I've heard a fair bit of recent murmuring in the avy industry (most of it terrified) about the impending launch of a number of smartphone apps that are intended to be an alternative to wearing an avalanche beacon. I think there have been a number of attempts at doing this over recent years and there appears to be at least one "live" contender out there for the iPhone at least (see http://www.freshapps.com/snowhere/), although I haven't downloaded the app myself so will not comment on its effectiveness. ...perhaps in a later post.
Personally, I have a number of concerns about using a smartphone to replace a purpose-built, engineered and reliable piece of safety equipment. First, this could set back more than a decade of key messaging around getting the "right" equipment, knowing how to use it, etc. etc. I could see younger backcountry users, for whom a smartphone is like a body part, thinking they now had a $0.99 solution to finding their friends (and being found) in the so-called side country and putting their lives almost certainly at risk as a result. Not to mention the huge ethical issues that might arise by using such a system; for example, a smart phone would allow you to identify and target a significant other in a multiple burial scenario. I could now dig my wife out first and my "friend" second - thankyou iPhone.
I'm not ignorant to the potential PROs, however. A smartphone-like avalanche beacon that could notify other beacons in the group that it's owner was likely in an avalanche (i.e. experiencing the combination of rapid downward movement and being randomly churned) would be an asset. The ability to utilize GPS in addition to radio signals and two-way communication seems like an advantage. Maybe you could even send a verbal message, or a "message received" ring tone to the victim that you're on the way. I'd like those features for sure.
But is a smartphone the right platform to deliver this type of product? Is this the future, or are we looking at potential disasters in the making? I'd be interested in hearing people's thoughts on this...
Personally, I have a number of concerns about using a smartphone to replace a purpose-built, engineered and reliable piece of safety equipment. First, this could set back more than a decade of key messaging around getting the "right" equipment, knowing how to use it, etc. etc. I could see younger backcountry users, for whom a smartphone is like a body part, thinking they now had a $0.99 solution to finding their friends (and being found) in the so-called side country and putting their lives almost certainly at risk as a result. Not to mention the huge ethical issues that might arise by using such a system; for example, a smart phone would allow you to identify and target a significant other in a multiple burial scenario. I could now dig my wife out first and my "friend" second - thankyou iPhone.
I'm not ignorant to the potential PROs, however. A smartphone-like avalanche beacon that could notify other beacons in the group that it's owner was likely in an avalanche (i.e. experiencing the combination of rapid downward movement and being randomly churned) would be an asset. The ability to utilize GPS in addition to radio signals and two-way communication seems like an advantage. Maybe you could even send a verbal message, or a "message received" ring tone to the victim that you're on the way. I'd like those features for sure.
But is a smartphone the right platform to deliver this type of product? Is this the future, or are we looking at potential disasters in the making? I'd be interested in hearing people's thoughts on this...
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