This one is for all those who, like me, somehow missed out on swimming lessons and now envy the seemingly effortless motion of those who can glide through the pool as I expend comparatively ridiculous amounts of energy, just to stay afloat.
Archie O’Brien recently unveiled the CUDA jetpack, which, just as the name would suggest, straps to a swimmer’s back and propels them through the water. Although equipment that shoots humans through the water is not new, this one isn’t handheld. It also features an aerodynamic design inspired by luxury sports cars.
Perhaps the most unique feature of the CUDA is how it’s made. While handheld devices run about $17,000 each, O’Brien’s ability to 3D print everything but the electronic controls and power supply brings his price point down to about $6,000 – per a report from Digital Trends.
O’Brien hopes to attract enough investors and sponsors to scale up production and add a more powerful and longer-lasting battery than currently available in the prototype. He’s also targeting the completion of a full-scale production model in time for next summer.