Computerized buoyancy control?

[Mortis65]

I read an article from 2003 (8 years ago) about a company developing some form of computerized buoyancy control device for scuba divers, and lift gear.

First use of computerized buoyancy control system | Sea Technology | Professional Journal archives from AllBusiness.com

I know this isn't quite relevant for us recreational divers, but the idea intriged me. Has anyone else heard about this? The company that is referenced in the article is now defunct, and their link doesn't go anywhere.

I can think of so many reasons why this is a bad idea, but when I do a safety stop in open water, this is exactly the kind of thing I'd love to have, and be able to take a look around rather than at my depth guage.

Thoughts?

Mortis.

 

[Garrobo]

Hang a rope off the boat.

 

[Jorgy]

Buoyancy will come as dive count grows - once you are properly weighted and relaxed holding 15 feet will be a breeze.....

M

 

[Hatul]

I think market for scuba gear is too small for a company to make a profit from something like that.

 

[txapacheguy]

Looks like another failure point to me. The last thing I want is some computer deciding to super-inflate my bcd when I am trying to conduct a dive. Like everything else, it is a neat idea that might become an industry standard someday, and it would be easy enough to put an isolator on whatever input the device had to a diver's buoyancy compensation system.

I really do not think this system was meant to control a diver's personal buoyancy, but instead to act as a "smart" lift bag. I can see a lot of use for something that could manage the addition or release of air from a lift bag while trying to recover or place objects in the water, or to manage the buoyancy of heavy tools used for underwater construction.

 

[DazedAndConfuzed]

If it constantly fills and releases air from my BC, then it is using up my air. Plus it could be constantly going against one's own buoyancy adjustment like change of body positioning and breathing rate, unless they want us to just do whatever we want like sucking air, finning completely upright and it will take of my depth for me.

 

[Thalassamania]

That was back in 2003. We built such a device back in about 1990, I discussed it here: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/vintage-equipment-diving/398534-first-bc-1968-a-2.html#post6077006

and here: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/bu...stems/213340-bc-innovation-2.html#post3264532

and I suspect a bunch of other threads.

 

[DuboisP]

see also http://www.yoursuba.com/

 

[Thalassamania]

see also Pandora Underwater Equipment

Interesting, though with it's reliance on moving air in and out of your BC I suspect that it would increase air consumption and that it would always be chasing it's own tail since it uses a "soft" rather than "hard" buoyancy approach.

 

[RonFrank]

I think market for scuba gear is too small for a company to make a profit from something like that.

Ya think!