European firms taking a full dive into Asian underwater market

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This is a guest post authored by “Tex” Pomeroy. He is a Tokyo-based writer specializing in ICT and high technology.


Image credit: “Tex” Pomeroy

A manufacturing startup from Nice, France and an Italian “diving computer” maker showcasing their products at an annual show targeting the diving market in Asia. Held at the Sunshine 60 Building in Tokyo’s Toshima Ward (from whence the current Tokyo Metropolitan Gov. Yuriko Koike hails), many overseas companies albeit mostly those involved in services such as resort operations took part in this event.

Visit Seabed CEO Frederic Castellanet on the left
Image credit: “Tex” Pomeroy

The French firm Visit Seabed which at the last show announced its diver stability device last year (improved this year in terms of size and design) unveiled at the 2017 its new product – a world first – called Seabed Buggy which assists those divers exploring the shallower seabeds in a safer and stressless manner. Even those who may not have much stamina can now use this underwater vehicle to move about freely.

Image credit: “Tex” Pomeroy

According to the company, it took a few years to perfect this powered “board” since several designs were tried out and many patents required to realize those were filed. The final version enables divers to “scoot” near the seabed thanks to facilitated operations. As an aside, it is understood that there are more activities in the offing for French Polynesia, being one of the potential Visit Seabed user space, as the local government is pushing for more resort developments.

Image credit: Ratio Computers

This year, the Italian company Ratio Computers were also conspicuous at the diving confab. The computer in this case is not the ones used to access the Internet but those used by divers to ensure that they have a handle on their underwater activities related to the amount of gas left in the tank (which needs to take into account the time required upon surfacing since a sudden rise would result in the bends and other ailments), depth and other vital information. (Speaking of Italy, it has of late been a hotbed of startup activities.)

It is thought that with the further spread of interest in underwater leisure as well as business such as aquatic environment use like water use (one novel project is outlined by “waterpolitan.com” although currently its focus does not cover the oceanic environment yet), Japan and Asia promises to become a fertile ground [sic!] for expanded use of diving equipment and devices.