Perhaps in an effort to persuade more travellers to take advantage of satellite devices and to have them on hand when they are actually needed, Belgian entrepreneur Hadrien Dorchy has come up with the nifty-looking O-BOY satellite-connected rescue watch.

When not required for summoning emergency help, the watch just sits on your wrist telling the time!

However, if the user gets in trouble, the O-BOY comes into its own. If the wearer just wants someone to come and pick them up, they press a button on the side of the watch five times consecutively.

It tells the time … and could save your life. PIC: O-BOY

This activates its GetMe service, in which a prewritten message and the user’s current GPS coordinates are sent via satellite to up to four personal contacts.

In the event that the user is injured or in a bit of a pickle, they press the button eight times and this activates its RescueMe service which sends an SOS signal with GPS coordinates to the closest emergency rescue station.

The watch can also be used just to let someone know where the wearer is at at all times. Pressing the button for 10 seconds at the start of their outing activates the watch’s TrackMe service, in which it transmits the user’s current GPS coordinates to up to four contacts at 5, 20 or 60-minute intervals.

The O-BOY is dust-proof, shock-proof and waterproof.  One charge of its lithium battery should be good for at least seven days of standby use, or the sending of a minimum of 48 messages.

Designers say it does not have to be paired to a smartphone in order to summon help. A Bluetooth smartphone connection is only required when initially selecting the four contacts and composing the GetMe message, via an app.

The O-BOY is still in the development phase but is expected to self for approximately US$405 assuming it reaches production.

A subscription will also be required.