Design of a smart system to assist tourists that perform trekking in Costa Rica on emergency situations

Abstract

Tourism in Costa Rica is a big economical source of income and with great popularity among tourists, both residents and non residents, and thanks to the diversity of ecosystems in the country, trekking is one of the main touristic activities performed. The mountainous land has several difficulties for people to get oriented. Added to this factor, the inexperience and lack of proper information of the place can lead people into getting lost inside the trails and finding themselves at risk.

There is a clear necessity to aid people that frequent the trails, to minimize the risk of losing inside those, as well as to give relevant information of the place such as installations and routes. A smart object is proposed to cover the defined needs and improve the experience of the tourists in mountainous areas. Improving these aspects can bring great benefits in aspects such as the integral safety, economical benefit by minimizing the expenses related to rescue teams and equipment, and enhancing the people’s perception of mountain tourism.

To approach the investigation, the design thinking method was used, focusing on steps like: conceptualizing the idea, defining the functionality, defining the shape, and design simulation. Some main contributions from the project are: giving users more independence during the trails, giving a feeling of safety in case of an eventuality, and a quick response from emergency units.