Have you ever been skiing and had to put up with the hassle of trying to answer your cell phone or listen to music? I have not, but Anthony Griesel has. This skier and software developer is recruiting people to contribute to his Kickstarter for a project Called Neva that will facilitate staying connected while outside in the cold elements.
The idea is simple, to avoid having to fumble with small devices while you are bundled up on the slopes, he has developed a smart ski pole that allows you to manage calls, SMS, and displays other useful information like time, temperature and elevation on a 0.96’’ extra bright OLED touch display placed directly on top of one of the ski poles. Of course, all of the electronics are kept safe inside by a waterproof seal.
The poles wirelessly communicate with Android and iPhone via a low power Bluetooth using a free downloadable app. This app has more features like using the GPS locations for calculating slope angle and aspect and can also track your route in Google Earth KML format.
The poles themselves are made with 7075 grade aluminum, which has properties comparable to mild steel. The included rechargeable battery is said to last 3 days between charges and will last about 500 charging cycles. It is charged using a generic USB connection, but this will not be included.
Griesel hopes that his system will prevent users from losing or damaging their devices, and he hopes that added features will provide valuable information as to avoid dangerous parts of the mountains or avalanche prone areas. He does mention that there is no substitute for experience and good judgment.
So far Griesel's kickstarter has raised over $11,000, which is still far from the goal of $100,000 , but there are 21 days to go. The rewards for a pledge are very enticing. A modest contribution of just $150 will earn you your own set of Neva ski poles.
Eavesdropper