Deep Dive Analysis: Scuba Diving Magazine Reviews the DIVINTOK Dive Transceiver

At the recent ADEX Beijing show, DIVINTOK partnered with PADI to host the launch event for their Dive Transceiver. During the event, DIVINTOK introduced divers to the transceiver's specifications, diverse use cases, and the noteworthy safety test results that deserve careful consideration.

Scuba Diving is a renowned magazine dedicated to diving activities, with its online site receiving over 278,000 page views per month and 240,000 divers subscribed to the Scuba Diving eNewsletter. In the August issue of Scuba Diving Magazine, they featured a brief review of the rising star in underwater communication devices—the DIVINTOK Dive Transceiver.

Since November 2021, within a span of three years, DIVINTOK has been the only underwater communication product featured in the "Quick Looks" section of Scuba Diving Magazine. Additionally, since January 2021, PADI Magazine has not featured any general-purpose underwater communication products that aren't integrated with full-face masks.

The DIVINTOK Dive Transceiver has filled this gap, with its compact and universal design allowing regular divers to communicate freely underwater.

 The DIVINTOK Underwater Transceiver-Mini consists of an Underwater Receiver and a Mouthpiece Microphone, with the Mouthpiece Microphone connected to the second stage of the diving regulator. Since the Mouthpiece Microphone functions as a breathing accessory, it is crucial to test its breathing resistance and CO2 washout performance.

These tests help determine the equipment's performance under various conditions, ensuring that divers do not face safety issues like breathing difficulties or CO2 buildup while underwater.

Scuba Diving magazine commissioned DiveLab, a safety testing laboratory, to conduct professional tests on these two critical metrics.

Testing Methods and Results Interpretation

1. WOB (Work of Breathing) Test

 In this test, researchers used a breathing simulator to replicate various breathing rates and tidal volumes, comparing the inhalation and exhalation pressures with and without the DIVINTOK Mouthpiece Microphone attached. The experimental data showed that after installing the DIVINTOK Mouthpiece, the inhalation and exhalation pressures remained largely unchanged, and the Work of Breathing (WOB) stayed stable. (For details, refer to the comparison chart below showing WOB data under the 22.5 RMV condition with and without the DIVINTOK Mouthpiece.)

This indicates that:

- Installing the DIVINTOK Mouthpiece does not significantly increase breathing resistance.

- Using the Mouthpiece Microphone under different conditions does not add to the diver's breathing burden, ensuring comfort throughout the dive.

The above chart shows the WOB data for the regulator alone under the 22.5 RMV condition.

The above chart shows the WOB data for the regulator alone under the 22.5 RMV condition.

2.CO2 Washout Performance Test

This test was conducted at various breathing rates, recording the inhalation and exhalation pressures along with CO2 concentrations. The test results indicated that: 

- At a low breathing rate (10 liters per minute), the regulator equipped with the DIVINTOK Mouthpiece showed good CO2 washout performance, with an average CO2 concentration of only 0.42%.

- At a moderate breathing rate (22.5 liters per minute), the average CO2 concentration increased to 1.18%, but it remained within the safe range.

- At a high breathing rate (40 liters per minute), the average CO2 concentration was 1.95%, demonstrating that the regulator can effectively clear CO2 even under intense usage.

The above chart shows the CO2 washout performance data under the 40 RMV condition.

These data indicate that the DIVINTOK Mouthpiece Microphone maintains good breathing resistance and CO2 washout performance across different breathing rates. As the breathing rate increases, inhalation and exhalation pressures, as well as CO2 concentration, do rise, but they consistently remain within safe limits, ensuring the user's respiratory safety.

Through the above tests, the DIVINTOK Mouthpiece Microphone has been proven to perform well in real diving environments. Whether under low or high breathing rates, the equipment maintains low breathing resistance and effective CO2 washout functionality. These test results ensure the safety and comfort of divers using this gear.

Testing is a crucial step in ensuring the quality of diving equipment. The DIVINTOK Dive Transceiver not only excelled in professional testing but also maintained ongoing interaction with the diving industry throughout its development and market cycles, inviting divers to participate in extensive underwater testing.

In October 2019, the DIVINTOK technical team began exploring the technological path, and after 19 months, they completed the product concept design in May 2021.

Five months later, after completing the first-generation prototype, the R&D team began conducting real-world tests in pools, lakes, and other environments. In February 2022, DIVINTOK brought together diving experts to evaluate and refine the product across multiple aspects, including design, operation, and underwater performance.

In June 2022, after making improvements, the Dive Transceiver was tested in a seawater environment. Later that year, in December, it underwent an even more rigorous one-month testing period under seawater conditions.

In March 2023, after conducting multiple rounds of underwater testing across various locations with several participants, DIVINTOK initiated small-scale trial production. In August, the company once again brought together diving experts to conduct evaluations.

In December 2023, DIVINTOK traveled to Koh Tao and invited over a hundred diving enthusiasts to participate in a product experience event.

Divers encounter a wide range of environments, from tropical to high-altitude regions, including freshwater, seawater, and even polluted water. The divers who participated in the DIVINTOK product evaluations came from various industries and skill levels, including professional instructors, underwater photographers, dive guides, researchers, and seasoned divers. The open water tests were conducted in locations such as Thailand, Indonesia, Wuzhizhou Island, Huizhou, and Weizhou Island, with the total number of tests exceeding a thousand.

Scuba Diving magazine invited SCUBALAB, the team responsible for user experience evaluations, to review the DIVINTOK Dive Transceiver. They gave it exceptionally high praise,stating:

With its robust underwater communication technology, ingenious and safe structural design, and extensive professional user testing, divers can trust that the innovative DIVINTOK Dive Transceiver will enhance their diving experiences by making them safer, more enjoyable, and more efficient.

With its robust underwater communication technology, ingenious and safe structural design, and extensive professional user testing, divers can trust that the innovative DIVINTOK Dive Transceiver will enhance their diving experiences by making them safer, more enjoyable, and more efficient.