Atomic Aquatics Cobalt Dive Computer

[jimpeachey]

I LIKE IT! 2 THINGS ABOUT DIVING ARE a common denominator: A. visiblility, B. a dive computer. A basic computer will do just fine. It seems though the skills or should I say experience that is acquired, the more technical everything IS. While it is common for people to be different, even in diving. Some things can't be changed? It's academic fact that dive tables are always in the planned dives. Recreational or other wise. What I'm trying to say is I LIKE this computer in two ways. A. I CAN SEE IT UNDERWATER, and so can anyone else. B. It's a dive computer with a compass. For me, diving means less is more. K> I> S> S> principle. The one problem I have notice with ALL dive computers is VISIBLE ALARMS. (not audible) Visible. Here an innovated device is defiantly next generation. Kudos. Also, here is where I think computers are going in the forseeable future, rebreathers anyone. Check out this website for possibilities: scuba capsule - The World's First All-In-One Dive Computer

I might have missed something here, isnt this just a 'box' that you can put your ipod into with a dive computer app? Im just not sure even after reading the site that i know what this is.

 

[RonR]

I might have missed something here, isnt this just a 'box' that you can put your ipod into with a dive computer app? Im just not sure even after reading the site that i know what this is.

It has to be a bit more than that- the iPod/ iPhone doesn't have any pressure sensors, so you would need a sensor for depth (and tank pressure, if it was AI) and a processor and circuitry to convert the signal into something that could be transmitted to the iPod. We considered doing something like this years ago with the Palm, but rejected the idea after looking at the tradeoffs vs. a dedicated unit. One concern would be battery life- I use my iPhone as a timer/ GPS for rowing, and after running the display for an hour it is at least 40% depleted.

 

[Hatul]

It has to be a bit more than that- the iPod/ iPhone doesn't have any pressure sensors, so you would need a sensor for depth (and tank pressure, if it was AI) and a processor and circuitry to convert the signal into something that could be transmitted to the iPod. We considered doing something like this years ago with the Palm, but rejected the idea after looking at the tradeoffs vs. a dedicated unit. One concern would be battery life- I use my iPhone as a timer/ GPS for rowing, and after running the display for an hour it is at least 40% depleted.

Besides, don't know about the iPhone none of the Palm OS were dependable enough to use as a dive computer. Every once in a while the thing will crash or lock up, which would not do under water.

 

[RonR]

Besides, don't know about the iPhone none of the Palm OS were dependable enough to use as a dive computer. Every once in a while the thing will crash or lock up, which would not do under water.

Well, the iPhone/ iPod is pretty solid, and a quite capable processor, so I wouldn't be too concerned on those accounts. However, looking a bit more at the site I see some claims like using Bluetooth to transmit tank pressure data underwater- which at 2.4-2.8 GHz for Bluetooth would require an alternate physical universe. Some of the algorithm comments (on another site related to this same product, where they indicate that the accuracy of an algorithm is related to the number of tissue groups, and suggest they could use up to 256) leave me doing a bit of head scratching.

There are a number of issues in using something like the iPhone for a processor/ display unit. They are all solvable at some level, but there is a point of diminishing returns, where a dedicated device starts looking like a better answer- particularly in a difficult environment like underwater. And there is a lot more to a functional dive computer than the obvious basics- a big part of the interface is working out how you handle unexpected events, when the diver does the "wrong" thing.  
Just off the top of my head:

• Battery life and/ or charging in the case would need to be resolved to a satisfactory level.
• Interacting with the computer when it is in the case (no touchscreen function, and accelerometer sensing has some quirks, though it can be done) would need to be really well thought out.
• You still need a microprocessor, software and circuitry (essentially a small dive computer with no display) to get the sensor signals converted to something the iPhone can handle.
• You're hoping that the form factor doesn't change too rapidly, as you are hitching yourself to a big company's plans (probably not a huge concern with the iPod/ iPhone, since there are already so many).
  

