Xamarin is holding contest to get ideas of how beacons (iBeacons) can be used to context-aware mobile applications.

I have been doing a lot of research on beacons so I thought I’d share some of my ideas.

The Concept:

In the last concept, Beacon Idea #6: Your bag has arrived, we discussed how to receive an alert when a beacon came within range. If we reverse that concept, we can track beacons and alert you when they move past a specific range. This application can be applied to pets, children, the elderly, etc.

The Problem

You can’t always keep your special people within line of sight, but you need them to be safe and know where they are.

The Solution

Add a small beacon to their collar or clothing, depending on the situation, then set your application to warn you should they move past a predetermined (and agreed upon) distance from you. The standard range of a beacon is around 70 meters, depending on environmental factors, so your boundary should be well within that range.  And of course, you should always verify the range physically so you can adjust your boundary should the signal be degraded due to obstructions, etc.