The Oceanic+ app dropped today for Apple Watch Ultra, turning the watch into a powerful dive computer that offers all the key features divers need, plus dive planning and post-dive data. The app, designed by Huish Outdoors in collaboration with Apple, allows divers to hit depths of up to 130 feet (40 m) with the all-new depth gauge and water-temperature sensors on the watch.

“At Huish Outdoors, our purpose is fueling the human spirit for adventure. Oceanic+ on Apple Watch Ultra is one of the biggest innovations to hit the dive industry in a long time. We’re creating an accessible, shareable, better diving experience for everybody,” said Mike Huish, the company’s CEO, to Apple in an article published about the watch.

The Apple Watch Ultra

First up, the Apple Watch Ultra: the watch’s existing features perfectly complement the app’s functionality, and include a large, bright retina display, making for easy underwater visibility, an advanced, dual-core processor, a compact size and sleek design, and dedicated Action button. One of the coolest integrated features is the watch’s haptics, quite noticeable in the water, said Andrea Silvestri, Huish Outdoors’ vice president of product development and design, who led the creation of Oceanic+.

“Sound propagation in the water is much more powerful than in air,” Silvestri explained in an article first published by Apple. “So, if I’m diving with someone and their dive computer is emitting sound, I can’t really recognize if it’s my beep or it’s theirs. I’m hearing a beep, but I don’t know the direction. Incorporating the haptics designed for Ultra, we’ve made the experience very personal; it’s like a gentle nudge to guide you.”

“One of our first goals was to keep it intuitive,” said Mike Huish in the same article. “People who know how to use an Apple Watch already know how to use this dive computer, because it’s telling them things in a simple format they can understand. The navigation menus are simple — scrolling with the Digital Crown and using the Action button, you can navigate and use all the functionality of the dive computer while diving.”

The Oceanic+ App

Next up, the Oceanic+ App: some of the app’s key features include a dive planner, wherein divers can set their surface time, depth, and gas of choice. The Oceanic+ then calculates no-deco times based on the information. The planner also highlights dive conditions like tides, water temperature, and up-to-date information from the community like visibility and currents. Post-dive, data including GPS entry and exit locations automatically pops up on the watch, along with the dive profile, a map of entry and exit locations, depth graphs, temperature ascent rate, and no-decompression limit.

Curious divers can grab the Oceanic+ app today on the App Store. The basic plan is free and includes common functions like depth, time, and a recent dive log. For more advanced features and unlimited logbook capacity, Oceanic+ costs $9.99 per month, or $79.99 annually.

Apple Watch Ultra aims to give recreational divers a more convenient, accessible device with all the features users already know and love on Apple Watch—let’s see how they did.

Images and quotes courtesy of APPLE

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Account for your risk

Although recent statistics show a decrease in incidents that lead to decompression illness, they might not necessarily take into consideration that some dives carry a higher risk than others, including deep and multi-day diving. More-complex dives affect how your dive computer calculates decompression models, especially if you enter decompression on a dive. This could lead you to exceed the limits that your dive computer manufacturer placed on the unit.

Don’t misread your computer

You could also misunderstand the readings that your computer is giving you, or worse, ignore them. This is especially tempting if your dive buddy’s computer displays less-conservative decompression times, longer time in the water, or shorter surface intervals.

While misreading your computer can lead to post-dive complications, so too can using it incorrectly. Diving with a computer programmed to the wrong settings (this includes altitude settings and blended-gas settings) can increase your risk of post-dive complications. And diving on your buddy’s computer — while you go without — can have the same effect. Finally, misunderstanding (or even ignoring) your dive computer’s error messages can have some serious negative consequences.

How to dive safely while using a dive computer

• Become familiar with your computer’s decompression model and error messages.
• Never try to “cheat” your dive computer’s decompression model by hanging it on a shot line to ‘de-gas’ while on your surface interval.
• Follow the most conservative computer in the group.
• Use the same computer for all your dives on one trip. Do not change your computer to one that has a clear profile (no residual nitrogen reading) in between dives.
• Monitor your air throughout your dive. Just because you might be far from your decompression limit in minutes doesn’t mean that you have enough breathing gas.
• Consider diving with two dive computers and following the most conservative one.

