The 3D-GIS system by Xlab has already been put into use in Switzerland, Finland and Iceland in order to help rescue teams respond to emergency calls.

Moreover, the company is in talks with rescue organisations from several other countries which are eyeing the system, including Germany, Australia, Canada and Malaysia.

The tool, which the company developed with the help of the Slovenian Rescue and Disaster Relief Administration, uses a smart phone to locate people in distress.

The system allows the emergency call operator to place an SMS with the user of the phone who dialled for help.

The user can then open a link in the SMS which sends the operator his or her exact location with the help of the phone's GPS sensor.

Pinpointing the location of a person in distress is often the main challenge faced by rescue teams, Luka Mulej of Xlab told the press in Ljubljana on Thursday.

The system is most useful for people who get lost in nature or other people in distress who are unable to provide their exact location to emergency call operators.

The company, which is a member of the Ljubljana Technology Centre and has a workforce of around 100, started development on the system in 2009.

The tool is currently being tested by the Ljubljana Emergency Dispatch Centre, with plans for the other dispatch centres in Slovenia to start testing it in the coming months.

Around 200 test calls have been made as part of the trial, with Boštjan Tavčar of the Rescue and Disaster Relief Administration saying that the system has proven useful in most cases.

In addition to being adopted by rescue organisations in an increasing number of countries, the system was recently recognised by the European Emergency Number Association (EENA) with a best innovation award.