GeoPak : monitoring climbers and climate on Mount Everest

Abstract

This thesis tells the tale of the geoPak, a device designed to collect and transmit information about its position and surrounding environment. It uses the Global Positioning System (GPS) and low power sensors to collect information about location, temperature, humidity, air pressure, and light. A radio transmitter then sends this information to a remote base station, letting people far away monitor the 'Pale In May, 1998, the geoPak was used to monitor four climbers on Mount Everest climbing from base camp at 17,500 feet to the highest point in the world, more than two miles higher. Environmental difficulties, forced tests to terminate around 26,000 feet, but insights gained from these experiments have led to a continuation of the project with revised goals. This thesis describes the design and implementation of the first geoPak prototypes, and their testing on Everest.