Staying safe

While it is impractical to return to dive tables, it is beneficial to have a thorough grasp of how they work and the decompression theory behind them. This knowledge will give you a better understanding of how your dive computer works.

While diving is becoming safer, becoming complacent or overly reliant on your equipment without fully understanding how it works can place you at a higher risk of suffering post-dive complications. It is therefore important that you know how your computer works, what the error messages mean, and to always dive the more-conservative profile.

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What makes it a computer for technical diving?

Manufacturers advertise plenty of recreational dive computers as tech computers. These models allow users to switch between multiple gases on a dive, program trimix gases and even back-up CCR diving. But what really makes a dive computer suitable for technical dives? As with most other technical diving equipment, it’s less about looks and more about substance.

Put simply, it’s what’s on the inside that counts. And in the case of tech diving computers, the key ingredient is the algorithm the machines base their predicted dive profiles on. Few recreational divers worry about how their computer determines how much no-stop time they have left. Often manufacturers simply set computers to be more-or-less conservative.

Technical divers, on the other hand, plan their dives meticulously. This includes predictions of how much gas they will need based on bottom time and required decompression stops. Tech divers usually plan on desktop software pre- dive, so using compatible algorithms in the planning stage and on the dive computer itself ensures that predictions match.

Currently, the most commonly used algorithms in both desktop and dive-computer software are Buhlmann ZHL16 with gradient factors (GF) and VPM. Tech divers and instructors use both successfully worldwide. Their source code is freely available to software developers. which makes their dive-profile results more predictable.

Personalization

Leading tech dive computers offer divers a high degree of personalization. This starts with the ability to adjust the degree of conservatism applied to their dive via gradient factors (ZHL) and conservatism settings (VPM). In many cases, divers can adjust these on the dive, allowing adaptation to changing conditions while underwater.

A good tech computer will also allow its user to change the display and prioritize certain pieces of information over others. This allows the diver to see a lot of information at one time or reduce it to the bare minimum.

Technical dives often involve darker environments. In those circumstances, having a computer with a bright, clear display that you can read without a torch can make all the difference.

Gas-programming capabilities

One obvious characteristic of any tech diving computer is the capability to program more than one gas per dive. Serious tech diving computers allow users to program five gases — some offer even more. They also have an easy protocol for switching from one to the other. While recreational divers generally only change the oxygen content of their gas on their computer, tech divers may also want to adjust the oxygen partial pressure they are exposed to on a dive.

A number of the leading brands also allow divers to program new gases while already on the dive. This can be useful when a team dives different gases and a diver must use a teammate’s tank in an emergency.

Accounting for diver error

We must also consider how a dive computer deals with diver error. While tech divers are highly skilled when it comes to buoyancy skills, for example, there may be circumstances when they miss a decompression stop or ascend shallower than their computer dictates. A serious tech diving computer will recalculate and offer an alternative decompression schedule. What would be downright dangerous is a computer that locks you out while still underwater.

Practically speaking, it’s worth considering what happens if you have a problem with your computer. Research the manufacturer’s after-sales service policy. A quick Google search will soon show whether the company is easy to deal with or hard to reach.

If you live or dive remotely, consider which batteries your computer uses and whether you can change them. One of the leading brands runs on AA batteries, making life very simple for divers since these batteries are available pretty much anywhere in the world.

Backing up your computer

Now that you’ve found your perfect tech diving computer, it’s time to consider what you’ll use for a backup — ideally another computer of the same kind. Advantages of this setup include familiarity with the menu and the computer’s settings and diving off similar profiles. However, if — like many new technical divers — you need to build up your equipment gradually and buy new gear in stages, your recreational computer in gauge mode or even a combined depth gauge and timer would work as a back-up initially. In this case, be sure to carry a copy of your dive plan on a slate or a wet notebook.

As with most major dive-gear purchases, it pays to do your research before shopping. If you’re not a qualified tech diver yet ask your instructor what they recommend and why. Think about where you want your diving to take you and make sure you choose a dive computer that can follow you there.

