Amy Brons | Project Polaris

Work

Polaris: Haptic-Guidance for Ski Safety

How might we provide real-time feedback to enhance skier safety and performance?
How might we give skiers the peace of mind to feel confident on the hill?

Download project portfolio here

_________________________

Completed at

Completed at

________________
Completed at

Imperial College London

Date Completed

April, 2025

Final Project By

Amy Brons

Key Software

Autodesk Fushion

Keyshot

Photoshop

Midjourney

Overview

Hidden hazards on ski slopes contribute to frequent and severe injuries. 30% of skiing injuries involve the lower body, with fractures being a leading cause. (National Ski Areas Association, 2022). Icy terrain increases fall risks, especially for beginners, leading to over 20,000 ski-related ER visits annually in the U.S. (American Journal of Sports Medicine, 2021)

Unpredictable and patchy terrain accounts for an estimated 600,000 skiing-related injuries per year in the United States alone (Rosenbaum, 2023)

Current Solutions and Gap Finding

Other ski-assistance products were examined in this development such as wearable impact sensors, AR ski goggles, and route and performance GPS systems. In initial ideation, Polaris came out as a strong candidate for success in the market. This was due to cross analysis on the factors of real-time feedback, prevention vs. reaction, personalization, accessibility, ease of use, and keeping the solution distraction free.

There is no current system that provides real-time, proactive hazard detection in the form of non-distracting and non-invasive feedback. This project explores how haptic feedback technology can enhance skier awareness and decision-making.

Challenges

Three key challenges were identified as key throughout this process:

Delivering feedback that is immediate, yet non-intrusive
The system must be reliable in extreme weather conditions and clothing choices
The system must be accessible and easy to use for skiers of all skill levels.

Guiding Keys

Accuracy & Responsiveness
User Experience & Intuition
Environment & Durability

These three key principles were kept as a guiding framework for the development of Polaris.

Prototyping

After key concept development, basic prototyping was undertaken to understand the specifics of the physical form, prior to final modeling and development.

Systems Design and Final Spec

The focus of this project is on the overall industrial design of a novel concept. Given this, the systems design takes some creative liberties on the current state of sensors and the size of the physical unit needed. That said, a basic design of the system is rooted in the real power of these technologies, and the scoped trajectory of development.

CMF Considerations

Colour, material, and finish considerations were a key pillar of the aim of this project. These images were developed in Keyshot and Fusion, and meant to showcase the depth of consideration taken.

Branding & Advertising

References

American Journal of Sports Medicine. (2021). Icy terrain increases fall risks, especially for beginners, leading to over 20,000 ski-related ER visits annually in the U.S.
Geo Week News. (2023). Extreme accuracy for extreme conditions.
Heinzler, R., Schindler, P., Seekircher, J., Ritter, W., & Stork, W. (2019). Weather Influence and Classification with Automotive Lidar Sensors.
Medico Digital. (n.d.). Aspirational value propositions: The importance of relatability in healthcare & pharma marketing. Retrieved from https://www.medicodigital.co.uk/aspirational-value-propositions-healthcare-pharma-marekting
Meze, A. (2010). Ski pole concept 2010. Retrieved from https://antoniomeze.com/ski-pole-concept-2010
National Ski Areas Association. (2022). 30% of skiing injuries involve the lower body, with fractures being a leading cause.
Rosenbaum Injury Law. (2023). 2023 Ski Injury Statistics.
TripBFF. (n.d.). The ultimate guide to skiing in the French Alps. Retrieved from https://tripbff.com/blog/the-ultimate-guide-to-skiing-in-the-french-alps