Living in Florida, I’m located approximately one hour south of a popular beach destination that is often referred to as the “shark bite capital of the world.” Unfortunately, this aforementioned locale is also my favorite beach to visit in the state. When I was younger, the threat of a shark bite was about as real to me as landing a starring role in the movie “Jaws,” but now that I’m an adult and have a child of my own to fret over, the thought that a shark – even a small one – could be lurking in the same waters where we’re wading terrifies me.
Considering all of the recent advances in modern technology – from smart beds that monitor the sleeping patterns of children to tiny sensors that can detect disease to self-parking cars, and almost everything in between, I suppose it was only a matter of time before my real-life nightmare became the inspiration behind a developer’s new gadget.
Charleston-based father-and-son duo David and Nathan Garrison have turned their love of the ocean and a few close encounters into a new wearable device that uses electromagnetic technology to ward off sharks.
According to the creators of Sharkbanz, sharks have the most sensitive electromagnetic sense in all of the animal kingdom, often relying on this sense to guide their direction in lieu of visual or tactile senses. When sharks are in shallow, murky water, it is often their curiosity that gets the better of them and causes them to “investigate” objects – and people –in nearby waters. By donning the wristwatch-sized Sharkbanz, ocean-goers can repel sharks through a proprietary magnetic technology that disrupts the shark’s electrical sense in a way that's highly unpleasant, but won’t actually harm the shark.
Following several “too-close-for-comfort” incidents in the water, the Garrison’s partnered with marine biologists Dr. Eric Stroud and Dr. Patrick Rice, who are both renowned shark experts and founders of SharkDefense. The goal was to create some sort of device that was unobtrusive and affordable, yet effective and careful not to disrupt the natural habitat of the ocean. After three years of research and design, Sharkbanz were unveiled. With two colors currently available (seafoam green and slate), the device can be worn on the wrist or the ankle and provides surfers, scuba divers, swimmers and casual beach-goers with the peace of mind that encounters with sharks can be avoided by wearing the device. What’s best: the device is available for under $60.
Before offering up the technology for purchase to the masses, the Sharkbanz team tested the device in real-life scenarios where sharks were present. Throwing several of the Sharkbanz wearables into shark-infested waters along with some chum as bait, the technology was proven to work as sharks went scurrying from the chum as soon as they got near the Sharkbanz devices.
The device doesn’t come without fair warning, however. In a recent interview, co-founder Nathan Garrison said that when dealing with wild animals, nothing is 100 percent certain.
“Sharbanz give people a defense against sharks, when they previously had none,” he noted. “Wearing a device that interrupts the electromagnetic fields around a shark improves your chances considerably of not being attacked.”
Interestingly, Sharkbanz technology also deters stingrays, but the wearable devices have not been known to impact any other ocean creatures such as dolphins, sea turtles, or fish.
Keeping their commitment to protecting sharks and their ocean habitat, the Sharkbanz founders work closely with ocean conservation groups and donate 3 percent of company profits to support the efforts to eradicate shark finning, prevent new offshore drilling, and aid in the restoration and protection of marine ecosystems.
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