Abstract
The recent detection of the optical counterpart of a Gamma-Ray Burst (GRB) at z=4.5 has opened a new era in the GRB field (Andersen 2001). In the present study we show the potential of using GRBs as a tool to trace the star formation rate of the high redshift Universe. In the present paper it is argued that prompt near-infrared observations carried out with GTC +EMIR could detect extremely high redshift GRBs (z <∼ 17). We discuss the role that GTC +EMIR could play studying the primitive Universe, especially in the context of the GRBs detected by the INTEGRAL mission.
