Is Smaller possible?

[maverick74]

Hi!!!

This is a great project and being OpenSource is indeed the best of it!

Thank you for this!

Still there is one issue that remains unsolve:. The device is too big!

A few years ago - probably 8-10 years - i searched for a solution like this. Beside other problems they all had a size problem! For a dog, it's OK... but not for a cat!!!

So, here's my question: is it possible to make it smaller?
It's too wide, too thick...

Everything else is absolutely brilliant!!! And i would surely be interested in getting one the next time i get a cat!

[ChitlangeSahas]

Hi @maverick74 , i appreciate you reaching out and sharing feedback,

Yes, there are plans to keep making it even smaller.

Please stay in touch for updates :)

Sahas

[SanderM2]

I think the best way to make it smaller is to integrate it into the collar. Using a flexible PCB.
The antenna, battery and flexible pcb can be all integrated in the collar so it becomes a less wide bulky thing.
I do agree that ALL trackers currently on the market are too big for cats.

i’ve been thinking of creating a smaller one using an origin gps module (10x10x6mm, including antenna), an attiny cpu and a Murata SJ1 LoRa teansciever. But this project sounds cool. I do hope it gets a lot smaller at which point I will be happily buying/building multiple of these! :-)

[maverick74]

I think the best way to make it smaller is to integrate it into the collar. Using a flexible PCB. The antenna, battery and flexible pcb can be all integrated in the collar so it becomes a less wide bulky thing. I do agree that ALL trackers currently on the market are too big for cats.

This would be Gold!!!
Cats wearing a collar already represent a risk as they can get stuck somewhere (specially outside), but with trackers the size they are they add up to the risk.

I was not aware of flexible PCB's. That would for sure be the perfect idea! That's what i would buy!

[SanderM2]

I actually once started on a schematic/pcb for a collar using the said OriginGPS module, a LoRa module and an ATTiny CPU. See attachments.

The flexible PCB would measure only 11mm wide and 45mm long (and approx 5mm thick). A battery and an antenna should be elsewhere in the collar. The antenna shouldn't be problematic. The battery can be ordered in custom chapes... It should be possible to make a tiny collar like this, using low power LoRa, long battery life, and still be small so it will fit small cats too.

But I never had the time to finish this project and actually never had the flexible PCB made because it probably needs some more work, which I didn't have the time for.

[Hakureirm]

I actually once started on a schematic/pcb for a collar using the said OriginGPS module, a LoRa module and an ATTiny CPU. See attachments.

The flexible PCB would measure only 11mm wide and 45mm long (and approx 5mm thick). A battery and an antenna should be elsewhere in the collar. The antenna shouldn't be problematic. The battery can be ordered in custom chapes... It should be possible to make a tiny collar like this, using low power LoRa, long battery life, and still be small so it will fit small cats too.

But I never had the time to finish this project and actually never had the flexible PCB made because it probably needs some more work, which I didn't have the time for.

It's too expensive to do that.

[maverick74]

It's too expensive to do that.

The question really is "how much expensive"?

Is it spacex' starship expensive?

If it's not too-much-expensive maybe there could be a "normal" edition and a premium edition (which would feature this "expensive version")

[Hakureirm]

It's too expensive to do that.

The question really is "how much expensive"?

Is it spacex' starship expensive?

If it's not too-much-expensive maybe there could be a "normal" edition and a premium edition (which would feature this "expensive version")

Currently in China, I have taken the BOM list to inquire about the production cost (FPC + SMT) from PCB manufacturers in Shenzhen. For a single batch of 20 pieces, the average cost per unit amounts to 150 RMB.

[maverick74]

For a single batch of 20 pieces, the average cost per unit amounts to 150 RMB

I don't know exactly what you mean with this... but if this means that the end cost will be +20€ in each localizer, that seems pretty acceptable for a smaller device.

For a cat that uses to take long walks out in the wild, a flee is already enough danger for it to get stuck. So the smaller the localizer, the better. I would be willing to pay an extra 20€ to considerably reduce that risk.
(naturally, i envision something much smaller and that may not be the case...)

[Hakureirm]

... but if this means that the end cost will be +20€ in each localizer,

Although I mentioned that this item is expensive, it seems you've overestimated its cost. In fact, in China, each localizer only costs 20 euros, not including the cost of servers and SIM data.