a child’s allergies whenever they are within 50 feet of the wearable.

The makers of the wearable have a Kickstarter campaign that wants to raise $25,000 between now and Feb. 18.

“AllerGuarder is like a protective beacon that reminds others to be vigilant and careful about the food your child eats and is exposed to,” the company says.

Of course, with any health-related information, privacy will play a crucial role. In that respect, AllerGuarder says that it will protect a child’s information by hiding his or her identity, and it would never share a name or personal information with strangers using the app. Indeed, anyone who may be using the app and around a child wearing the wearable will receive an anonymous alert saying only that someone is nearby with an allergy. Only those who have been given access to the child’s information will be able to identify that actual child.

The trouble, however, may be getting the AllerGuarder some support. As of this writing, it has just 42 backers and raised $3,320 out of its $25,000 goal. However, it appears the company is moving forward with the idea, and says that it has already assembled a team to finish the app and get the device in distribution. It hopes to start shipping the wristbands in July.