Design of a smart object for an adequate hydration assistance to hikers and mountaineers in Costa Rica

Abstract

Thanks to its natural wonders, Costa Rica is home to different mountains, which hikers and trekkers enter to exercise. These activities become center stage to accidents rooted in inadequate hydration. These incidents are not all due to a lack of water, but due to a lack of knowledge about proper hydration.

The objective to design a smart gadget to help minimize accidents and/or deaths related to inadequate hydration, avoiding negative bodily outcomes due to dehydration was rooted in these incidents. Furthermore, to provide a tool to guide the user in case of an emergency where they have a limited amount of water.

To solve this issue, we used situational, ergonomic, perceptibility, functionality and technologic analyses to help us conceptualize an idea, define its functions and form, which we then made a functional prototype of that could satisfy the user needs identified through case studies and user interactions. Based on what we concluded through studies, we developed a smart gadget that satisfies the needs of hikers and trekkers.