CU students invent device, InformU, that stops you from losing stuff

BOULDER, Colo. -- It's always a relief to find something you've lost.  But what if you never had to worry about losing your important items in the first place?  A group of University of Colorado students is hoping their invention, InformU, can solve that problem. Creator Lang Mei was in Paris when he came up with the idea.

"One day, I went to a Starbucks to charge my phone," recounted Mei.  "I put my bag down at my leg, and then later,  someone asked, 'Where’s my bag,' and suddenly I realized I can’t find my bag."

Mei never got his bag back.

However, when he returned to CU Boulder with an idea for a tag you could stick on your property. The tag links to a wearable device, like an Apple Watch.  

If you walk away from your item, the tag sends an alert to the wearable.

For example, if you left your wallet or phone at a restaurant, you'd get an alert before you were even out the door.

"We are working on making the product flexible so we can put it on anything," said co-creator Prerna Nayyar.   

The team hopes the flexibility and small size of their device will give them an edge over similar loss prevention products on the market.  

InformU's creators sought out the help of the "Catalyze CU Boulder" accelerator program to develop their invention.  InformU was one of seven groups chosen for this summer's session, out of 40 that applied.  A spokesperson for Catalyze CU Boulder says groups receive mentors, grants and space to develop their ideas on campus.