Niche Biz: Shark Repellent

Ever wanted to surf without the fear of sharks? While there was not much you could do before, Joel Centeio is hoping to change that with his special shark repelling device.

The tiny box on the Velcro strap is called the Electronic Shark Defense System or ESDS.

Wilson Vinano created the lightweight machine. He said it emits an electric pulse that repels sharks by affecting the gel in a shark’s nose.

“We tested it on divers, our divers that swam around with it with sharks around. The sharks would just fade away. They wouldn’t even attempt to come close,” Vinano said.

Collin Kobayashi of 3D Innovations and other engineers perfected the unit, making it watertight, compact and streamlined.

“We took all of the different parts that go in here. And then we tested it to make sure it fits. Once it fit we were able to send that file to get tooled up,” he said.

The device is about the size of a deck of cards and weighs about seven ounces. It runs on a battery that lasts nine hours before it needs a recharge.

Photo by U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service – Pacific Region’s

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