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For the new diver: Cressi Leonardo

A dive computer should be one of your first purchases after your initial dive course. But, as a new diver, you shouldn’t buy a high-end, super-specialized computer until you know a bit more about what kind of diving you’ll love. So a simple, budget-friendly computer like the Cressi Leonardo is a good option. It’s simple, easy to use, and even accommodates nitrox up to 50 percent. This makes it versatile choice that can progress with you if you venture into that kind of diving. 

For the advanced diver: Scubapro Mantis 1

The Scubapro Mantis 1’s compact design features capabilities for scuba, gauge, freediving and even closed-circuit rebreather diver. It also has a predictive multi-gas algorithm accommodating up to three gases, including nitrox. It also features heart rate monitoring, with the optional heart-rate monitoring chest strap, allowing it to factor exertion into your nitrogen load. The computer can double as a running and swimming watch, giving you duration of activity and heart rate. For swimming, it offers stroke count and distance covered.

As a backup computer: Oceanic B.U.D.

While any of the computers on this list could work as a backup, the B.U.D. computer from Oceanic is specifically designed for the purpose. Many divers will roll their “old” dive computer (provided it still works) over as backup when they buy a new one, but if that isn’t an option, you may need to buy one for the purpose. A small, lightweight computer, and without a strap to save bulk, this will fit into any BCD pocket. It has a built-in clip so you can attach it to a D-ring, too. In spite of its low cost, it has Oceanic’s dual algorithm setup and handles nitrox up to 50 percent.

For the tech diver: Suunto Hel02

The Suunto Hel02 is a relatively affordable (retailing at about $500), dive computer for what it can do. While it’s by no means “cheap,” you’d be hard-pressed to find a computer with Suunto’s build quality, and one that handles air, nitrox and trimix for that price. Sure, the Hel02 has a few years on it, and it shows in the design. Compared to newer tech computers, you won’t get a widescreen color display, nor wireless data transfer to a laptop. But what you are getting is a solid algorithm, ability to switch between up to eight gasses, advanced logging and planning software, and an almost bulletproof build quality. And if you’re serious about tech, most agencies recommend that you have two computers, using one as a backup. And two of these would set you back less than some of the most feature-rich tech computers out there.

When selecting a computer, it’s worth noting that all computers made by reputable manufacturers are safe. In fact, most use the very same computer algorithm to calculate your saturation, and with that, dive time and surface intervals — the key feature of any dive computer. So picking one of these budget dive computers will not make you less safe in the water. So what are you buying when you buy a more expensive computer? Typically you’ll get features like better displays, air integration, and other nice-to-haves. And while you don’t necessarily get those with the computers in this list, they do feature all the basic options you need, with an agreeable price tag.

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A bit of dive-planning history

Long before recreational diving became a popular hobby, John Scott Haldane developed the first science- and evidence-based diving tables for the British Royal Navy. He published his Haldanian decompression model in 1908 and, while it has been modified substantially since then, neo-Haldanian dive tables or decompression models still make up the “brains” of many modern dive computers.

The 1980s saw the advent of a decompression calculation based on bubble formation in the diver’s body and how to control this process. These “dual-phase bubble models” became popular for a time, especially among technical divers. Just like the earlier models, they changed over time and eventually scientists combined characteristics of both types. One of the most popular manufacturers of recreational dive computers currently uses the result of that combination, the Reduced Gradient Bubble Model (RGBM).

So, how does this apply to the average recreational diver?

Same dive computer, different dives

This is perhaps the most straightforward scenario: you and your buddy own the same model of dive computer, but you have done different dives over the past few days. Your friend may have just finished a week of liveaboard diving, whereas you only just arrived at the dive center. The likely scenario underwater will be that your friend will have shorter no-decompression times as the computer is making allowances for previous dives. The same would happen if one of you were to complete three dives per day for the duration of the vacation while the other diver only did one or two.

In fact, if you read the instructions of most recreational dive computers, they recommend taking a day off every five days or so to allow your body to off-gas. Following these rules will not only reduce your risk of decompression sickness, but also make for a more relaxed vacation.

