Hyperbaric is a technical term for a pressure condition above normal atmospheric pressure. A cabin, room or capsule counts as “hyperbaric” as soon as the pressure inside it is higher than the air outside. This guide explains what the word means, how a hyperbaric oxygen room differs from a capsule, and how these cabins actually work — in plain language, without overstating what oxygen does.
What does hyperbaric mean?
The word comes from two Greek roots: hyper (above) and baros (weight, pressure). It literally means “above normal pressure”. Its opposite is hypobaric, describing pressure below normal — the thin air at high altitude is a hypobaric environment.
In everyday use the word rarely stands alone. It qualifies a piece of equipment: hyperbaric cabin, hyperbaric room, hyperbaric oxygen chamber. What they share is the same thing — the pressure inside the sealed volume is higher than the pressure outside.
How is the pressure measured? What does ATA mean?
Pressure in this field is usually expressed in ATA (atmospheres absolute). The air we breathe at sea level is 1 ATA. 2 ATA means twice sea-level pressure, roughly equivalent to the water pressure at 10 metres depth.
Oxyliving chambers are designed to run at up to approximately 2 ATA. The pressure is raised gradually, held steady through the session, and brought back down gradually on exit; that gradual transition is what makes ear equalising comfortable.
What is a hyperbaric oxygen room?
A hyperbaric oxygen room is a sealed volume that several people can use at once and that you walk into rather than climb into. Once the door is closed a compressor raises the internal pressure; users breathe oxygen-enriched air through a mask or a cabin feed. An operator panel outside the chamber monitors the whole cycle.
Room-type systems hold between four and fourteen people and are built for institutional-scale installations — wellness centres, hotels and sports facilities.
What is the difference between a hyperbaric capsule and a hyperbaric room?
Both work on the same principle; the difference is scale and how they are used.
A capsule holds one or two people. It is compact, fits into a standard room, and suits a home, showroom or small studio. The user sits or lies down inside it.
A room holds four to fourteen people. You walk in, there is seating, and it is built for high-turnover use. Floor area, ceiling height and electrical requirements all rise noticeably compared with a capsule.
In the Oxyliving range, Avicenna, Kağan and Cezeri are capsules; Taragay, Taragay XL and Biruni are rooms.
How do hyperbaric cabins work?
There are three stages.
1. Pressurisation. An oil-free dry compressor raises the pressure inside the cabin gradually over a few minutes. You feel a mild fullness in the ears; swallowing equalises it.
2. The session. Pressure is held steady. A built-in oxygen concentrator draws oxygen from ambient air to roughly 93% purity and delivers it to the user. No cylinders or external oxygen supply are needed — which makes installation and day-to-day operation considerably simpler.
3. Depressurisation. At the end of the session the pressure is brought back to normal just as gradually, and the door opens.
What to check when buying a hyperbaric cabin
These cabins are pressure vessels; structural quality matters far more than marketing copy. Ask:
Is there a pressure vessel certificate? The European standard is BS EN 13445-2. A CE mark on its own is not enough — ask which standard the unit was certified against.
Who made the welds, and to what qualification? ISO 3834-2 and WPQR documentation shows the welding process is audited.
Where does the oxygen come from? On-site generation with a concentrator removes cylinder logistics. Cylinder-fed systems carry an ongoing supply cost.
What happens in an emergency? Ask how pressure is released safely if power is lost, and whether the door can be opened from inside.
What shell type is it? Hard-shell cabins reach higher pressure and last longer; soft-shell units are portable but limited in pressure capability.
Who uses hyperbaric cabins?
Today these cabins are mostly installed in wellness centres, hotels and spas, sports clubs and performance centres, and private homes. How they are used and how sessions are scheduled is entirely up to the operator or owner.
Oxyliving manufactures the cabins; how sessions are programmed is the responsibility of the facility that installs them.
In short
Hyperbaric means “above normal pressure”. A hyperbaric oxygen chamber or room is a sealed cabin that raises the pressure inside above sea level while supplying oxygen-enriched air. Capsules are one- or two-person and compact; rooms are four- to fourteen-person and institutional in scale. When choosing, pressure vessel certification, welding qualification, oxygen source and emergency design are the decisive points.
The information on this page is provided for general awareness only. It is not medical advice or a diagnosis. Please consult a physician for any decisions about your health.
