Challenging projects that combine electronics and outdoors? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: OfLoveAndLiquor
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: April 21, 2020, 06:33:22 pm
content: Hi,I'm a 40 y.o. R&D software engineer specialized in realistic image synthesis (for film, visual effects, that kind of things). I've had a fairly robust EE education, including circuit design and synthesis using VHDL/Verilog/SystemC at university. I've been lurking here for some time but this is my first post.For a few years now I've been musing with the idea of picking up electronics again. The EEVblog, of which I'm a long time follower, has definitely contributed to this rekindled interest in the hardware side of things.I'd like to poke this amazing community and hopefully get some inspiration. I'm looking for project ideas that combine electronics and some form of data acquisition on the field.I live in the French Alps and I'm very much into all things outdoors: hiking, rock climbing, skiiing, etc. I'm curious to hear about project ideas that combine hardware design and construction, custom software, data acquisition and processing, and carrying a laptop and other equipment on top of mountainsA good example of such projects is photometry/photogrammetry but we're already doing loads of these at work.I'm especially interested in fairly high end projects that look challenging.I'm aware that this is probably a rather niche, weird intersection of interests, but that's where I am at the moment. I've spent considerable time over the past year or so looking on the web for projects that would get me inspired but so far I couldn't really find anything relevant or challenging enough.Maybe some of you here have ideas, or even are doing exactly that kind of things. I'd love to hear from you!Best,Franz

author: RoGeorge
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 21, 2020, 08:03:10 pm
content: Fall detector and locator belt.- self powered, harvest required energy from multiple sources like body heat, ambient light, steps shaking, and so on- detects dangerous situations (start with a simple accelerometer that can detect strong shocks, zero G, lack of steps for a too long time, and add later sound and video recognition for wild animals, avalanches, etc.)- add a low power and long range mesh of radio stations to re-transmit any distress signal (e.g. solar powered LoRa points)- offer progress logging or accident surveillance services for climbers or occasional tourists, on request only (no tracking by default)- offer free alerting the mountain rescue teams and free geolocation when extreme danger is detected- make some nice charts, maps and statistics and sell that data back to the tourist. Some might be curious how many steps they make, how much they climbed, how fast they ski, the coldest nigh for their camp, etc.If this is not enough, offer them a mechanical slave to carry their backpack, like this:

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 21, 2020, 08:15:43 pm
content: portable radio links (base station, battery/solar powered (i.e. imagine a phone out in the middle of no where for people to get help), seismographs (radio link, data storage, energy sys), wind monitors (remote weather stations), remote power stations, hydrological monitors (depth, flow)just to name a few.kickstarter isloadedwith this shit.stuff that might be especially fun in mountains: laser/optical data linkkeep in mind anything surveillance has probably already been done to death on korean DMZ by military, and its a bit unnerving to put cameras n stuff that can track humans out in the woods (unfair hunting etc).. that kind of stuff should probably be in control of some forestry servicea fun thing to do might be catrography (mounted scanner to tellurometer or range finder to map surface topologies).. granted satellite did it already

author: Renate
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 21, 2020, 08:35:45 pm
content: Aw, just keep it simple and fun.GPS, topo maps on an eInk device.

author: Syntax Error
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 21, 2020, 08:45:44 pm
content: Something you might do up a mountain, Gamma Ray detection. This involves research-level physics and complex hardware. Perfect for hauling up into the Alps! This quote from the home page ofhttps://www.spaceweather.com/Quote

author: sam[PS]
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 23, 2020, 01:45:16 pm
content: Why not trying to build your own avalanche detector ?The emitter part can be made pretty easily.Then for the receptor part you'd have to buid a front end then either you keep it simple/analog. Or you might want to go digital use multiple antennas and try to make smart detection in 3D.I think that could be an interesting electronic+radio+embedded DSP project and 100% mountain/outdoor oriented.Just my 2cts...