An IoT-Based Family Tracking and Community Assistance Network for Real-Time Group Monitoring

Large gatherings, pilgrimages, and crowded public events often create situations in which family members become separated. Existing location-tracking systems can help users identify the positions of individuals, but family separation detection and community-based assistance are not always integrated into a single framework. This paper reviews the potential of PilgrimIQ, an Internet of Things (IoT)-based family tracking and community assistance network designed for real-time group monitoring. The proposed concept combines location data from IoT-enabled wearable devices and smartphones with a centralized monitoring platform. The platform evaluates the relative distance between registered group members and generates alerts when a predefined separation threshold is exceeded. Registered community participants located nearby may then provide assistance. This review discusses related pilgrim-tracking systems, locationbased services, geofencing, and location privacy. It also identifies research opportunities and challenges associated with reliable tracking, privacy, connectivity, and community-assisted response.