Belgian start-up LifeLineSat is putting the final touches on their brand new O-BOY satellite rescue device which will launch in Q3 2022.
Where it all started
The story of O-BOY starts in 2015 when Hadrien, the founder of LifeLineSat, was windsurfing off the coast of Cape Verde and lost his board fin. Being stranded miles off the coast with the sun imminently setting, the feeling of “oh boy” fired through his head. What could have he done to prevent this, or how could have he been better prepared? In the weeks after the event, he scoured the internet for a reliable wearable satellite-enabled device that could protect him on future excursions out at sea. He could not find one, so he decided to make it.
Safety in style
Of course, whether you are windsurfing, skiing or hiking off the beaten path, you want to do it in style. O-BOY had to combine a sleek design with a robust build, since the wearable watch is worn at all times during any type of activity or weather condition. A bulky and cumbersome device is simply not what adventurers need or want. The O-BOY watch was thus designed to be cool looking, rock-solid and IP68 certified, which means it’s dustproof, waterproof and, to an extensive degree, shockproof.
Space to the rescue
When adventurers are out and about, they are clearly not strolling down the streets of the nearest metropolis. Exploring canyons, mountains or remote islands usually means you are beyond the reach of cellular networks. Calling for help simply will not work with your smartphone. This is why LifeLineSat joined the ESA BIC Belgium in 2021 to explore what type of space technology or satellite data could be of use.
Integrating satellite data into the watch was an important step, because the positioning and communication needs of a global rescue watch simply had to be out of this world. The O-BOY incorporates an omnidirectional satellite antenna and a large emergency button which allows you to either tell your loved ones to “Get Me”, tell emergency services to “Rescue Me”, or allow your coach or friends to “Track Me”.
Get ready for lift-off
The O-BOY rescue watch is now in the final phases of quality assurance and will ship Q3 2022.
