Presenting RedWAVE, a ready and available underwater GPS system

[lowviz]

Is there room for an alternative view in this most interesting thread?

First, enormous engineering and research costs have to be included in the base price for any innovative business entity to remain solvent. I don't see that. Thus, I am assuming that this is a commercialization of existing military technology. Yulia, feel free to comment.

Second, I see the four buoys as nothing more than a transitional layer between satellites in space and the world beneath the waves. As such, I have no issues with calling this U/W GPS. In my head, it is.

So, no new consumer technology is ever received with anything other than initial skepticism (nitrox for example). This approach is not all bad as it quickly weeds out the nonsense. We can't begin the Walmart race to the price point basement until someone puts something useful and tangible onto the table. Done.

You are well positioned with respect to competition. Read the editorial in this month's Scientific American.

 

[tursiops]

Second, I see the four buoys as nothing more than a transitional layer between satellites in space and the world beneath the waves. As such, I have no issues with calling this U/W GPS. In my head, it is

You are much too generous! It is a LPS (local positioning system) not global, and you have to put up your own "satellites." By the way, I used to put moored buys in the water for a living; it is not nearly so trivial or quick as they make it out to be.

 

[lowviz]

Point taken.

I'm willing to trade a G for an L. But think about it, a rebroadcaster on the bow and one on a trailing buoy. The numbers quoted would be sufficient to pin down a diver, no?

Rebreathers are a bitch to ID from the surface.

 

[Jack Hammer]

@Yulia , interesting product with quite a bit of usefulness. A lot of folks are short sighted and don't realize there are people out there who are early adopters of products which long term helps make it available to a much wider audience, not just those with deep pockets. Thank you for sharing with us please keep us updated as the system progresses.

 

[Yulia]

I don't want to give you the impression I am being overly harsh on your product. I do like it, and it is very interesting, I am just discussing my perception of the viability of such a product at that price point. At the end of the day, for recreational divers, its a novelty item, that isn't necessary as say a dive computer, or regulator, yet far outstretches the cost of such necessary items. Would I like one? Sure, it would be awesome for of my tech diving, but am I going to spend more for it than my rebreather? No.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. It's good to know different points of view and perceptions.

 

[tridacna]

I would like to congratulate Yulia on the first known usage of the word 'capricious' on Scubaboard. Let's not dwell on whether or not it was appropriate, (it wasn't) but more on the festive ocassion. Well played ma'am!

 

[Yulia]

First, enormous engineering and research costs have to be included in the base price for any innovative business entity to remain solvent. I don't see that. Thus, I am assuming that this is a commercialization of existing military technology. Yulia, feel free to comment.
.

UC&NL is quite a new company, but we worked hard to make the entire design and production process of the RedWAVE system, from sketch to serial production. So why not assume that engineers who developed this system had enough experience, background and will to actually make it happen?

 

[Yulia]

I would like to congratulate Yulia on the first known usage of the word 'capricious' on Scubaboard. Let's not dwell on whether or not it was appropriate, (it wasn't) but more on the festive ocassion. Well played ma'am!

Thank you, sir! Doing my best

 

[NAM001]

I'm having real difficulty seeing the benefit of such a system for the avg diver. I do see use in an area such as an escavation site or crime site of some sorts. You have a plane go down in an area then the system would be useful there.

 

[blac86]

Hmm where I'd really want this (caves) it would be completely impractical, and where it is practical ( calm open water where I'm diving off a boat) I don't really need this.