Polar Hydration is a company whose mission is to combat the risk of dehydration in cold climates and inspire the adventurer with all of us. Through ASU’s Founders Lab and a partnership with NASA, we set out to take NASA patented technology and develop a business plan through gauging public interest via surveys and interviews, and implementing a marketing strategy based on those results. Our product consists of a freeze-resistant hydration pack which uses insulation and electronics to actively heat its water contents and prevent freezing. With outdoor activities, the colder the weather the higher the risk of dehydration. This is due to the intake of colder dryer air as well as it being harder to recognize that you are losing liquids through sweat as it is in warmer climates. In winter sports such as skiing and snowboarding as well as colder conditions for hiking and hunting, this can become a huge problem as water is not readily available. That’s why, at Polar Hydration, we took NASA patented technology to design our freeze-resistant hydration pack. It’s designed like most other hydration packs, consisting of a backpack with a plastic bladder holding water and straw to drink from, but with additional layers of insulation and electronics to prevent water from freezing. With this, we will combat dehydration and inspire the adventurer within all of us.

This thesis project is part of the W.P. Carey Founders Lab, a collaborative entrepreneurship track that gives students the opportunity to create a start-up business based on a list of given problems or technologies. The technology selected utilized a piece of NASA technology (U.S. patent application 20200193857) that combines mixed, virtual, and augmented reality (MR, VR, and AR) with biofeedback metrics to help athletes get in the zone. The goal is to use the technology during practice so athletes can be better prepared to combat performance anxiety during high-pressure situations. The NASA patent states that if the user’s brain activity, sweat, or heartbeat indicate that they are stressed while completing the activity, the device will make it more difficult for the athlete to complete their task. ITZ’s device increases the difficulty of hitting a target with a ball by obscuring the vision with augmented reality graphics. The visual obstacles will subside if the user’s brain activity metrics indicate that they have become more calm or focused. Due to circumstances outside of the team's control, a prototype was unable to be obtained, and the idea was based on the patent and supporting documentation provided after a meeting with NASA.