Early diving suits heralded an unprecedented age of ocean exploration

1914

In 1914, Chester MacDuffee constructed the first suit with ball bearings, as the medium to provide movement to a joint. The suit was tested in New York in 214 feet of water

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Deep-sea diving is a highly complex and dangerous endeavor, with countless hazards — Nitrogen narcosis, hypoxia, decompression sickness, drowning.

It also has great rewards — treasure and salvage from shipwrecks, military and industrial applications — so reaching for the depths has been a pursuit for inventors for centuries

Rudimentary diving bells were first described by Aristotle in the 4th century B.C., and were used by swimmers for undersea observation and quick salvage missions. Read more...