On the plus side:

• iPhone has plenty of processing horsepower and a nice, big screen
• The iOS development tools make creating a user interface (or a snazzy looking demo) a very easy task, compared to developing a dedicated unit.
• There are a lot of iPhone/ iPods out in the world. Done right, and not over hyped, it might be a path to a relatively low cost color computer. You would have to make all the parts really inexpensive for it to work out, though.

For each of the last couple of years there has been some sort of iPhone in a box solution shown as a dive computer. So far as I know none of them have yet become shipping products. There is no reason it couldn't be done, but it may be less ideal than it seems at first glance. Done right, though, it could have potential.

 

[Hatul]

Ron makes a lot of good level headed points.

About the Cobalt compass: One of my peeves with the Uwatec Sol compass is that it's too easy to accidentally delete a bearing. Just press middle button and the bearing is gone without warning. Same if you press and hold the right button. And a bearing can be a critical piece of information. It's a software issue as it could easily ask for confirmation before deleting. Or it could allow the recall of the previous bearing.

Is this also an issue with the Cobalt?

 

[RonR]

Ron makes a lot of good level headed points.

About the Cobalt compass: One of my peeves with the Uwatec Sol compass is that it's too easy to accidentally delete a bearing. Just press middle button and the bearing is gone without warning. Same if you press and hold the right button. And a bearing can be a critical piece of information. It's a software issue as it could easily ask for confirmation before deleting. Or it could allow the recall of the previous bearing.

Is this also an issue with the Cobalt?

If you change a bearing in the Cobalt, a dialog pops up asking you if you want to make the change- you can either cancel (BACK button) or proceed (SELECT button)with the change at that point. If you don't confirm the change it is not made, so an accidental press would not change a bearing.
Ron

 

[pechelman]

i was going to upgrade my firmware\software last night, but I noticed the software and firmware have both been pulled down from the site for Windows\PC users.

Any idea when they might become available again?
Leaving for a trip on the 17th of this month.

can I download the firmware still available for download through the Mac user side and upgrade it on the older software I already have installed on my PC? One would think the firmware would be the same regardless of pc\mac but thought I'd ask as well before ruining my computer before a trip.

 

[RonR]

i was going to upgrade my firmware\software last night, but I noticed the software and firmware have both been pulled down from the site for Windows\PC users.

Any idea when they might become available again?
Leaving for a trip on the 17th of this month.

can I download the firmware still available for download through the Mac user side and upgrade it on the older software I already have installed on my PC? One would think the firmware would be the same regardless of pc\mac but thought I'd ask as well before ruining my computer before a trip.

Atomic has just received a new version from the developer that corrects the problems that caused the last one to be taken down. Everyone is at the DEMA show this week (including me), but we should see it up next week when all are back at work.
The firmware file (the .exe file) is the same, as you surmise, so you can use the older program you have installed with the .exe file from the Mac side. The newer Windows program hopes to solve some of the problems we had with users selecting the wrong file, as it fetches the file directly from Atomic's site, and won't try to install unless it has the correct file. The old firmware updater works fine, it just makes it easier for user error to happen.
Ron

 

[RonBrugger]

I just attempted to update the firmware to 112 on a Mac running Lion. Of course, on my first attempt I forgot and selected the .zip file. However, I have tried following the "brick" instructions using the unzipped .hex file several times without any response from the Cobalt and when reading the troubleshooting page on the Atomic website I now see the message "DO NOT UPDATE FIRMWARE ON A LION MAC". Great.....
I have now tried the entire process on a Snow Leopard Mac with no better results. Is there a recovery proceedure I can follow? Or should I just box it up and send it to Atomic?

Even better, I now see I was using an old version of the Mac firmware update software. Repeating the whole process with the current software still results in no response from the Cobalt. Ideas? Suggestions?

 

[Dan Dickey]

Atomic has just received a new version from the developer that corrects the problems that caused the last one to be taken down. Everyone is at the DEMA show this week (including me), but we should see it up next week when all are back at work.

I just checked the web site and the Windows software is still not availalbe. Any idea when it will be put up?

Thanks,
Dan