IHCantabria promotes blue tourism with the development of an application for activities on the beach

This is an application that provides weather information several days in advance for planning surfing, swimming, bathing, beach soccer, walking and resting activities.

Within the framework of the Complementary Plan of Marine Sciences – ThinkinAzul, the Environmental Hydraulics Institute of of the University of Cantabria (IHCantabria), in collaboration with the Cantabrian company Lis Data Solutions has developed a Proof of Concept – PoC. This application (App) is one of the six technological challenges of the technology transfer project Cantabria Smart Litoral (CSL), aimed at promoting sustainable blue tourism activities in the Bay of Santander.

This application will provide information on meteoceanic variables for the planning of marine oriented activities such as surfing, swimming or bathing. These variables provide information on tides (time and coefficient), currents, rip currents, swell, wave strength (power), wind and bathymetry. On the other hand, for walking, resting and beach soccer activities, the following will be used: tides (time and coefficient), time and space of high and low tide, slope – inclination and available area. The application will provide forecasts of these variables several days in advance, allowing users to plan activities comfortably in advance.

To improve the user experience and its personalization, with Lis Data Solutions’ developments, the application will evaluate, on a scale, the degree of satisfaction and the experience of the activity performed. Through Artificial Intelligence-IA tools and according to the user’s preferences, the App will be able to offer suggestions according to their favorite conditions. This collaborative function will allow the user, with the use of AI, to validate the weather forecasts and improve the technical reliability of the App.

To understand the needs of the users of the beaches of Santander, interviews were conducted to validate the design and usefulness of the App. They highlighted the importance of the reliability of the data and of sending alerts or tips that contribute to the planning and safety of users when carrying out their activities. Currently, users resort to a platform with general data, with which they make their own forecasts.

As Francisco Royano, director of technology transfer at IHCantabria, explains: “We have signed a framework collaboration agreement with Lis Data Solutions, which lays the foundations for the joint development and commercial exploitation of this disruptive solution, with a unique value proposition, and capable of adapting its implementation to other beaches in Cantabria or Spain”.

In the words of Andrés Arconada, Key Account Manager of Lis Data Solutions, “This collaboration with IHCantabria will allow us to enter the sustainable blue tourism sector, with a business model that makes available our commercial experience in the development of disruptive products, intensive in the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning, which will synergize with the scientific knowledge of IHCantabria”.

The Cantabria Smart Litoral project

Cantabria Smart Litoral (CSL) is a project within the framework of the Complementary Plan for R+D+i in Marine Sciences (ThinkinAzul), with funding from the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, and the Government of Cantabria.

This application will provide information on meteocean variables for planning marine-oriented activities.