This project aims to solve communication problems that
divers encounter when in the water. At present it is hard for divers to
communicate with each other unless they remain within eye sight at all times. Humans
were not designed to survive in the ocean and adequate communication and safety
technology is often reserved for those with bigger budgets. I wanted to utilise
the GPS technology most people carry round with them every day; their
smartphones, and use them to make diving safer for everyone.
We are connected to the world through our cellphones,
we can track our location down to the meter and get directions with pinpoint
accuracy. However diving is comparitively primitive to what we do above the
waves. I wanted to bridge this gap by bringing technology below the waves to
try eliminate some of the recurring problems associated with the sport. Through
analysing the Facebook page NZ Spearo
Forum (which has over 3000 members) I noticed that questions about where
the best spots were to dive and primal timing to dive them were being asked
again and again. I wanted to consolodate much of the information including communication between divers
and spot saving whilst promoting a huge priority on safety through divers
working together amongst their dive groups. I wanted to help minimise these
posts through providing them with a service that they could access at any time
to be updated and in communication with each other.
The
aim of my project is to make it easier for spearfisherman to communicate with
each other in the water by using their smart phones. To solve this problem I
have created a unique user experience that adapts to be used in an unusual and
hostile environment. I wanted to maximise a smart phones toolkit which is
equipped with capactivite touch screen, GPS tracking, gyroscopes,
accelerometers, bluetooth, Wi-Fi and 3G/4G connectivity. Using this toolkit I
wanted to create an application that can accurately locate a diver and their
dive party, send messages using pre reorded templates and GPS mark good diving
spots and photograph rock structures. Good diving spots are rare and not easily
located because the more obvious a spot is means the more it has been fished.
Currently divers do not have a tool that can track their exact positioning to
relocate good diving spots. Without Spot X technology a diver must line up
landmarks or rocks in the distance to locate previously found diving spots. Even
then landmarks will always look different in the water caused by different tide
heights which positions the diver differently in the water. Spot X pin points
exact locations so then the diver saves a lot more time and energy by taking
out the guess work of locating the correct position. Imagine your unable to
find anyone from your dive group as your becoming tired, cold and weak caused
by being in the water for over an hour so you head in, once in shore you have
to wait an extra 30 minutes because your
dive group are still in the water hunting fish or even trying to locate you.
This is where Spot X gives the diver a communication tool to simply send
messages to your dive group to alert them that you have headed into shore so
they arent out in the water frantically searching for you. Safety in the water
is reflected on a divers experience, Blackouts are very common amongst
freedivers, they occur when a diver is exceeding ones lung capacity. This is
normally when a diver is trying to stay under for that extra couple of seconds
to pull out a cray from a hole or waiting to line up a fish for the perfect shot.
This is why having a group diver near by is a traditional method of safe
diving. However having Westpac Helicopter and Coastguard at a few clicks on
your mobile could be a life or death factor for a dive group who arent close to
civilisation. Spot X is a divers tool that will keep them a few clicks away
from calling a rescue helicopter, summoning their buddy or even marking a
particularly thriving crayfish nest, making the sport safer and more enjoyable.
Spot X serves as a great tool for peace of mind for the loved ones who arent
actually in the water like mothers, wives and families.
Being a visual communicator I want to create something
that spearfisherman can use to communicate with each other. Reasons behind
choosing a digital platform was simple, I wanted to create something that each
spearfisherman could use within their own dive group. This will help them
benefit as an individual as well as helping to solve a bigger community problem
on communication and safety in the water.
My problem was very simple, however executing a
solution was less so. I had to use a website to explain my problem to an
unknown user so they would understand how to use my app. I then needed to
explain why a spearfisherman needs a communication tool in the water and how
the capacitive screen works. The website helps the user understand the unique
user experience on navigation. Touch screens are fiddly at the best of times
and they simply wont work underwater. For this reason Spot X relies solely on
the volume buttons, making for quick navigation through the app while
underwater. Not only will a touch screen not work underwater, most divers wear
gloves, also rendering the screen useless. Volume buttons enable a diver to
scroll through menu options and select them by pressing the hold or home
button. This cuts down on time by simplifying the technology for an environment
where speed could be the difference between life and death.
Spot X solves a new problem with an old solution.
Touchscreens use capacitive sensing which is a technology based on the human
capacitance for input, electrical sensors in the screen will only recognise an
action if it has an electrical current. So in context of a spearfisherman
wearing 5mm neoprene gloves takes any form a current from the human body and
neutralises this within the glove. I have overcome these problems by coming up
with a unique navigation where the user will use the volume buttons to control
the features.
While re-analysing my research question I noticed
there are many different uses that would be beneficial to a large number of
potential users in different contexts. Wood workers, mountaineers, skiers and
snowboarders are all contexts where people wear gloves and use phones simultaneously.
Spot X is a unique user experience navigation system for people that have
limited ability with the use of their hands/ capacitive screens. Spot X also
serves to enhance the sport of spearfishing as a whole. By creating increased
collaboration between divers and emergency services and being able to mark
fruitful spots. Features of Spot X enable divers to push the sport further and
in a safer direction.
