Thalatoo (Montpellier, France) is developing a unique display-based recreational dive computer product called M?oï. The device incorporates a monocular HUD that presents important dive related information out in front of the diver. The add-on device can be fixed directly above the diver’s existing face mask.
Little display-related technical information is currently publicly available regarding the M?oï device. The company does state that “A mini-projector sends the information on the optical reflector, which reflects the light, enlarges the image and projects it in front of the eyes of the diver.” Apparently, the information is projected about 2 metres in front of the diver’s eyes. The company states that the optical reflector is completely transparent and does not reduce or otherwise interfere with the diver’s field of vision.
The M?oï also has a front-facing display that is intended to be viewed by the diver’s buddy. It is a monochromatic, transflective LCD that is always on and presents real time information.
The company notes that, throughout product development, the company has worked together with European and American divers to test prototype devices. Reportedly, feedback from these tests has provided information that has enabled improvements to the M?oï’s features.
Some of the physical characteristics of the device include:
- Rechargeable lithium-ion battery providing about 10 hours of dive time.
- Maximum depth of 60 M.
- Physical size of the case is 3.5 x 9 x 6 cm. With reflector, the size is 6 x 9 x 10.5 cm
- M?oï comes with a USB cable.
- The weight is 150 g which one evaluator described as “not too heavy.”
- M?oï is compatible with vision correcting lenses such as those that the diver can have on their mask.
- A charger is supplied with the M?oï.
- A fixation system is included to attach the device to the diver.
The company describes the information presented on the display as contextual, meaning that the information is presented in an intelligent way. “M?oï detects the phases of the dive and adapts the information that is presented accordingly.” As examples, “the depth and diving time are displayed throughout the dive, the ascent time during the exploration phase, the ascending speed and decompression stop are displayed when ascending.” The point being that only key information is presented and it is presented only and just when it is needed.
A video illustrating the M?oï can be found at the end of this article. The M?oï is also illustrated in the figure below. The figure includes illustrations of several possible messages that can be presented to the diver’s buddy.
The M?oï HUD-based dive computer.
Some dive-related information about the M?oï includes the following:
- The two buttons located on the right of the device allow the diver to access the following information during the dive: up button: compass, down button: maximum depth, temperature and depth.
- The product implements a Bulhman decompression model ZHL-16C with three levels of gradient factors so that the diver can adapt the computer to their state of health.
- The dive logbook can be downloaded with divelog.de dive software.
- M?oï keeps in memory the diver’s last 100 dives.
M?oï is guaranteed for two years from the product delivery date.
At this time, the company reports that it has developed fully functional prototypes. “They work perfectly, even if they do not have the final design.”
The company has turned to Indiegogo to raise the funds necessary to transition M?oï into production. The campaign can be found here. At the time this article is written, €7,640 EUR has been raised from 25 backers towards a fixed goal of €50,000 EUR. The campaign is scheduled to conclude on February 1, 2018. Since the campaign still needs to attract further funding to reach its’ goal and the closing date is some time away, the fate of the campaign is uncertain at this time.
Assuming the campaign is successful, it is intended that the M?oï will be entirely produced and assembled in France. It is anticipated that the retail price of the M?oï will be €400 EUR. -Arthur Berman
