Adaptive Equipment

 JV's Adaptive Scuba Diving, Snuba Diving, and Snorkeling Gear  

  Aquatic therapy is very beneficial for people with disabilities because the water is an equalizer that allows them to move around more easily than on land. People with disabilities like Cerebral Palsy often have trouble holding a traditional mouthpiece for scuba diving, snuba diving, or snorkeling in their mouth. They can use a full-face dive or snorkeling mask, but these masks also increase buoyancy making it difficult to dive below the surface without assistance which is especially limiting for snuba diving. An adapted mouthpiece with a small mask and strap to hold it in place will make it easier for them to keep it in their mouth and prevent the intake of water when snorkeling, scuba diving, or snuba diving. Furthermore, the adapted mouthpiece has less buoyancy allowing the user to dive down by themselves more easily when snuba diving.

The primary objective is to be able to maintain a horizontal position in the water without any extra equipment such as arm floats, a wetsuit, or flippers.

Current solutions like a full-face dive or snorkel mask have airspace that increases the buoyance of your head but the rest of your body sinks which makes it difficult to be horizontal without equipment that increases the buoyancy of the lower portion of your body.

My adapted mouthpiece for scuba diving and snuba diving will be better than a traditional full face dive mask because the adapted mouthpiece will have no empty air space allowing the user to go into a horizontal face down swimming position without the need of a wetsuit and/or flippers.

The secondary objective is to allow the user to dive down headfirst from a horizontal position without the need for weights or other equipment.  In short, to allow a user that does not have the usual control of their muscles to have more freedom in the water like someone with normal muscle control.

Update (January 31, 2024)

I'm working with a company to update the design. The updated design has a mask that covers both the nose and mouth with a removable mouthpiece. the person can choose between breathing just through their mouth or can take the mouthpiece out so they can breathe with both their nose and mouth. When they use the mouthpiece, there will be no air in the mask so the mask will have minimal buoyancy so they can swim around and dive down very easily. I will share the updated design with all of you as soon as I receive it.