It's a French invention due for commercialization in 2025, and will be of interest both to the world of professional diving and, in a second phase, to that of recreational diving. Presented on June 13 at the DGA's I-Naval in Toulon, it is the brainchild of two engineering brothers, Jonas and Gabriel Guerche. Gabriel explains: " The idea was born on a trip with my brother, when we were both members of the Sorbonne University diving association. Why, in the 21st century, is there still no device for easy underwater communication? "Divers' sign language is limited to fifteen or so "words", when situations can be complex to describe. Emergency situations, in particular, would benefit from greater precision.
820,000 euros raised in spring
With multiple degrees in physics, nuclear physics, management... the duo set about the task in 2018. They were successively helped by their student-entrepreneur cluster, then by Ifremer (they won the 2021 Octo-pousse innovation competition), before finally setting up shop near Ifremer in Plouzané (Finistère). Incorporated, 52 Hertz is well and truly launched. " We raised ?820,000 in the spring of this year and already employ two salaried engineers. "52 Hertz is supported by Inria and CNRS, and has been accredited by the Pole Mer Bretagne Atlantique since March 2023.
Technically, the innovation takes the form of a communication device that fits onto diving equipment at the regulator mouthpiece. The system works by bone conduction: " Headphones are in your mouth, not in your ears. "A technological challenge combining telecommunications and artificial intelligence. " We're adding AI and ergonomics to handle the diver's sound. "
Seven million divers worldwide
The opportunities are promising, " focused on professional diving, but there will also be prospects for recreational diving in the future ". There are 7 million scuba divers in the world, including 3 million in the United States and 3 million in Europe. Rendezvous in April 2025 for the commercial launch of 52 Hertz, now in the home stretch of its R&D phase...