Different computers, same dives

Remember what we said about different ways of calculating decompression above? All dive computers will allow less time the deeper you go and more time if you stay shallower. But the details of the calculations will be different since different brands use different decompression algorithms to calculate your dive time.

None of these are by definition any more or less safe, but some will give you more time underwater than others. Scubapro, for example, use a neo-Haldanian algorithm, which is programmed to allow a relatively long bottom time and give a comparably large amount of credit for a one-hour surface interval. This suits many recreational divers as it allows them a lot of freedom underwater.

By comparison, Suunto computers use the RGBM algorithm mentioned above and are generally known for being conservative. Compared to their neo-Haldanian counterparts, they tend to offer slightly less no-decompression time at depth and less credit for short surface intervals. In practice this usually means the diver on a Suunto computer will signal to go shallower a few minutes earlier than other divers on the first dive of the day. The difference tends to be more pronounced on repetitive dives, especially if the last dive was done close to no-decompression limits and the surface interval was relatively short.

Is that good or bad? Underwater, things aren’t black and white, most of the time. Less time at depth means a diver’s body absorbs less nitrogen. Combined with a slow, controlled ascent that does mean a reduced risk of decompression sickness. Generally, being conservative means being safe.

So, which computer should I buy?

This is the $64,000-dollar question. Which computer suits you will depend on any number of criteria.

First, think about the diving you would like to do, now and in the future. Are you planning to dive a day at a time, for example on weekends? Or will you be joining lots of liveaboards, offering four or five dives per day? What about support and servicing for your computer? Some of them offer user-changeable batteries. Others not only need special batteries, but you may also void your warranty by attempting to replace them yourself

Are you going to spend time in remote areas? If so, then it’s especially important that you can either get support or spare parts. As a rule of thumb: the bigger the brand, the more international support is available.

What’s your budget?

Then there is the question of budget and whether one of the cheaper models will suffice. It all depends on how complex your diving is likely to be. All of today’s computers accommodate basic air and nitrox diving. Watch-size computers are easier to use day-to-day, even when you are not in the water, but their displays are smaller and might be harder to read in low visibility.

Many basic dive computers allow users to switch between different gases on one dive, which is usually associated with technical diving. If you’d like to do that in the future, then your computer-buying considerations change fundamentally. You will now be looking for a dive computer specifically designed to accommodate decompression diving. Any of the types described here would be suitable for most divers; ultimately the question of which dive computer is right for you comes down to a combination of price and planned use for the computer.

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Cover image by Raffaella Schlegel © bluerush

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Dive computers monitor your depth, duration of dive and movement underwater using a series of algorithms. You can also use them to keep track of your surface-interval duration and to plan the next dive. Every instructor and dive guide uses one. And, if you’re doing multiple dives or simply looking to maximize your bottom time, they’re an essential piece of safety equipment. In fact, most reputable dive centers and liveaboards insist on them. Here’s why you should buy or rent a dive computer for your next dive trip, and some common fails to avoid.

Benefits of having your own dive computer

Maximize your bottom time

Traditional dive tables are based on a square profile, assuming that you’re going to spend your entire dive at the planned maximum depth. Dive computers, by contrast, sample your location in the water every few seconds and calculate your precise nitrogen exposure, allowing you to multilevel your dive and extend your bottom time.

Make planning easy

Dive computers also take some of the work out of dive planning and make your life easier. Many models have a planning function, allowing you to select the length of your surface interval and the planned maximum depth of your next dive. They can also give you no-stop times for various depths, based precisely on your profile from previous dives. This means you can choose the best time for your next dive and if you’ll have enough time at depth to safely achieve your dive objective.

Track your ascents and safety stops

As you ascend at the end of your dive, your computer will track your ascent rate. It will notify you if you’re exceeding safe limits with a series of beeps. Once you hit the proper depth, it will prompt you for safety stops and notify you when yours is completed, even recalculating and adding time if your ascent has been quicker than anticipated.

