Question Be Part of the Evolution: Influence the Next Generation of SCUBA Gear

[Wibble]

Oceanic Data Mask HUD w/transmitter | Dive Right In Scuba - Plainfield, IL

This really does change things. Every once in a while a revolutionary product comes along that changes everything. The DataMask is not just about having a computer in your mask – it is about the many practical benefits provided by truly “Hands-Free” diving. We are extremely excited to announce...

www.diverightinscuba.com

Ever seen one in the wild?

Me neither

 

[lexvil]

I have and know people who loved them, they were probably ahead of their time and damn expensive for that time.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Ever seen one in the wild?

Me neither

Yup. I had a buddy who had one and LOVED IT. But just the one is all I’ve ever seen in use.

 

[RheoDive]

Wonder why nobody’s done this before…

Dive computers, be they wrist or mouthpiece mounted, are complex pieces of equipment that must be reliable. Dive computers are expensive, generally the most expensive piece of kit for recreational divers.

A mask is a vital piece of equipment for diving, so vital that many divers carry a spare mask, especially for more demanding dives. Lose the mask and your vision is completely impaired and your dive is now very difficult. Masks are also a pain as they fog up, leak and need to fit. Masks aren’t expensive and you must get one that fits your face shape.

So, why put those two things together?

I’ve a Shearwater Nerd on my rebreather. This is amazing and especially for navigation where the compass is right in front of your face. Brilliant; until I bail out when it’s useless as I cannot see the Nerd computer, which is why I have a Petrel on one arm and a Perdix on the other. But hey, that’s not recreational diving…

The other idea is to mount a HUD (head up display) on your mask. That’s not exactly simple as you can’t drill holes in a mask for mounting brackets. Maybe you could glue it to the mask; oops, it fell off and Neptune claims another trinket; he does love shiny things. Halcyon are selling this concept for their new rebreather. Bit of a b’stard if you’ve got to swap masks as the HUD isn’t easily transferable from one mask to another. Oh, and their HUD & wrist mounted monitor display are wireless receivers from the controller computer.

In summary, a mask at well under $200 is merged with a computer at $1000 for a product that won’t fit all faces; has severe limitations; isn’t Shearwater Cloud compatible (it’s a consideration); hasn’t been fully tested with millions of dives; will need rechargeable batteries (the Nerd’s a pain for this); will be stuck with whatever user interface is created (how to cater for simple recreational needs, advanced recreational needs (e.g. some deco), complex lightweight technical diving (gas switching, deco, algorithm adjustments, more data e.g. Surf GF, etc.)….

How many mask variants are you going to make for different face sizes? Will the computer modules clip on to that mask, e.g. changing from one mask to another. And when someone treads/sits on/drops a cylinder on your mask, do you throw the whole thing away or can you get a new skirt and faceplate?


Maybe brand it for Avelo as it would work well for them.

Thanks for the thoughtful and well-articulated feedback. You’re absolutely right that integrating critical systems like a dive computer into a mask is no small task, and it’s precisely the kind of challenge that made us take a step back before we ever started designing anything.

The idea of combining a dive computer and a mask has been discussed for years, but it’s remained largely conceptual due to the real concerns you’ve raised: reliability, fit, modularity, redundancy, and failure modes. We’re not ignoring these concerns, we’re tackling them directly.

I’d like to share my thoughts on your points and would love a conversation with you to help mature our offering!

1. We’re solving for use case, not just novelty.

Traditional wrist-mounted and HUD-style computers work, but they require divers to look away from their field of view. We saw an opportunity to improve situational awareness by keeping critical data always in view, especially for recreational divers where distraction or cognitive load can lead to mistakes.

2. We’re not replacing, we’re rethinking.

We’re not just gluing a computer to an off-the-shelf mask. We’re engineering a purpose-built system where the display, mask, electronics, and interface are integrated from the ground up to address fit, fogging, modularity, and durability together.

3. Redundancy is still the standard

This system is intended to compliment (not replace) redundancy in your kit. Tech divers will still carry backup computers. Rec divers should still have a backup computer; we always want to encourage safe diving. We leverage open-source & open-design anywhere possible. Our software team is hard at work building an iOS application that will be compatible with shearwater and other commercial dive computers. We look forward to releasing the full iOS roadmap in our kickstarter!

4. Fit, durability, and repairs are part of the design spec.

We’re engineering multiple skirt sizes, interchangeable parts, and field-replaceable components. Step on your mask? You won’t need to throw the whole thing out. Just swap the lens or skirt like you would with a modular dive light or fin strap. We aren’t sure what level of end user replacement we can do with the frame. Much of it will depend on trade offs for durability, frame rigidness, and waterproofing.

 

[RheoDive]

We need depth, dive time, orientation (compass). Ascent rate warnings, air integration and average depth would be nice, too, but please make this somewhat affordable or you'll experience the Oceanic DataMask fate.

Great point on price! Our pricing methodology is to release a premium system (including ultra clear lens, 100% premium soft silicone, and full featured dive computer) for less than current market dive computer and mask pricing. Our target MSRP is currently 1,218 with kickstarter price of $975.

 

[Still Kicking]

For me, a huge part of the enjoyment of diving is the visual experience....gazing at the beauty of a kelp forest, a magnificent wall or a cool school of fish.

I don't want any data or other distractions cluttering my view. I spend enough time looking at screens on land. I know where my dive data are and I don't find it burdensome to check it periodically. (I am not on rebreather, where real-time data are obviously more critical).

I know I am a dinosaur -- many are attracted to the idea of heads up data so I am sure there is a market if you can build it affordably (most divers are cheap). But for me, a HUD is subtractive not additive.

 

[Johnoly]

.... for less than current market dive computer and mask pricing.....

You should invest in a trip to attend the DEMA show in Orlando, Florida November 11-14 in a few weeks. You'll meet face to face with alot of equipment manufacturers and learn about the Diving Market and might find an investor or co-manufacturer with resources($$) that you can use.
DEMA Show Orlando >

DEMA Show 2025: November 11–14, Orlando, Florida

Join thousands of industry professionals at DEMA Show 2025, the ultimate event dedicated to advancing your business, building connections, and exploring the latest in diving, travel, and action water sports.

www.demashow.com

 

[RheoDive]

You should invest in a trip to attend the DEMA show in Orlando, Florida November 11-14 in a few weeks. You'll meet face to face with alot of equipment manufacturers and learn about the Diving Market and might find an investor or co-manufacturer with resources($$) that you can use.
DEMA Show Orlando >

DEMA Show 2025: November 11–14, Orlando, Florida

Join thousands of industry professionals at DEMA Show 2025, the ultimate event dedicated to advancing your business, building connections, and exploring the latest in diving, travel, and action water sports.

www.demashow.com

thank you! Looks like a great show and will certainly put it on the calendar.

 

[Subcooled]

and damn expensive for that time.

Indeed. I do a lot of zero visibility diving (search and recovery) and I would benefit hugely from depth, time, compass, air, ... but that thing was so expensive I had to choose older methods (such as: try to guess when a full circular search is done; guess depth based on ear equalizations (first at 2.7m); and so on ...).

 

[Subcooled]

Great point on price! Our pricing methodology is to release a premium system (including ultra clear lens, 100% premium soft silicone, and full featured dive computer) for less than current market dive computer and mask pricing. Our target MSRP is currently 1,218 with kickstarter price of $975.

That's good for professional use, where the cost is acceptable. One problem though: public safety divers often use full face masks and commercial divers have their helmets. So... you need to sell this mask to hobbyists and volunteers I guess. And to people who can afford that luxury.

You'll face some competition from Shearwater and others, though.