What kind of danger is expected
The three main causes of death fall in this category are hypothermia, hyperthermia and dehydration. If a hiker goes on an adventure by himself, not within a group, it is almost impossible for him to realize that he’s going through hypothermia or hyperthermia before it’s too late.
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So, it would come in handy if a portable device (or a multifunctional jacket) can monitor the hiker’s vitals, including core body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure etc., and warn him when it senses danger.
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Project Scope
Our goal is to design a portable device to help hikers identify the physiological state of their bodies and beacon for help if necessary.
The device should be able to monitor key vitals related to three major symptoms mentioned above and correctly assess the physiological state of the bearer under different external environments. It will alert the bearer when early signs appear, and beacon for help if the condition escalates into a life-threatening state. The device should stay functional even if it is soaked in water or at high temperature and it should not hinder movement of the bearer. To function properly during bearer’s outdoor activity, the device should also have a batter durable enough to support the hiker thorough the whole outdoor activity. By the end of April 2018, we will deliver the finished prototype, user manual, and instruction of production. |
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Design Spec
To fulfill our mission, there are certain design specifications that we are shooting for. Next the next few paragraphs, we walk through each of them and their significance.
WeightA hiker usually carries a backpack weighing about 14 kg. Food of water contributes to half of its weight and other hiking equipment, including tent, rope and clothes make up about 7 kg. Our device should not hinder the hiker’s movement by adding too much extra weight. A typical iPhone weighs about 200g and its weight is almost ignorable in the pocket. With all the sensors and batteries we may need in our device, it would be ideal if the it can be under 400g.
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CostDoes free climbing down a steep mountain get your juices flowing? Embark on a hike and climb adventure with our knowledgable climbing guides.
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DimensionAlso, for the device to be portable, it should be small in volume. We haven’t decided on the shape of it, but a volume under 200 cm3 would be good enough
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