Product Design - Scuba Equipment/Gear

[rhys27]

Hi All, new to the forum.

I'm currently doing a final year project for my product design course, and as a padi qualified diver i have decided i'd like to base my project on scuba equipment.

I've had several initial ideas, including oxygen tank sensors that transmit your tank pressure to a dive computer or HUD in the users mask. However, after doing research i discovered its been done already by oceanic. Other ideas included saftety equipment for divers trapped underwater, a type of flare gun that uses an inflatable device to float to surface transmitting a SOS signal.

I would really like to hear from you about things that you think could be improved within scuba gear, or anything to do with scuba that needs developing/improving. Can be anything!

Thanks very much, Any help appreaciated,
Rhys

 

[300bar]

A functioning Under water GPS

 

[ScubaSteve]

So would GILLS be an appropriate answer???

If I had to put on a serious hat for a second, I think that a less expensive full face mask would be an option.

Hi All, new to the forum.

I'm currently doing a final year project for my product design course, and as a padi qualified diver i have decided i'd like to base my project on scuba equipment.

I've had several initial ideas, including oxygen tank sensors that transmit your tank pressure to a dive computer or HUD in the users mask. However, after doing research i discovered its been done already by oceanic. Other ideas included saftety equipment for divers trapped underwater, a type of flare gun that uses an inflatable device to float to surface transmitting a SOS signal.

I would really like to hear from you about things that you think could be improved within scuba gear, or anything to do with scuba that needs developing/improving. Can be anything!

Thanks very much, Any help appreaciated,
Rhys

 

[300bar]

Nah those cheap ones have been around for years.

 

[Standingbear56]

How about a back plate that can take the weight of the scuba unit off of the shoulders and place it on the hips like a hiking backpack. This way someone with a back injury like myself can use them.

 

[beanojones]

Other ideas included saftety equipment for divers trapped underwater, a type of flare gun that uses an inflatable device to float to surface transmitting a SOS signal.
Rhys

Is that two separate thing or one?

I would think as far as signaling devices go, the most effective would be a bluetooth headset that works underwater. Then you could seal your cell phone in a can, and use the headse to make the call. It would need to use jawbone vibrations to get the spoken words what with the lack of air vibration to hear the spoken words.

Or if you could figure out a way to do text messages with the cell phone in a can:

"I'm at my 30 ft stop and I need something to drink". or "Hang another o2 bottle."

 

[reefduffer]

I've suggested this in previous threads of this ilk (see http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/3398381-post13.html ), but recycling seems to be the theme of scubaboard. I think there's a real opportunity in voice-synthesized data presentation for divers. It's addressing the same general purpose as a HUD, but in a more modular, less-expensive, and I would argue maybe more effective way.

The cost of effective voice synthesis is now low enough that it could be easily integrated into personal dive computers (PDCs). You could configure your PDC to speak your depth, pressure and other selected data to you at intervals, either time or PSI or both, of your choosing, or when a button is pressed. You could get clear and unambiguous warnings about max depths, low PSI, ascent rates, safety stops, etc. etc..

The earpiece connection could be wireless or wired, the tradeoffs are what they are.

Once you have voice-synthesized data presentation, I think that underwater text messaging is a natural, at least for warm water diving. The use of text messaging is becoming very familiar and natural to more and more people. It seems to be a more natural way to send underwater than human voice, which requires complex full face masks which require different kinds of diver training. A keypad is completely uncoupled from breathing gear. Makes a whole lot more sense.

A display for reading text messages underwater could work, but might be less suited for diving. But why not just have the message read to you, via the same earpiece that your PDC talks to you with?

My first goal here is buddy communication, replacing or supplementing all of: hand signals, noise makers, and slates. But once you have that, you could also have boat/diver communication, for alarm or diver recall.

The thing is, there's no new technology here, just integration of things that already exist into new packages.

 

[PerroneFord]

I would really like to hear from you about things that you think could be improved within scuba gear, or anything to do with scuba that needs developing/improving. Can be anything!

Thanks very much, Any help appreaciated,
Rhys

1. CO2 sensor for CCR divers.
2. Thinsulate equivalent undergarment that can be washed. (Maybe Lastolite)
3. Wireless video transmission from underwater cam to topside monitor
4. Effective underwater video HD recording device that is small and cheap.
5. Underwater EPIRB
6. LARGE Aluminum mirror for pool training sessions.

 

[300bar]

Reefduffer,

That is old news.Benemec did this years ago.
Mares Divemate talking dive computer.
Keep Diving - Computers

 

[reefduffer]

Reefduffer,

That is old news.Benemec did this years ago.
Mares Divemate talking dive computer.
Keep Diving - Computers

Thanks. I was totally unaware of this. Probably because it stopped being sold before I started diving, and I never stumbled across a mention of it.

Well, I still think it's a good idea, and googling around it seems like several reviewers of the actual device did as well. But, it was tried and isn't being sold now, so there was some problem somewhere. Maybe just too expensive at the time, or had other negatives that offset the neat voice feature. Maybe other manufacturers need to wait for patent expiration to add the feature. Or maybe I'm just wrong about the market size for this.

Anyway, thanks for bringing it to my attention.