Tech gadgets and the inventions of the 21st century have found their way into most parts of our lives, so it’s no wonder they are starting to affect the way we work out and hike. If you love nothing more than to hike down your favourite trail every chance you get, you might be interested in finding out how you can enhance your journey. Take a look at some of the ways in which technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR) can impact your next hike.
Wearables for enhanced safety
Some hiking trails definitely entail a certain level of fitness and stamina. Unless you’ve checked with your doctor and are sure you can physically handle the journey, it might be a good idea to invest in wearables that will help keep you safe.
We’re predominantly talking about smartwatches that provide continuous and high-precision health monitoring. These wearables track important metrics like heart rate, stress indicators and oxygen levels, alerting users of potential risks in due time. The good thing about smartwatches is that they can be as affordable as they are safe, as these inventions come in all price ranges.
Other wearables, like personal locator beacons and satellite messengers, can serve as vessels of reliable communication in the wilderness in case of an emergency. Even if a hiker is out of cellular service, they can still send messages and SOS signals in case of emergencies, significantly upping their level of safety.
Gadgets for entertainment on the go
For avid hikers, nothing is more entertaining than that long hiking trail they are aiming to conquer. Still, they might get bored while taking a well-deserved break. Due to the technologies of the 21st century, they will be able to kill boredom with entertainment on the go.
This looks different for every person. Some hikers like to wind down by lighting a campfire and reading books on Kindle. This way, they get access to all the bestsellers without having to worry about packing their favourite book in an already jam-packed hiking backpack.
Others, on the other hand, like to keep the adrenaline going by playing online casino games. With the right app, hikers can access both Gamstop and non-Gamstop casinos. Whether interested in the best non-Gamstop casinos UK has to offer or the ones that are on Gamstop, all hikers have to do to start playing is download the app, create an account, and choose a game.
Other forms of entertainment include listening to music, browsing social media, and reading online magazines.
Robotic exoskeletons
When talking about the latest emerging AI trends in the hiking sphere, we have to put special focus on robotic exoskeletons – an invention that aims to make walking and running easier. They are used to provide targeted power to the hips and legs, reducing strain and increasing strength. This lets hikers go greater distances by preserving their endurance, and even reducing the chance of any injury. Think of it like an electric bike for the legs that will let you climb a mountain without feeling it.
Navigation that goes beyond GPS
It doesn’t matter how well you think you know a hiking trail – you still need to be assisted by a navigation tool. Truth be told, for easy trails that aren’t in the wilderness, a GPS app will be more than sufficient. But when going on a trail that’s considered to be suited for advanced hikers, you might benefit from tech-enhanced navigation tools that go beyond just showing you in which direction to go.
Cue in AI and AR-powered systems. Due to intelligent navigation, a hiker can wear glasses that will take information regarding a trail, such as weather alerts and trail markers, and transfer them directly into a hiker’s view. These systems can also be the best trail advisors you could find, providing you with information such as route adjustments and personal fitness levels. Apart from offering additional safety, these navigation tools also bring a breath of fresh air with them; unless you insist on doing things the old-fashioned way, look into these inventions the next time you go for a hike.
