Solo-Adventurer Safety System (SASS)

SASS, also known as Solo-Adventurer Safety System, provides reliable GPS tracking and communication with a timed checking system to make sure the adventurer is always safe. The team consists of Cameron Edmonds, a senior in Electrical Engineering with a Robotics minor, Matthew Pelland, a sophomore in Computer Science and Math, Curtis Sargent, a Marketing major, and Jackson Seal, a sophomore in Computer Science and Robotics. Their goal is to create a system that any person an easily be used while hiking to keep each person safe, regardless if they are able to call for help themselves, or if they are rendered disabled in some way.

SASS is a distress beacon with a unique feature. The activation process is different from many others on the market because it has a timer where the user would have to check in and deactivate to indicate that they do not need help. There would be a distinctive sound that would go along with the time leading up to the check in deadline that would remind the user to do so. If the user fails to check in by that deadline, the distress call would automatically be sent out, along with a distinctive noise that could be followed by members of a rescue effort.

SASS won $2,000 at the 2018 $50,000 Idea Challenge, an honourable mention prize. They were also connected with a team of mentors, including Robert Rosentel, CEO and Product Strategist of Mediavtis Consulting LLC, Dave Vatalaro, an alumni of both the Francis College of Engineering of the Classes of 1990 and 1993 as well as the Manning School of Business in 2015, and Ray Hamilton, CTO and Co-founder of invisaWear, the 2016 Innovative Technology Solution winner in the Idea Challenge. With these resources, SASS hopes to continue developing their prototype and reaching out to outdoor adventurers to make sure their product best serves the user.