The Hope Spot's objective is to provide an efficient, cost-effective, accessible and portable product to ease communication challenges with crowds. It was designed as a flexible component of the supporting auxiliary infrastructure with uses during emergency and planned scenarios.

 

A planned event, such as marathons and concerts, necessitates communication with a large amount of participants on how to best navigate urban space in a clear and safe manner. 

 

 

The Hope Spot balloon has two versions:

 

 

A passive version which is being developed into a prototype, focuses on the creation of a mark in the sky pointing survivors of large scale disasters to the place where they can get help, or be used in the same manner in a planned event by pointing people toward first aid locations. The Balloon is inflated with helium and set aloft to a height of up to 50 meters (the height is set according to aviation regulation in Israel, yet the balloon is capable to reach height of 300 meters and more). It has a distinct hue that is visible in daytime, in the last prototype test reached daytime effective viability of up to 300 meters; while at nighttime LED lighted cable points toward the ground with effective visibility of up to five kilometers. 

 

An active version that includes electronic components enabling it to convey messages to the public as well as absorbing information from the surrounding environment, using different sensors such as photography, gas identification, radio/cellular network rehabilitation and the ability to transfer text messages and sound to the surroundings in real time to present a situation overview to event managers and to assist in the crowd navigation. In some development scenarios, the balloon may also produce energy for itself and perhaps its immediate environment. At this point, the active version will not be developed into a working prototype.

 

The Hope Spot balloon is currently being developed in the passive version.

Further development may take place in the future.