problem statement and rationale

Year after year, an estimated six million skiers venture into the backcountry, at the mercy of Mother Nature and her plethora of dangerous mannerisms. According to ShelterBox.org, 150 of these skiers will be caught and killed in an avalanche; a small percentage, yes, but still one hundred and fifty too many [8]. This also does not include injuries or people put in dangerous, life-threatening situations as a result of these disasters. Each of these skiers will face the unknown, that is, avalanche conditions, without a surefire way of knowing the current dangers they may encounter, except for word of mouth. Adding to the fear, 90 percent of all avalanches are triggered by someone in the victim's party, according to the National Weather Service [2]. During a candid interview with an experienced backcountry snowmobiler and snowboarder, JR Brewer, I received several chilling firsthand anecdotes about the dangers of backcountry riding. While conversing, he elaborated on the uncertainties he feels every time he enters the Rocky Mountain wilderness with aspirations of a fun day in the breathtaking backcountry, he risks life and limb to do the things he loves. During our interview, he told me a bone-chilling story taking place on Rabbit Ears Pass outside of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, during the 2022/2023 season; during a ride day with several friends, they were riding on the south side of the pass above tree line when Mother Nature let her wrath loose. He recollects the frightening experience well, stating that while descending a cornice, he felt a shift below his machine, but it was too late. The powerful slide effortlessly swept him and his sled away into the white abyss, with nothing to do other than hope he was along for the ride. Luckily, he was able to regain control of his body and the machine. He conquered Mother Nature head-on and narrowly rode away from the slide. After this day, he says he will never enter the backcountry without his avalanche safety equipment, but he says that just isn’t enough after “coming too close to the edge,” as he said. He then went on to say that although most riders, including himself, accept the risks of backcountry riding, they do not do so willingly, but for lack of a viable means to detect avalanches before you are battling one. He ended our conversation with great interest and optimism for the future of avalanche safety, with great fascination in the future of our device. The problem is this: no current device exists to perfectly warn a skier about the conditions of the snow beneath their feet, and whether or not it is at risk for causing an avalanche.