Air integrated computers w/ transmitters

[Dr. Lecter]

The Liquivision Lynx ultrasonic tank transmitter has an effective range of 100m/330ft (though in ideal conditions a maximum range of 300m/1000ft is possible)

Interesting approach. What effect will submerged objects like walls, reefs, and wrecks have on the ultrasonic transmission?

 

[sandiego_frank]

It's my understanding that it is possible for the link between the wireless transmitter and the computer to be temporarily or momentarily interrupted by the flash from a strobe firing during underwater photography. There is even a warning in the Galileo manuals about this. Has anyone actually had this happen? Could be a little disconcerting for this to happen.

 

[Liquivision]

It's my understanding that it is possible for the link between the wireless transmitter and the computer to be temporarily or momentarily interrupted by the flash from a strobe firing during underwater photography. There is even a warning in the Galileo manuals about this. Has anyone actually had this happen? Could be a little disconcerting for this to happen.

All radio frequency transmitters are subject to interference from strobes or HID lights, and sometimes even scooters or other electrical equipment. That's why for the Lynx we chose an acoustic (ultrasonic) sound communication interface, which is unaffected by electrical interference.

Concerning existing radio frequency tank transmitters, some are more resilient than others when it comes to interference from electrical devices.

Eric Fattah
Liquivision Products

---------- Post Merged at 04:13 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 04:09 PM ----------

Interesting approach. What effect will submerged objects like walls, reefs, and wrecks have on the ultrasonic transmission?

Sound travels underwater similarly to as it does on land, except it travels farther. If you encounter an obstacle underwater, the Lynx signal will travel around the obstacle, but the signal strength is possible diminished. The best example is to imagine shouting. You can shout to someone 100m/330ft away and they will hear you and understand you. Imagine that an obstacle is in the way-- will they still hear you? Imagine being on one side of a wreck and your buddy is on the other side. If you shouted would he hear you (assuming the wreck and you guys were in air)? If he was inside the wreck in an internal chamber, would you hear him? Each transmission from the Lynx tank transmitter is equivalent to a loud shout from a human being. Of course you can't hear it because it is beyond the audible range, but it works in a similar way.

The line of sight range without obstacles is around 300m/1000ft. We reduced the claimed 'effective' range to 100m/330ft because we assume there will be obstacles obscuring the signal.

Eric Fattah
Liquivision Products

 

[Dr. Lecter]

A vague analogy, and the answer to any of your questions is 'it depends.' Perhaps this is functionality that will appeal to a large enough recreational diving demographic to become relevant, but I have my doubts. If it's a more reliable link than the current radio transmitters used for AI, maybe that will be benefit enough?

Personally, I don't need to have my computer tell me my buddy's air pressure or direction on most rec dives, and I sure don't need that information for other divers. Seems like it would be most useful for a DM leading a large group, but there's really no way to ensure everyone would be displayed on the DM's Lynx short of a very large investment by the shop.

Ultrasonically locating my way back to the line or boat or dropped stages/deco gas could be really useful in some circumstances. But generally speaking, the environments in which I would most want to be able to echolocate a buddy or other fixed point--in or around a wreck with bad or no viz--are the ones where this tech will perform the worst.

How's it handle thermoclines? Haloclines?

 

[Hatul]

Well, we were waiting for in-water testing to be completed before making any claims. Now that in-water testing is over, the claims are here:


- The Liquivision Lynx ultrasonic tank transmitter has an effective range of 100m/330ft (though in ideal conditions a maximum range of 300m/1000ft is possible)
- You can monitor the tank pressure of yourself and up to 9 other divers, as long as they are within the effective range of 100m/330ft (if you change the display to group mode you can simultaneously view all 10 tank pressures on one screen along with your basic dive info)
- You can find any 'lost' diver as the Lynx will give you a directional arrow to the signal source of any diver (it has three ultrasonic receiver sensors allowing it to triangulate the signal origin); it will also give you an approximate distance to the diver
- You can suspend a transmitter from the boat, and use it to locate the boat even if the boat is way out of visible range
- If the boat captain is using the boat messaging system, he can use a laptop and type text messages which you receive on your wrist unit; the boat captain can view the location of all the divers on his laptop as well as the tank pressure remaining of all the divers underwater
- Very limited Lynx shipments will begin before Christmas with major volumes starting in January
- The Lynx offers air/dive time remaining and all other usual features of air integrated computers
- It also has a tilt compensated digital compass
- Wrist unit including one transmitter is $1399
- We also offer package deals for dive instructors and dive tour guides that want to dive master with 9 other students/tourists, in this case the combo is one wrist unit with 10 transmitters, at a discount




Eric Fattah
Liquivision Products

Very interesting idea as losing your buddy is one of the big problems in diving, especially here where the viz is not that great. Any idea for the release date? I'd like to read some user reports.

 

[Liquivision]

Very interesting idea as losing your buddy is one of the big problems in diving, especially here where the viz is not that great. Any idea for the release date? I'd like to read some user reports.

The main Lynx release is late January though the entire January production run is already sold out. A limited number of people will get their units before Christmas so reviews/reports should appear in early to mid January.

Jeff Loflin will be doing a talk/seminar at DEMA about his experiences diving with the Lynx.

Eric Fattah
Liquivision Products

 

[ajduplessis]

.....
- You can find any 'lost' diver as the Lynx will give you a directional arrow to the signal source of any diver (it has three ultrasonic receiver sensors allowing it to triangulate the signal origin); it will also give you an approximate distance to the diver....

Would "Any lost diver" statement include cave systems?????

 

[Liquivision]

Would "Any lost diver" statement include cave systems?????

Yes.


Eric Fattah
Liquivision Products

 

[netdiver]

I have Suunto D9 with wireless AI. I've dived about 70 times without a single loss of pairing. I usually review my dive logs on my laptop and there have been no missing gaps of info (it takes 10 sec samples). I've used strobes and other lighting systems without issue. I've also dived in metal hulled wrecks without issue.

I like getting rid of the extra hose. I also like checking depth, dive time, and tank pressure in a single, convenient glance to my wrist.

Changing the battery on my D9 is a bit of pain. I change it annually although it would probably last me 2-3 years based on my frequency of diving. When buying again I'll make sure to get a PDC that has a more convenient battery compartment design. I carry a spare battery for both the PDC and transmitter when going on a dive trip.

I keep an SPG and tables in my gear bag should my PDC die while on a dive trip. In 2 minutes I can have the transmitter removed, SPG attached for the next dive, and calculated my bottom time for the next dive from the tables.

Since I frequently monitor my tank pressure while diving, I don't need a backup SPG during the dive. If I can't get my tank pressure for any reason then I signal to my buddy to end the dive and make a slow, safe ascent including my safety stop. There's no worry or threat since I know that 2-3 minutes ago when I last checked I had plenty of air. I'm also not concerned because my buddy has air to share.

I'm not concerned about calling one dive early because of an equipment failure. For those who carry an SPG only as a backup to wireless AI, you should be calling the dive at that point also. You don't know why you're no longer receiving tank pressure. Perhaps the issue is the PDC itself is malfunctioning rather than a transmitter/signal issue. Since it also provides you with depth and bottom time, I wouldn't want to continue dive with doubts about the data on the PDC.

 

[scubadada]

Oceanic VT3 with 250 dives since July 2010, no problems. Dive a Geo2 and SPG as backup, never used.