Awareness campaigns, sunscreen and mending the hole in the ozone layer have all played a part in the battle against skin cancer. But the beachgoers of Peru now have another form of relief from the sun's harmful UV rays. Aimed at drawing in roasting folk who could do with some respite, ad agency Happiness Anywhere has installed towering sun shades and a free Wi-Fi network that only functions when the users are in the shadows.
Dubbed Shadow Wi-Fi, Happiness Anywhere has deployed its shady Wi-Fi network in collaboration with the non-profit Peruvian League Against Cancer. The thinking is that informing people of the dangers of too much sun can only influence their behavior so much. Giving the hyper-connected individuals of today an incentive by way of free Wi-Fi is designed to give them another reason to play things safe in terms of exposure to the sun's rays.
The system uses a directional Wi-Fi antenna paired with a sensor to track the movement of the sun. As the shade moves throughout the day the Wi-Fi antenna shifts accordingly. Users can register on a webpage to connect to the network, but will need to change their position to keep out of the sun if they want to stay connected. According to PSFK, Shadow Wi-Fi can accommodate more than 250 users at the one time.
The first Shadow Wi-Fi system was launched in Peru last week, with versions to be installed in San Francisco and New Zealand in the coming months.
You can check out the agency's promotional video outlining the system below.
Source: Happiness Anywhere via PSFK