Common Fails

Sharing dive computers

On dive boats you’ll sometimes hear someone say they’ll just share their buddy’s dive computer. This is not a sensible idea. Dive computers are designed and built to calculate the wearer’s profile and exposure only. Your profile — unless you’re holding hands for the whole dive — will inevitably be different than every other diver’s in your group. Those small differences in depth, time and ascent rate can multiply over a few days of diving. This can leave you with a greater nitrogen exposure than you bargained for.

Diving blind

Some divers opt to follow the guide rather than taking their own computer. This is even more potentially dangerous than sharing with your buddy. Dive guides are there, as their title implies, simply to guide you and bring you back to the boat.

Instructors, divemasters and guides often move from group to group as logistical demands dictate. In some instances, they are even breathing a different gas than the customers they’re leading. Their dive profile for that day or week is inevitably very different from yours.

As qualified divers, guides expect you to notify them at agreed upon gas-consumption points. Let them know when you’re at half tank or low on air. They also expect you to notify them about your no-stop limits. This is your responsibility.

Dive computers have been nothing short of a miracle of modern technology when it comes to safety in our sport. They’re also relatively inexpensive to buy or rent. Be responsible, dive safely and ensure that you use a dive computer on every dive.

By Marcus Knight (The Scuba Monkey)

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Wrist or Console Dive Computers: The Basics

Essentially, dive computers function in the same way, regardless of where you wear them. A lot of dive-computer models are available as either a wrist or console unit, with the computer itself being identical. The only real difference comes down to how you wear one. A wrist computer is worn like a watch. A console computer sits in a designated unit, typically paired with your manometer and perhaps a compass.

In the early days of scuba, divers would wear separate depth gauges, bottom timers (typically a dive watch with a rotating bezel), manometers and compasses. For ease of use, and to free up some forearm real estate, manufacturers started putting all of these functions into a single console unit. This could be attached to the regulator first stage through a low-pressure hose, allowing the manometer to gauge remaining pressure in the tank. When manufacturers introduced dive computers, they simply replaced the depth gauge and bottom timer in the console with the dive computer, which combines the two.

However, the invention of the dive computer also meant that it was possible to move the depth gauge/bottom timer combo back onto the wrist. Today, both set-ups are readily available. So which is right for you? Both the console and the wrist computers have pros and cons.

Price. Console computers are typically cheaper than their wrist-mounted counterparts, so divers on a budget might want to consider a console.

Info at a glance. On a console, you can stick all of your gauges onto the same unit. This allows you to check your depth, dive time, remaining dive time, heading (if you have a compass), remaining gas in your tank, and possibly more — all at a single glance. Most of this information is also available in a wrist computer. But this usually requires costly extras — wireless gas integration, for example. You may also have to switch between functions, such as toggling between the depth/time info and the digital compass, if the computer has one.

Convenience. Advocates of the console point to the fact that divers generally don’t drop their consoles mid-dive. They are, after all, tethered to the regulator. The same cannot be said about wrist computers. I’ve personally found three dive computers in my dive career. And the risk of forgetting your dive computer at home or on the boat is almost non-existent with a console.

On the other hand, a console is quite a bit larger and more cumbersome than a simple manometer, which many wrist-computer divers have in its place. Some divers find it annoying to perform an entire safety stop holding onto a large console rather than simply checking their wrist.

Safety. There is no difference in safety when it comes to wrist or console dive computers. They all run on comparable algorithms. Some divers point to the larger console as a potential entanglement risk. Properly attach a console to the BCD and stow it away to ensure a streamlined profile and you’ll face little risk of entanglement.

Which one is right for you?

Console

The Mares Puck 3 comes both in a console version and a wrist version; the console pairing with a compass and a manometer. This streamlined console puts the notion of the clunky console to bed.

Aqua Lung’s Inline 2 console is equally streamlined, but half the cost of the Mares.

Wrist

Suunto’s Zoop is a good, basic dive computer at a very reasonable price. Many divers have started out with this computer, or use one as a backup. Still, you’ll usually have to pay 50 percent more for this than for the Aqua Lung console mentioned above. For a more advanced version, the Scubapro Mantis 1 features not only the core scuba-diving functions, but also skin temperature and heart-rate monitoring for more accurate DCI risk evaluation. It’s also streamlined enough that it can double as a wristwatch. Finally, it features a surface-swim mode, allowing you to monitor your swimming strokes.

