Diving deep underwater while holding your breath can be risky. Do you realize that the current freediving world record holder, the Spaniard Aleix Segur, he was underwater for 24 minutes and 3 seconds just holding his breath? Breathing and relaxation techniques are the basis of such feats, but it is better to train with a bit of technology too.
This is why many freedivers wear a dive computer on their wrist. Oxama has another approach, however: it is a freediving computer that is worn on the face, and according to those who developed it (the Milanese startup of the same name), it offers various advantages. One among all? It speaks to the wearer.
Oxama, mask that accompanies freediving
Oxama is, in essence, a soft silicone mask that is secured to the user's face via two elastic head bands. Goggles can be worn under the mask, and a diving mask on top.
But the key is inside: Inside the device there are two removable electronic modules, located at the height of each of the wearer's cheeks.
One of these units incorporates sensors that track variables such as depth, water temperature, elapsed free dive time, ascent/descent rate, and acceleration. And so far: these are parameters also detected by most conventional wrist freediving computers.
That said, Oxama also measures the user's heart rate and blood oxygen level (via an optical sensor placed on the skin) along with the angle of the head - this data is useful for competitive freedivers who swim downwards.
A computer that talks to you underwater
All this data is transmitted to the wearer via the other module, which incorporates a bone conduction transducer. This unit emits synthetic speech audio in the form of vibrations that travel through the cheekbones and into the inner ear, where they are heard as sounds. Even while holding your breath.
As a result, the user does not have to continually hold a wrist-worn computer to read its display. Fewer distractions, more concentration.
Could the freediving companion app be missing?
Using the supplied iOS/Android app, the Oxama sound module can be set to one of four modes. silent, in which he records all the data but only speaks at the beginning and end of the free dive. Alert, in which it only speaks to the user if certain predetermined thresholds are exceeded. Chatty, in which both warnings and other pre-selected parameters are given once every 15 seconds. Mute, where it records data but says nothing.
Like other dive computers, all data is saved in a user's dive log.
If inside you there is a little Enzo Maiorca, Oxama is currently the subject of a Kickstarter campaign. Should it reach production, it would cost € 499 (about US $ 580) in pre-order: the retail price after launch will instead be € 999 ($ 1.160).
