During the summer months, our beaches and pools are crowded, which poses challenges in ensuring the safety and efficiency of swimmers, controlling them, preventing accidents and drownings, and quantifying visitor flows.

Thanks to the integration and application of technologies and tools such as heatmaps, the Internet of Things (IoT), and Big Data, it’s possible to achieve secure and efficient management of beaches and pools. These technologies provide a real-time, comprehensive view of these recreational areas, improving decision-making and enhancing the user experience.

1. Heatmaps: They visually identify areas with higher concentrations of people by collecting data on the density and movement of swimmers through cameras and sensors. This information is represented with colors on a map, showing the most crowded zones. They are valuable for lifeguard teams and security personnel to focus their efforts on areas with higher attendance and risk.
2. Internet of Things (IoT): IoT technology connects devices and objects through the internet. In the context of beaches and pools, sensors and smart devices can monitor various variables in real-time, such as water temperature, air quality, depth, and humidity, among others. This information can be used to alert about potential risk situations, like extreme temperatures, inadequate chlorine levels, or sudden changes in tide.
3. Big Data: The massive data collection provided by IoT technology can be processed and analyzed using Big Data techniques, allowing beach and pool authorities to gain a complete understanding of swimmer behavior, identify flow patterns, trends, and risk areas. This information enables the implementation of more effective preventive measures and management strategies.

Benefits and Applications:

• Accident and drowning prevention: Real-time information about swimmer behavior helps detect dangerous situations and take preventive actions to avoid accidents and drownings.
• Resource optimization: The collected data allows for more efficient allocation of security and rescue resources where they are most urgently needed.
• Visitor flow quantification and planning: Knowing the number of people present at different times and days facilitates event and service planning, avoiding overcrowding and enhancing the visitor experience.
• Informed decision-making: Managers can base their decisions on objective and precise data, improving the effectiveness of implemented measures and user satisfaction.

Technologies like Wizzie are ideal for efficiently managing beaches and pools, improving the environmental impact by having integrated, real-time data with corresponding reports, dashboards, and heatmaps, facilitating informed decision-making with quality data.

The combination of heatmaps, IoT, and Big Data offers a comprehensive and effective solution for controlling swimmers at beaches and pools, ensuring safer, more efficient, and satisfying management for users.

Adopting these technologies represents a significant step towards accident prevention and enhancing the recreational experience during the summer, ensuring the protection and well-being of those enjoying these aquatic spaces. Additionally, monitoring environmental aspects, as demonstrated in the case of the beaches of Guipúzcoa in 2019, can help observe and predict the effects of climate change on beaches and coastline, enabling proactive adaptation measures.

Together, we shape the future.