Today, Ortovox introduced its first avalanche transceiver featuring voice navigation. Diract Voice offers the culmination of years of R&D to produce a transceiver that supports rescuers in every phase of a search, offering calm, clear commands to provide steadiness when the survival is on the line.
“Our values at Ortovox are rooted in the protection of both people and the environment in the mountains. With Diract Voice, we wanted to create a technology that makes searching easier and helps you get found faster,” said Tom Mason, U.S. brand manager, ORTOVOX.” The goal of this transceiver’s development was to make the most effective rescue device possible while focusing on intuitive design and user interface. The key for us was creating a product that speeds up the rescue process while helping rescuers remain calm and focused. The confidence you feel when the transceiver talks to you, supports you and protects you throughout the entire rescue is eye-opening.”
Founded in 1980, Orotovox developed its first multi-frequency transceiver, the F2, which unified the beacon market in 1980. Later, the F1 Plus offered its first visual LED reference—a feature long since standardized across the market. More recently, Ortovox Smart Antenna Technology solved for antenna misalignment, extends stable search ranges for burials that are off-angle.
Diract Voice voice commands combined with a streamlined and logical design features a single operating button with an extra-large display. The cold-tolerant Lithium-Ion battery is long-lasting and rechargeable. A secure toggle switch quickly changes from transmitting to search mode and is easy to operate with gloves.
“For many rescuers, the stress of an accident clouds our thinking and we have seen that this results in staring at the beacon while conducting a search—this can have devastating consequences in the case of a shallow burial where the victim is visible on the snow surface. With Diract Voice, if the rescuer ventures off track, the device will immediately course-correct with clear instructions. This support allows rescuers the confidence to keep their eyes on the debris field for surface clues, which could have real, positive impact on their search outcomes,” said Dieter Kotlaba, global head of hardware, Ortovox.
Diract Voice will be available in September 2021. A non-voice version, Diract, will also be available also in September 2021. For more product information, go here.
Photo courtesy Ortovox
