BERWICK and Narre Warren businesses helped a child safety gadget to win a Victorian tech award.
Successful Endeavours and Zain Digital collaborated to help SkyNanny.net take out the Merit Award in the New Product Category at June’s Victorian iAwards.
The awards recognised businesses at the cutting edge of technology innovation.
SkyNanny.net is a child location device that fits within its own pocket inside a child’s clothing, and was also a finalist at the Australian iAwards in August.
It links to a mobile app and allows a parent to locate their child within minutes.
Narre Warren’s Zain Digital provided a data security solution and developed the SkyNanny.net mobile app, while Successful Endeavours in Berwick provided the electronics design.
Jason Petch came up with the SkyNanny.net idea after briefly becoming separated from his daughter at the beach, and after himself being abducted when he was six years old.
“The combination of these events had a profound impact on me,” he said.
“It triggered a burning desire to find a solution that would not only create a safer world for children, but would give peace of mind to parents, particularly when in busy public places with their children.”
Mr Petch said it was wonderful for the SkyNanny.net team of experts to be recognised for “their professionalism and technological genius”.
“The award is a true endorsement of the dedication, experience and character of both Zain Digital and Successful Endeavours, who had to overcome several significant technological challenges to achieve the final outcome,” he said.
Zain Digital managing director George Zeidan said the award was testament to the great outcomes that could be achieved when businesses got together to build a technological solution that contributed to the greater good.
He said that given the device’s purpose was to protect its wearer, the security system was deliberately complex.
“It consists of three layers of data encryption, three randomly generated decryption keys and a firewall, plus the device itself will only activate after it is paired with the exactly matched app account,” Mr Zeidan said.
Successful Endeavours’ Ray Keefe said Mr Petch’s trust allowed his team to come up with a unique combination of technologies.
“SkyNanny.net now has GPS tracking, internet communications via 3G, Bluetooth Smart Device communications and Qi Wireless Charging working together over a surface area the equivalent of a business card,” he said.
