Hotspot | Sky Markers: Guiding People to Safety
Disaster events affecting tens or hundreds of thousands of people require robust communication systems and wayfinding solutions. When conventional infrastructure fails, survivors face a critical problem to locate safety points, aid centers, and emergency services.
Hope Spot creates visible markers in the sky that guide people to help. Using specially designed helium balloons with glowing wires, this system points survivors toward aid centers and evacuation points. The glowing wires can be seen from a distance during daytime and night. For larger areas, multiple units can create a comprehensive guidance network. Advanced versions can even carry emergency cellular antennas to restore communication.
Beyond emergencies, Hope Spot serves as an effective crowd management tool during large public events, helping direct people while building familiarity with these easily recognized sky markers.
The Hope Spot was developed as part of DESURBS – Designing Safer Urban Spaces – a multi-disciplinary research initiative funded through the European Union's Seventh Framework Program (grant agreement no 261652).
Project Partners: Loughborough University Uk, The University Of Birmingham Uk, The Hebrew University Of Jerusalem, Technical University Of Crete Greece, Centre Internacional De Metodes Numerics En Enginyeria Spain, University Of Southampton Uk, Bezalel Academy Of Arts And Design, University Of Warwick Uk.
Photo Gallery
Development of illuminated wire
Development of a lighting system and examination of balloon visuallity
Advanced experiment of coping with the spirit
Developing models to examine lighting effectiveness
