Why nDeco & What Nitrogen Has to Do with It?
As scuba divers, we all understand the importance of safety when exploring the underwater world.
Diving is all about adventure and fun - but it comes with its own set of challenges — among them is managing the invisible, yet critical, issue of nitrogen gas saturation in your body.
When you scuba dive, the pressure underwater causes nitrogen from the air you breathe to dissolve into your body tissues. Unlike oxygen, which your body uses and processes relatively quickly, nitrogen is slower to be released. This means that as you ascend and the pressure decreases, the nitrogen in your tissues needs time to safely dissipate. If it doesn’t, it can form bubbles in your bloodstream, leading to decompression sickness (DCS), a potentially serious health condition.
This is where No-Decompression Limits (NDLs) come into play. NDLs are the maximum amount of time you can spend at a given depth without needing decompression stops on your way back to the surface. Staying within these limits is crucial for safe diving, but calculating them can be complex, especially when planning multi-level dives or repetitive dives over several days.
That’s why we created nDeco, a robust simple to use dive planner to keep you safely within NDLs.
Our app is designed to be as simple and intuitive as possible, while still being built on a robust foundation of scientific principles and safety margins. It combines the reliability of the U.S. Navy Diving Manual Air Tables with the precision of the Bühlmann ZH-L16 model, one of the most widely used algorithms in dive computing. Together, these ensure that your dive plans are not only accurate but also conservative enough to keep you well within safe limits, minimizing the risk of decompression issues.
A few important notes: nDeco assumes all dives are conducted by certified Advance Open Water diver at sea level, in saltwater, and while breathing compressed air (about 21% oxygen). These assumptions are critical for accurate calculations, so please keep them in mind when using the app.
We're passionate about creating tools that make diving safer and more enjoyable. This app is our contribution to the diving community. We’re always eager to hear from divers like you—your feedback and suggestions for improvements are invaluable to us:
Got feedback? Reach out to us at: info@loc8ing.com
Happy diving, and stay safe!