High reliability and tested performance :  Based on a patented fusible link mechanism with only a single moving part, the ARC-1 is very reliable.   It is the only acoustic release to be used in commercial fishing (ropeless fishing), where it has accumulated tens of thousands of release cycles.  

Efficient & Fast Acting:   ARC-1 combines simplicity and reliability with the fast action of motor or solenoid releases, offering the best of both worlds.  Unlike 'burn wire' (electric wire erosion) releases that take 10 minutes or more to actuate, the ARC-1 triggers just 10 seconds from the release command, and the trigger process itself is lightning fast at 0.002 seconds (link to video).  And unlike motorized releases with complex mechanisms and many potential failure points, the ARC-1 has only a single moving part (the lever) and no dynamic seals.

Surface control flexibility:    The ARC-1 can be triggered from a computer interface providing a view of the status and location of your entire ARC-1 inventory (STM-3), or through a simple switch-operated deck box (STM-4).   

Excellent for the deployment of large instrument arrays:    The ARC-1 was originally developed for deployment of a large array of underwater acoustic detectors in the California channel islands (link to paper).  Since then. its combination of high reliability, long-endurance, fast trigger action and low cost has made it a favourite for the deployment of large instrument arrays, into several hundred units in diverse locations including the Pacific Northwest, Baltic Sea and Great Lakes.