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The first major innovation was the dive console, a single unit that featured all three instruments and often also a compass, first in analog versions and later in digital. However, these fairly quickly fell out of fashion with most divers, as they tend to be quite large and bulky. The next innovation was the wrist-worn dive computer that measured time, depth, logged the dive and real-time calculated the remaining dive time at a given depth.

These dive computers have had largely the same look for years, but a generation of new dive computers is hitting the market. With most major manufacturers joining the trend, dive computers have gone from increasingly compact, wristwatch-sized units to larger units with color screens and more advanced features. I call this the “iPhone-ification” of the dive computer — examples include the Suunto Eon Steel and the Shearwater Petrel.

New Dive Computers

So, is it time to retire your current dive computer for one of the new models? Maybe, but not necessarily. Let’s have a look at some of the new functions of these larger computers, and of course, these computers do much more than the three things mentioned here — closed or open-circuit setup, built-in compasses, integrated-wireless gas gauge, and much more. But since those features are common on many other computers, we won’t include them here.

Larger Screens

The new computers are all quite recognizable based on their much larger, often square screens. The design is similar to technical dive computers from a few years ago, but these new models feature color screens and many functions visible at a single glance. Whereas the smaller computer screens often show only current depth, maximum depth, dive time and no-deco time, with other info available in a sub-menu, the larger screens allow for more function. Items on display can include temperature, current gas mix, available gas mixes, time-to-surface (an indication of how long you’d need to reach the surface at any given time, including any safety or decompression stops) and other functions. The color makes for easier reading, and many of the screens are more powerfully lit, which also makes them easier to read in dark or murky conditions. Larger screens also often allow software designers to make more intuitive interfaces.

A New Approach to Stops

Safety stops for recreational diving have always been fairly uncomplicated. Any dive beyond 30 feet should end with a safety stop at 15 feet for three minutes before surfacing. It is not a requirement (as with a decompression stop while tec diving), but simply a good idea to lower the risk of decompression illness. Most dive computers have had this built in for years, and will automatically give you a warning when it is time to do your safety stop. Some computers add in a deep stop, typically for dives beyond 60 feet.

A number of the new computers take a different approach, essentially treating each dive as if it is a technical dive, just a very shallow one. And, technically speaking, they’re right, insofar as every dive is a decompression dive. Whenever we ascend from deep waters to the surface, we are decompressing and releasing stored nitrogen from our tissue. While diving recreationally, we limit the time and depth so that a normal ascent rate and a safety stop is plenty to ensure we don’t overtax our body’s ability to dispel the nitrogen. So when using one of these computers, you’ll probably find yourself being told do many more stops, at varying depths. You may never do three minutes at 15 feet, but may instead do one minute at 65 feet, two minutes at 20, and one minute at 10 feet, based on your depth profile, time and any calculated nitrogen load from previous dives. For a longtime recreational diver this can seem a bit disruptive, but essentially, it is the manufacturer’s attempt to make dives safer by utilizing the fact that with a computer, you don’t have to limit yourself to a one-size-fits-all safety stop.

Customizable Interface

While designers have generally done a good job with these new interfaces right out of the box, users are also typically able to customize what is displayed on their screen, and where. This allows you to set up your computer so it makes the most sense to you, rather than relying on a standard setup.

So, based on the differences between one of the more standard dive computers and this new bunch, is it time to upgrade? As stated earlier, maybe. If you’re a tec or rebreather diver, many of these computers have features that you’re likely to appreciate, even for recreational diving. If you’re a typical scuba diver, the price tag might be a bit prohibitive (most fall in the $1,000-plus category), especially if you already have a dive computer that works well. Many of the innovations have mostly to do with ease of use, while also adding a bit to the safety margin. But since all dive computers are well within the margins of safety, there’s probably little need to retire a fully functional dive computer and shell out the cash for an upgrade, unless you need a new computer anyway.

