By News 8 Reporter Jeff Zevely
SAN DIEGO (CBS 8) - They say imitation is the greatest form of flattery, and that's why a San Diego man took an ancient idea and made it even better. Most people will never wear a shark suit made out of chain maille, but a variation of that protective material may be the fabric of the future.
The company is called Neptunic Technologies, and much of what they're working on is a secret. But this time next year, their product may be popping up in a store near you.
If you've ever wondered what it feels like to be bitten by a shark, just ask the man who has sustained thousands of shark bites.
"It's stimulating, it's fun if you do it safely, but it's incredibly dangerous," Jeremiah Sullivan said.
Sullivan has appeared on more than 45 television shows and film projects demonstrating the Neptunic shark suit that he first invented in the 1970s. Decades later, Sullivan is using the technology of chain maille to make an even stronger, lighter shark suit that could sustain a great white shark attack.
Sullivan is already selling his super-material called Neptech to the government and military.
"Business is good," he said.
It's a boast backed up by side-by-side comparisons. Sullivan uses scissors to cut through military materials, but the Neptech remains intact, which could mean endless possibilities for the military, law enforcement and action sports.
