Diverguard or any similar Autofloat Device for Solo Divers?

[r4e]

There has been a separate thread here on SB about a product called Diverguard.

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/accessories/439600-diverguard-real.html

DiverGuard

In the thread the product was mainly laughed about.

But, on a more serious note, I wonder if the solo diving community feels a need for this or any other similar device that would attempt to float you if you lose consciousness during your solo dive? If you remain in the depths unconscious, drowning is 100% imminent. Consequently an automatic rescue device might give you a slim chance of survival. Plus there is another grim benefit: your next of kin will have a body to bury instead of waiting for a year or more for the legal proceedings if the body is lost at sea.

Personally, I feel there is a need, eventhough I would not purchase this particular product. See me reasoning at: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/accessories/439600-diverguard-real-6.html#post7005617

 

[Bob DBF]

I'm still laughing.

First, the silent world is a big reason I love diving. Second, I'm not a fan of electronics which could create havoc should it fail. It would be good to have my dead body on the surface, however not so good if I was fine at depth but forced to the surface, bent and died as a result of a malfunction.



Bob
------------------------
OBD

 

[Dr. Lecter]

Your poll is not terribly well-worded. DiverGuard is an unmitigated disaster waiting to happen, and the marketing cheese is just the cherry on top.

That said, there's an obvious theoretical benefit (all else being equal) to having the capability to be surfaced if and only if you are actually unconscious. It's the "if and only if" part that's the hard part.

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

If I'm solo, and lose consciousness, even on the surface, it is most likely game over.

Also, as already stated, I'd be VERY hesitant to wear any device that could potentially malfunction in a dramatic fashion and send me rapidly to the surface....

Maybe we can call it the Bend-O-Matic, or perhaps the Embolizer 2000

Best wishes.

 

[flots am]

Maybe we can call it the Bend-O-Matic, or perhaps the Embolizer 2000

Bend-o-matic is already taken although I don't think Scubapro would be in a hurry to trademark it.

flots

 

[markmud]

Hello All,

My wife's car has a system that alerts the occupants of the car if the driver is starting to fall asleep or is driving poorly. The system has alerted us quite a few times while I have been driving. It does not like my driving style (I am not a crazy driver nor am I reckless).

One big problem!!! It has never gone-off when I was truly nodding-off. Every time that it has alerted us, my wife has immediately asked the question: Why did that system alert us? "You and I are both conscious and your driving has been stellar."

This system was designed by MB engineers in Germany. It is not a crappy car.

Diverguard inflates my BC automatically? No effen thanks.

markmud

 

[Kharon]

I programmed computers for 40+ years and I was damn good. That said I would trust absolutely no automated (whether by software or hardware) device to control my buoyancy or bring me to the surface or do anything else "for me" while under the water. Anyone that does is in line for a Darwin Award.

I'm curious, anyone have any idea how many divers actually go unconcious spontaniously? My guess is pretty darn few. Pure hype of a solution in search of a problem, I just hope the nanny government doesn't get wind of this and try to legislate that divers must use this idiotic idea.

 

[pisoiu]

......... if you lose consciousness during your solo dive?...

Use a full face mask if that's your concern.
Is it better if you are on the surface with your flotation device, unconscious and with the face down?

 

[divad]

the solo diving community

Funny concept.

 

[flots am]

I programmed computers for 40+ years and I was damn good. That said I would trust absolutely no automated (whether by software or hardware) device to control my buoyancy or bring me to the surface or do anything else "for me" while under the water. Anyone that does is in line for a Darwin Award.

Same here. I've been writing software since the mid 70's and the only thing I can say for certain is that all software is buggy. All software. Even mine. Even the software in dive computers. They may not have manifested yet, but they're there.

Hardware is buggy too. All of it.

I use a computer for no-deco dives where it's just "nice to know" how much time the computer thinks I have left. If I need to actually know, I'll use a printed plan from vPlanner, and tape it to my wrist slate and know how much time I have left at what depth and how much gas I'll need, how much I'll bring and what I'll have left, before I ever get wet.

This gives me a chance to give the dive plan a sanity check before splashing. I know that if it was OK on the surface, it's OK underwater, and if it isn't, it's because I screwed up, not the hardware or software.

There's no way in this universe that I would dive with a box that beeps a few times then sends me to the surface.

flots.