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Compare this trend to dive computers, which for years have become smaller, more inexpensive, and close to ubiquitous, as we find them on almost every diver’s wrist out there. But the dive computer market now seems to be following in the footsteps of the smartphone market, and the Shearwater Petrel is a prime example. It is larger and more expensive than the most common dive computers, and it is much more advanced. A full-sized, 2.4-inch color screen (can also be set to black-and-white by the user to preserve batteries) means no more scrolling through functions to see depth, temperature, or any other information that some computers hide in deeper menus, due to a lack of screen real estate. If you do enter the deeper menus, via tapping the buttons, you can gain access to information that most dive computers leave out, such as a simulated tissue saturation illustration and current pressure expressed in millibar.

Because of its large size, the Petrel straps on to your arm using two nylon straps with Velcro. Admittedly, the first time I wore it, the computer felt pretty damn big, both in terms of surface area and height. It may have about the same screen size as an early smartphone, but it is a lot thicker, at about 1.3 inches. However, after a little while you grow accustomed to it, and suddenly it feels a little sci-fi to have a large-screen computer strapped to your arm. And the generally compact design seems rugged and durable, so even if this is a pricey piece of gear, I wouldn’t be worried about putting it through the abuse of a wreck or cave dive.

You turn on the computer, and complete every other task, with the two touch buttons on each side, which work just fine through gloves. The screen is quite legible, and even though it provides a lot of information, you quickly learn to decipher it, and can get a complete reading on your dive with a single glance. One function I particularly like is the Time To Surface (TTS), which indicates, in minutes, how long it would take you to reach the surface if you started your ascent right this minute, including all mandatory and optional stops along the way. This is a great piece of information for doing on-the-fly gas management calculations.

Unlike most other computers, the Petrel doesn’t distinguish between recreational and technical dives. In its world, all dives are decompression dives. Recreational dives may only require a few minutes of deco (what we’d call a safety stop), but you may find yourself getting deco time beyond that, even on recreational depths, if you’ve done several dives over the past few days. This also adds an extra layer of safety should a diver accidentally over-extend their dive beyond the allowed bottom time for recreational diving. The Petrel would simply adjust the deco time accordingly, and the diver would be able to easily surface safely. Needless to say, this is meant for use as a safety feature, not a green light for recreational divers to start doing deco diving without proper training.

Power comes from standard AA batteries, which is both a pro and a con. If you run out of power it’s much easier to find AAs than the button batteries that most other computers run on. However, the quality of AA batteries fluctuates more from manufacturer to manufacturer, and the high power demand of the screen means that if you purchase low-quality batteries, you’ll only get a few dives out of a pack. A future version will ideally see some form of rechargeable battery integrated in the unit. You can see the current battery remaining expressed on the home screen by a graphic of a battery that slowly drains as you use the computer, and also expressed in hours of dive time. This is allows you to plan ahead and bring extra batteries when you’re starting to run short.

The Petrel works with all gas mixes, from ordinary surface air to trimixes and rebreathers. So if you’re an advanced diver, or are aspiring to become one in the near future, this computer will definitely suit your needs.

All in all, the Petrel is in many ways a first in the industry, and it reimagines dive computers in a welcome way. Its price tag of just over $1,000 will put it outside the scope of many recreational divers, but for tech and rebreather divers, it is one of the best offerings on the market. And perhaps it’s a harbinger of things to come and soon all dive computers will be based on principles and design similar to the Petrel.

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How many times have you tried and failed to get your buddy’s attention underwater? Most of the time it’s just to point out something of interest that they missed, but sometimes an inability to signal your buddy could be a matter of life or death. Imagine the terror, for example, of finding yourself suddenly out of air and unable to get your buddy’s attention. Of course, if you are in shallow water you could perform a controlled emergency swimming ascent (CESA) to the surface, but an alternate air-source ascent is far safer in an out-of-air situation. It’s also only possible if your buddy sees you signaling your distress: if they’re looking elsewhere you could drown before your buddy even realizes what has happened.

This was the scenario that Anders Brodin, the founder and managing director of Swedish company Aqwary, imagined when diving with his children. The fear of being unable to help them if he were looking elsewhere when an emergency situation arose inspired him to come up with the latest in diver-communication technology, the Smart Console.

