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After eight hours underwater at a depth of 1,000 feet, a diver must spend 10 days in a decompression chamber. That’s why shipwreck salvagers and pipeline inspectors use submarines or unmanned rovers. Now there’s a better solution: Nuytco’s Exosuit. The articulated shell keeps its inhabitant at surface atmosphere while enabling free movement on the seafloor. Divers have worn a version of the $600,000 suit to do internal repairs on New York City water supply pipes and will soon use one to check for oil pipeline leaks off Dubai. With thrusters and an optional hook hand, the Exosuit is way more badass than scuba gear.Phil Newsum is executive director of the Association of Diving Contractors International Inc., an organization dedicated in promoting safety in the commercial diving industry. To learn more about safety in diving, whether commercial or recreational, click here.
1// Helmet The domed window lets divers see past their chest down to their feet. That means they don’t have to contort to see what they’re working on.
2// Air Two redundant oxygen systems provide up to 50 hours of air, which is constantly recirculated through carbon dioxide scrubbers.
3// Thrusters Divers control four 1.6-horsepower thrusters with their feet. If your mission needs more juice, you can upgrade to eight thrusters.
4// Telemetry A fiber-optic cable connection allows topside monitoring and control of the suit in case the diver loses consciousness.
5// Manipulators The suit comes with accessories: claws for all occasions, including large and small grippers for different sized objects, a saw for cutting lines, and a hook.
6// Extreme flexibility Eighteen rotary joints in the arms and legs allow the diver to bend and flex freely.
