Our Mission

To prevent forgetting children in vehicles. Kids who are left alone in cars are likely to suffer a heat stroke

We are surrounded by smart phones, smart homes and smart cars
Why not use technology to prevent forgetting children in cars?

Fochica Device

Open source, open hardware, open design

Maker or DIY’er? Build a Fochica yourself!
Not a maker? Make some friends at the makerspace near you 😉

More details at the Hackaday page and GitHub repository

Fochica App

An Android app
Get on Google Play

iOS support is in the roadmap
Sign up for a notification when it is available

An alert, not a reminder!

Not a reminder

Only alerts when you are away from the car
and the seat is occupied

Doesn’t change your daily routine behavior

You don’t get used to depending on a reminder

Reliable

Falls back to “reminder” mode
if can’t establish communication

Automatic shutdown if car battery voltage is too low
to prevent dead battery (in development)

Redundant sensors function as backups for one another

No hassle / No nuisance

No need to turn on/off or arm/disarm

Minimal impact on daily routine

You only need to respond to sound alerts
if something is wrong

Low Cost

Makes use of your smartphone

Cellular module and SIM card optional

No subscription or recurring fees

Parts cost starts at around 10$

Flexible

Can work with one or more sensors

Supports one or more seats

Supports one or more drivers

Supports one or more cars

Extensible

Modular design

Easily add sensors

Easily add a cellular module

Control other electronics with IO pins

For most of us, a memory lapse is as harmless as forgetting to bring the garbage to the curb, or maybe as expensive as leaving a cell phone and cup of coffee on the roof of the car before driving off. But when the toddler sleeping peacefully in the car seat slips your mind in the parking lot, the results can be deadly.

We have no doubt that child detection systems will soon be standard equipment on cars, like backup cameras and trunk-escape levers are now. Not willing to wait, [ayavilevich] came up with his own car occupancy sensor for child seats. Dubbed Fochica, for “Forgotten Child in Car Alert,” the system is clearly a proof of concept right now, but it has potential.

“Smart Child Seat Aims to Prevent Tragedy”, Hackaday.com, April 21, 2017