Clear Underwater Audio Through Bone Vibration Conduction?

Yes, this technology is out there. And it's been there for several years. Finis sells an MP3 player that works underwater and without the use of ear buds that can fall out during exercise. Dubbed the SwiMP3, the music-playing device works in an unconventional way. It uses conduction to transmit music through the bones of your face.

Run, Shakespeare, Run (and Bike and Swim)

In 2002, on a bet from a boss, I trained to complete a sprint triathlon. In the world of triathlons, this event was no Ironman. A half-Ironman race is referred to as a Tinman; I dubbed my race "The Paperboy". It consisted of a half-mile swim, a 12-mile bike ride, and a 5k run in mid-July.

The event is completed at break-neck speeds; hence it's classification as a sprint triathlon. Still, this was a race that required grueling hours of training and preparation. During that process, I dropped sixty pounds, mostly from training where I was least confident - the pool.

Three mornings a week, I pounded out laps for 45 to 60 minutes before going to work. Pushing yourself hard may provide its own adrenaline, but the hundreds of laps that I swam were tedious. I would solve math problems in my head just to keep from getting bored. If only I had known about the SwiMP3 during that time.

Bone Conduction Technology

The SwiMP3 works simply enough. The device (depending on which generation you have) connects to your swim goggles. Generation 1 (the model I now use) sits on the back of your head with a few basic buttons (previous/next, volume +/-, on/off) and has two small black wires about two inches in length that run to white plastic pads. Just slide these pads to a comfortable position and rest them on your cheekbones. The SwiMP3 doesn't just broadcast music loudly enough to travel by water to your ears, either. Think of smacking rocks together underwater when you were a kid. Not exactly hi-def stereo.

Playing the SwiMP3 when you're just standing in the pool creates an audio quality akin to someone who left an iPod playing on the table with the earphones out. You might recognize the song, but the lyrics are indistinct. I was skeptical when I tried the SwiMP3 because I didn't appreciate the missing ingredient - water.

Dip your head underwater and the SwiMP3 provides an entirely different experience. The water forms a thin barrier between the pad and the skin over your cheek, allowing the perfect vibration to pass to the bones of your face. (Don't worry, you can't feel anything). In turn, these vibrations make the music sound as if it's coming from inside your own head. This is crystal-clear surround sound. And if you're self-conscious because you rock out to The Spice Girls, fear not. People swimming in the same lane cannot hear your playlist.

Advantages Outweigh the Shortcomings

Because the SwiMP3 isn't connected to your torso or limbs, it's unobtrusive. And the SwiMP3 Generation 2 doubles the capacity of the original model (from 128 MB to 256 MB) while moving the controls to the sides of your face so that you don't have to reach to the back of your head to skip a song or increase the volume. Adding music and charging the device involves a simple USB connection to your computer and dragging the MP3 to the SwiMP3 folder, respectively. As for price, the Generation 2 sells for around $150, including goggles and swim cap. For such a music-playing device, the price is pretty reasonable.

While using my original SwiMP3 for several years now, I've noted only a few shortcomings. They're more inconveniences than serious flaws. First, the SwiMP3 doesn't allow for playlists. Instead, it plays songs in alphabetical order. By preceding the file names with numbers, however, you can get around this limitation. Still, it's a time-consuming task that requires re-numbering with each change you make. The battery life is acceptable; I can get 90 minutes when the device is fully charged. But 128 MB doesn't hold a lot of music compared to most iPods today. Then again, you won't be swimming laps for 18 straight days either.

If the pool is where you like to be and you've always wanted the chance to listen to music (or even an audio book) while swimming, I recommend the SwiMP3. This is one of the better workout equipment purchases I've made.