This D-Mask Is the Underwater Dive Mask of our Sci-Fi Dreams
A Chinese designer's stylish, tech-forward design hints at a super cool future for snorkelers and SCUBA divers alike.
Wouldn’t it be incredible to wear a dive mask and not only see the ocean around you but also all of the many data points you need to, you know, survive while underwater? Well, a designer from Shenzhen, China who goes by ZJ-DDG has created a radical new concept design for a dive mask that does just that. Called the D-Mask, it seems like something out of our Sci-Fi-fueled dreams.
First off, ZJ-DDG’s D-Mask features a large shield that covers the entire face instead of just the eyes and nose like a standard diving mask. The larger mask allows for a 180 degree field of vision and, with more points of contact with the face, a more comfortable fit.
The coolest part, however, is that the shield also serves as a heads-up display that would show the wearer such variables as weather conditions, depth, oxygen tank level, and water temperature. Bone-conducting audio would allow for divers to enjoy music underwater and, when paired with the integrated microphone, allow for walkie-talkie communication with both other divers and those on the surface. The days of hand gestures and separate communication tools would be over.
Knobs and sliders on the side of the mask would allow the diver to control the various functions of the mask. The outside of the mask would also feature a camera for capturing underwater scenes and LED lighting useful on cloudy days, for night dives and as an SOS signal to other divers.
Now for the bad news. The D-Mask is nothing but a concept at the moment and exists only in ZJ-DDG’s imagination and his Adobe Lightroom files. There are also significant practical barriers to it becoming a reality any time soon. For example, a shield design that covers the eyes without segregating the mouth and nose would be liable to fogging up, rendering the heads-up display difficult to see and use.
Still, it’s not hard to imagine how the features of the D-Mask could make snorkeling and SCUBA diving safer, easier and more fun. You can check out the D-Mask in more detail here.
