What is it?
Exportation of a Global Positioning System for Hikers

What makes this design different or better?
It uses new technologies to explore a better way of interacting with GPS data during activities. You are hiking the third leg of the Appalachian Trail, your legs are rythmically moving you along the trail while your attention is on the scenery; the trees, the wildlife, the vistas and the sounds of the forest have all but consumed you. As you round the next bend, there is an unmarked fork in the trail. You have no idea which route to take and your legs are letting you know that it is time to camp. Questions start popping up like lightning bugs at dusk: How far have you traveled today? Where is the nearest campsite? At my current rate how long will it take me to get to it? How much daylight do I have left? Luckily your GPS can answer all of those question and more, but where is it? Oh yeah, it's in the backpack under the mess kit next to the freeze-dried beef stroganoff. Time to unpack and waste more precious daylight.

Imagine a world where these questions can be answered in a matter of seconds without the need for digging out maps or a weighty, bulky GPS module in a protective case.

Adventure sports have arrived. This ever-expanding market has seen record growth in both popularity and sales over the past decade. Global Positioning Systems (GPS) have become an integral player in a market which increasingly demands products that provide users with specialized, user friendly, integrated performance. In response to these evolving user needs, BSDA has developed the "Digital Dingo." This all-in-one system allows easy access to positioning data by taking the components of a typical GPS and moving them to the best interaction points for the user.

The dingo is made up of three components. The first component, the retinal scanning display (RSD), is a tiny projector which uses three low-level light beams to "paint" an image onto the retina. For the viewer, the result is a graphic that has been overlaid onto your physical surroundings. The display was developed to be easy to attach to any glasses, utilizing a center clip and a pair of suction cups.

The second component is the control module. Designed with a wrap around bungee that is permanently attached to one side and hooks on the other side, the control module can be attached to any backpack shoulder strap. Once in place, the user can control the interface with three distinct tactile buttons without actually looking at the buttons.

The final component is the CPU. The CPU utilizes Bluetooth technology to transfer data to the RSD and control module without cables and with very low power requirements. Similar to the control module, the CPU has an integrated bungee that allows the user to attach it anywhere, or just store it in the pack. The bungee can then be utilized with the control module's bungee to tie the two components together for compact storage.

Judges commentary:
Alberto: The Dingo Found My Baby! I can see the headlines now!

Gareth: ...it would be a fun way for hikers (especially newbies) to find their way around.