If you watch lots of movies where SCUBA divers converse just as if they’re walking on the beach, you probably think that the technology is readily available for divers. There are some communication devices, but they can be costly and clunky. Yamagata Casio has developed the Logosease radio, a transceiver that allows users to have spoken conversations underwater.
The Logosease, which will be on show at the Diving Equipment and Marketing Association Show 2012 in Las Vegas, is a pocketable transceiver that makes the ability to talk during SCUBA dives more accessible.
The Logosease picks up communications via bone conduction technologies, and transmits using ultrasound. The radio employs an ultrasound range of 32 kilohertz to enable wireless communication between users within visual range underwater. Communications can take place among multiple divers, not just dive buddies. Divers can tune the reception and transmission modes by lightly tapping the device.
A built0in digital speech conversion technology modulates garbled underwater speech and transmits it. Digital speech conversion technology makes it easier to hear speech nuances, including the voiced “n,” “m,” “b,” and “p” consonants, which are difficult to pronounce when diving because the nose is blocked by the SCUBA mask and the air supply regulator is in the mouth. The digital speech conversion technology was jointly developed with Professor Tetsuo Kosaka of the Yamagata University Graduate School of Science and Engineering.
The Logosease’s compact size makes it possible for divers to carry. The device is waterproof and performs at depths of up to 180 feet. The unit measures 3.50×1.61×1.76 inches and weighs 3.77 ounces.