Communication underwater poses many unique challenges. Electromagnetic waves used in many terrestrial communication networks are unsuitable for use underwater due to their inability to travel long distances through salt water. Instead, sound waves are the standard for underwater communication, specifically, projected through hydrophones like those used by many of the world’s navies. Aqwary has exploited this technology to enable divers to communicate with one another underwater via a device known as the Smart Console, which uses ultrasound to transmit information from one diver to another. The Console is essentially a small computer protected by a watertight, rubberized housing, which is in turn integrated with the diver’s cylinder by means of a thick, rubber tube. It is fitted with several sensors, the most important of which allows it to display the user’s remaining air pressure and location. Other Smart Console sensors include a magnetometer, an accelerometer, external and internal thermometers, a depth gauge and an internal-pressure sensor. The Smart Console is not a dive computer, i.e., it does not calculate decompression limits and ascent rates, but it does allow divers within a 328 feet radius of each other to share their dive statistics.

Each set of statistics is assigned under the diver’s name, and with a capacity for up to 70 divers simultaneously transmitting information, the Smart Console allows for an underwater network that could help save lives in the event of an emergency. The console works by sending out sound-wave data signals through four ultrasonic hydrophones, which can then be picked up and deciphered by other consoles in the vicinity. In this way, divers can monitor each other’s air supply, and prevent any out-of-air situation that could arise from an individual failing to check their own supply often enough. Additionally, if a diver becomes trapped or entangled, they can manually broadcast a distress signal using the Smart Console. In the event of a diver running low on air or sending out a distress signal, an alert is transmitted throughout the dive group, as well as to the dive boat on the surface.

According to Brodin, a more advanced model is already in the works that could allow users to download games for whiling away lengthy safety stops, and even to connect to the Internet while underwater. Currently, the bandwidth permitted by ultrasonic waves means that watching movies underwater is (thankfully) not yet a possibility.

While the Smart Console seems to be an intelligent piece of equipment that might be useful for some, it may not be to everybody’s tastes. For me, the chance to get away from technology and become immersed in the quiet serenity of nature is one of the biggest attractions of diving. I worry that receiving updates from up to 70 divers throughout a dive may well feel more like a busy day in the office than an escape into the silent realm of the ocean. Similarly, whether with manta rays or passing pelagics, many of my most exciting creature encounters have happened while hanging in the blue on a safety stop. If I’d been preoccupied with games I might have missed them completely. Distractions underwater, such as online entertainment, could seriously affect diver concentration and ultimately lead to more of the accidents the Console was designed to prevent. Unfortunately, the Smart Console doesn’t allow divers to point out interesting sights to oblivious buddies. For that we’ll have to continue to rely on rattles, tank bangers or shouting through our regulator mouthpieces.

There is also an argument that divers should be as self-sufficient as possible — if they’re not well trained enough to be responsible for their own air supply, perhaps they shouldn’t be diving in the first place. Equally, sending out a distress signal when trapped in a cave or wreck may lead untrained divers to attempt a rescue, which could exacerbate the situation and result in more casualties. The Smart Console could potentially be very useful in finding lost buddies, but its usefulness depends on both members of a buddy pair owning a Console. That being said, the Smart Console undoubtedly has value as an additional piece of safety equipment. The ability to monitor the status of the divers around you would enable a dive group to make sensible decisions, and to stay well within the safe limits of recreational diving. It could also be a great tool for professional divers, allowing divemasters and instructors to keep an eye on each of their students simultaneously, a difficult task without an aid like the Smart Console. And for a device emitting ultrasonic waves, testing has not shown the Console to have any adverse effect on marine life.

The Smart Console can withstand depths of up to 164 feet, has a 3.7-inch OLED display and a battery life of up to 10 hours. It also comes with 32 GB of memory, a 536MHz processor, and the ability to connect to the Cloud via Wi-Fi, enabling users to save dive data upon returning to the surface. It’s also possible to download apps to the Smart Console via its App Store, including fish ID slates, digital compasses and more advanced dive computers. The Smart Console retails for around $800 USD.

The first of the Smart Consoles are expected to ship this month — will you be joining the line for yours?

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