cave diving is dark, disorienting, and dangerous.

How can we make it safer by helping divers find their way?

the research

we talked with experts

In the SUBMERGED season, FIRST asked us to identify a problem faced by people who explore the ocean, and develop an innovative solution.

So we found a few experts who could help us understand the problems.

designing and prototyping

diving into the problem

We thought SCUBA diving seemed so cool, and still has a lot of problems to solve! We did some research on communication, but eventually we decided to focus on helping them find their way in the dark.

Patrick Danko, our dive expert, told us about cave divers in Thailand who saved a soccer team. We learned that one of the divers on that mission almost died because he got confused and went the wrong direction into the cave. Luckily he ran into another diver and realized it, so he was able to turn around and survive. But he barely had enough oxygen.

We decided to find a way to make sure that doesn't happen to anyone else.

lighting it up

We researched different ways to see in the dark under water. We learned about bioluminescence and how animals naturally glow at dark depths.

We even grew our own bioluminescent plankton!

we made it a moving rope

We explored ways to make a light up rope for SCUBA divers to use in a cave.

and we made it waterproof, even under pressure

SOLUTION

testing

We met with Patrick Danko at The Dive Shop. He gave us an introductory SCUBA lesson, and we tried out our prototype in the dark at the bottom of a 10-foot pool.