Topic: Outdoor safety app (Read 5290 times)

Rich.H · « **on:** October 05, 2014 »

Putting this here as it is the place I imagine it will get the most views, and considering how useful this is I think it needs to spread faster than a Californian wildfire.

I saw this morning that the Ueppa! app has been released here in the UK, for those unfamiliar with the name I'll give a quick rundown on what it is, and the basic functions.

Ok so this app is designed to be your own personal rescue beacon built into your smartphone, it takes the hassle and confusion out of calling for help from a rescue service by sending all the needed data to them at the click of a single button. Anyone who has worked in any rescue service has probably had to try to find someone based upon information that was incorrect due to the callers either not knowing basic map skills or perhaps just being in a panic and giving misleading information, so hopefully this can eliminate that problem. But it goes further by allowing you to also has a constant tracker that can link with of app users in range, this is the nifty part that needs a little expansion.

So your up in the hills and your phone signal has long since gone and now you have fallen and broken your leg. Normally this would be the time to hope you invested money in a good whistle and bivvy bag while you begin your waiting game. However since the app works on a p2p technology base then should another walker pass by within range of your phone then the two phones will form their own network, this will increase the range of your distress call to the edge of the second walkers phone limit, should there be a third walker in range of the second the signal gets extended again, and so on. This happens until one person in this network does have a phone signal, at which point your original distress called is then relayed on towards the rescue services. The rescue services now has your exact location (assuming you do not move away), along with some basic information you can put in a profile, this includes your name (useful for shouting to find you on the ground), age, gender, and also what colour clothing you are wearing.

Another nice touch is how you can set yourself way markers on your route, so that should you get lost you can just follow the same path back to safety. This is obviously the same sort of thing you can do with any mapping app like Viewranger. However what Uepaa can also do is make a note of exactly where you last had a phone signal, so should you either need to call for help or maybe just let someone know you are going to be late and not to panic. You can simply trace back your steps right to the spot to make that call.

There is some payment options where you can buy time durations premium features. These include an auto route sender that sends your location in real time, a very handy buddy finder part, this allows you to act like a rescue service yourself and know exactly where a distress signal near you is so you can go and help them, finally an auto distress signal which sends a call for help out if you are stationary for a set amount of time (I presume this is something you can toggle on and off so a tea break is not sent by mistake).

I don't see this as a replacement for anything like Viewranger as they are fundamentally different things. But after playing about with it this morning looking at the features it does look like a great piece of software. The only downside to this is how it needs users to make it work, the more you have the better it works. I think it should be a mandatory thing for anyone who does guided walks and will be sharing this thing like mad on a constant basis. It is a free app for both ios and android on their respective stores.

The website link is https://www.uepaa.ch/#!/app for much more information on the ins and outs, also their launch trailer to give a quick overview is below.

spynappels · « **Reply #1 on:** October 06, 2014 »

Hmm, looks interesting, must have a look at that.

I'm not entirely sure how comfortable I am with the whole tracking everywhere thing, but for emergency use, it could be good.

When wild camping in Donegal recently, and without knowing whether we'd have a mobile signal at all, I packed my Ham Radio 2m transciever with the channel 12 and 16 Marine frequencies programmed in. We were going to be doing some snorkelling and jumping off rocks, so I wanted to have a means of calling for help, should we need it. In an emergency, there shouldn't be too many complaints about not being properly licensed or not even on a boat for that matter, and the rescue services would much rather you called on a radio than on a phone. Turned out we had full coverage, so it was a moot point. The peer to peer aspect might be useful on popular routes out of coverage though.

RedLeader · « **Reply #2 on:** October 08, 2014 »

Quote

However since the app works on a p2p technology base then should another walker pass by within range of your phone then the two phones will form their own network

I take it that walker needs to be using the app too?

Rich.H · « **Reply #3 on:** October 08, 2014 »

Quote from: RedLeader on October 08, 2014

Quote
However since the app works on a p2p technology base then should another walker pass by within range of your phone then the two phones will form their own network

I take it that walker needs to be using the app too?

Yes each person is acting like a relay station for the network to extend the range. This is probably the only downside to the concept in that it requires lots of users to get the best effect.

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Rich.H

Outdoor safety app

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RedLeader

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Rich.H

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