Michael van der Riet

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University of Nottingham > Engineering > Departments > Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering > PDM Exhibitions > 2024 > MEng students > Michael van der Riet

Augmented reality scuba goggles to enhance communication and situational awareness for underwater divers and snorkelers.

I've always enjoyed making things, so product design seemed like an obvious choice for me. Learning the skills needed to bring an idea into reality has allowed me to add substance to the things which I want to make, giving me the tools necessary to problem solve those little issues I tend to notice with products and interactions in my daily life. The design process allows you to approach things as a generalist, forcing you to adopt a jack of all trades working style, which I've always found great for ensuring that the work doesn't feel like a drag. Having said that, I really enjoy the design communication and prototype testing aspects of product design, it's always nice to be able to think things through on paper and explore ways which a product can be broken up into forms and details to elevate it from a purely engineering solution. The only thing better is when youve got a piece of your design work in your hands and you can really explore it in a tactile way. It's always so satisfying to have a principle proved through physical testing and equally as beneficial to encounter any issues with the solution in an apparent way. Moving forward from university, I hope to go back into a consultancy role. I had the fortune of doing my industrial placement at Centreline Design and Manufacture, which was a hugely enjoyable and enriching experience. I enjoy being able to work on a variety of products and the exposure varied projects gives ensures that my design education continues into my professional career.

Michael van der Riet, MEng Product Design and Manufacture

Digital Portfolio

SHOAL HAMMER-HUD

Limited communication hinders safety and enjoyment in underwater activities like diving and snorkelling. Hand signals, the current standard, rely on line of sight, making them unreliable in low visibility or when divers aren't facing each other. This can lead to lost divers, hampered teamwork, and difficulty communicating emergencies. Existing solutions are expensive, require full-face masks, and involve specialized training, raising safety and comfort concerns. To address these limitations and fill a market gap, the SHOAL HAMMER-HUD was developed in response to the brief..

'Create a product that enhances communication and situational awareness for underwater divers and snorkelers, improving overall safety and enjoyment.'

The design solution for the brief consists of location tracking and messaging enabled augmented reality scuba goggles, a finger mounted controller for the goggles and wireless charging carry case. This product family allows the user to send text-based messages to other product users eyeline, communicating safety and location information without line of sight over distances underwater. The messages and information are provided to the user using a heads-up display, projecting the information into their view of the environment, allowing them to remain aware of their surroundings when engaging with the messaging system.