Find Minder technology
developed for S&R

Once a tag is removed the interface logs bark activity into the GPS under the B category in the GPS waypoint list. Also after a tag is removed the interface logs a waypoint every 15 seconds which creates a breadcrumb trail of waypoints of the dog's return journey. These are stored in the M category for mark

Both methods are flawed. Dogs get confused, especially when fatigued. The dog handler may not be able to hear the dog and the dog may not bark long enough.

The Find Minder^(r) system removes the need for the dog to do either of these difficult tasks. Once activated all the dog has to do is return to the dog handler as the position of the subject is already fixed.

How it works
Find Minder^(r) is an Interface connected to a hand-held GPS housed in a jacket worn by a suitably trained dog. The system is designed for area search dogs but has other applications.

A trained dog wearing the jacket searches for a subject and on locating that subject pulls out a Tag and drops it to the ground. This is similar to the Bringsel method where the dog holds a leather stick attached to its collar as an indication to the dog handler that it has found something. There is a Tag located on the dog's back for the subject to pull out if they are capable.

Equipment carried in the jacket - long range transmitter tags, GPS interface, hand-held GPS.

On the dog's return the handler or other searchers can remove the hand-held GPS and return to the way-points of the dogs finds. The system logs the activations in the GPS memory bank, eg. Tag pulled by the dog (Tag 1); the dog barking (B); Tag pulled by a person (Tag 2); 15 Sec Auto Mark (M).

Glancing at the GPS tells you exactly how far away from you the dog's finds are and the exact direction to travel in or listen for the transmitted DF signal or signals. The transmitters deal with any inaccuracy that may occur from time to time with the GPS due to insufficient satellite coverage, although GPS accuracy is normally between 5 and 15 metres it is an effective back-up method.

The transmitters also tell you if the Tag is being moved - this is indicated in a signal pulse change. The transmitters have the effect of making your dog's find much larger due to the size of the transmitter's range.

A call-up feature is currently being added that will allow the handler to call and activate the transmitters to allow tracking, should a dog not return from searching for any reason. By using the GPS technology and the transmitters it is virtually impossible to lose the Tags, in fact none have been lost to date!

Avalanche searches
By plugging an avalanche transceiver into the subject tag port Find Minder^(r) can be used to log avalanche transceiver burials. A signal received by the receiving avalanche transceiver mimics the removal of the tag therefore logging the position of the transmitting transceiver's signal into the GPS. The dog's tag remains available for removal as normal. There is a spare pocket in the jacket to house avalanche transceivers and future add-on technologies as they are developed.