RAROG is developing a portable search-and-rescue system that detects radio signals from smartphones and wearables, helping emergency teams locate missing people even when mobile networks are unavailable.
Swiss engineering startup RAROG has obtained €162,000 (CHF 150,000) from Venture Kick to develop a portable search-and-rescue system that detects the radio signals emitted by everyday electronic devices.
Finding missing people is often slow and challenging, especially in forests, mountains, disaster areas, or poor weather conditions.
Existing search methods rely heavily on visual scanning, rescue dogs, or mobile network infrastructure, all of which have limitations. When people do not carry dedicated rescue beacons, locating them quickly becomes even more difficult.
RAROG addresses this challenge with a portable detection system that identifies radio signals emitted by devices such as smartphones, smartwatches, and fitness trackers. The technology operates independently of mobile networks or external infrastructure and can detect people through vegetation, fog, snow, and rubble.
By turning everyday personal electronics into effective rescue beacons, the system helps emergency teams search more quickly and reliably.
The systems are already being deployed in mountain rescue settings, from the Wicklow Mountains in Ireland to the Swiss Alps, where hundreds of lives are lost each year when people cannot be found in time. Beyond mountain rescue, RAROG is expanding to support firefighters, civil protection units, and other emergency response services when locating people, enabling millions of rescuers worldwide to save more lives.
The funding will be used to finalise product development during ongoing pilots, complete CE marking, manufacture the first batch of detection systems, and enter the market, with the help of a growing team.
Lead image: RAROG cofounders: Alexander Marinšek, Uroš Hudomalj, and Marko Hudomalj. Photo: uncredited.