Computerized buoyancy control?

[Bombay High]

Surface controlled buoyant lift systems have been around a while. This one seems to be diver controlled. Interesting idea. Sure there will be some applications for it. Cant think right now. Maybe light duty industrial applications, such as underwater machinery assembly ?

 

[Aqua-Andy]

Sounds like a great idea, maybe Aqualung could incorporate this into there i3 system.

 

[TSandM]

You know, I wouldn't totally pooh-pooh such a system, but you'd still have to learn buoyancy control, because your lungs are a big and variable air chamber, and breathing affects buoyancy as much as anything else you do. If your breathing is changing (or if you are kicking yourself upward, or otherwise adding another variable) the computer system is going to have a heck of a time compensating for all those other influences. And if you can control your breathing and your body movements, you don't actually need the computer-controlled system.

 

[Thalassamania]

You'd need a pot to control the level of buffer applied to the control system so that it isn't always chasing your breathing. In that sense it will not be a perfect, "stay here," but rather would be an aid as opposed to a perfect solution. Similarly there should be an "up" button (and maybe a "down" button) that would keep the rate of change of pressure experienced less than some preset value.

 

[Mortis65]

I'm thinking back to the "Elevator control" that I saw as an advertizing gimic on some BC not too long ago, and I was thinking the advert saying, push the lever up to go up, and down to go down. I had this horrible image of someone inflating their BC to go up, and rocketting to the surface. That Ad did make me think that something like this, where you could set a "stay here" or "go up slowly" would be kind of nice when I was beginning. I do agree, technology is no replacement for skill.

 

[awakefie]

Reminds me of AAD's in skydiving. Originally they were thought of as nothing more than another failure point. They've saved many lives, and they have taken some. I imagine an automatic buoyancy control device could have the same results. Most of it would come down to training and proper use/maintenance.

Could be useful for keeping narc'd out divers from letting themselves descend beyond safe limits or the same for unconscious divers. The risk factor for uncontrolled ascent due to malfunctions is fairly obvious, but that is just like the way AAD's kill skydivers by deploying reserves at inappropriate times.

Again.... Training, Proper Use, and Maintenance would be key elements required for using a device like this safely.

That said... the elements I listed above apply to the safe use of most of the gear used in SCUBA diving. Right?

 

[Thalassamania]

In terms of "safety devices" there is the Ascent BC Belt Ascent BC and Watergill (the At Pac folks) FailSafe Regulator: "It is two balanced piston regulators in series to form one big regulator. Either piston can fail and the regulator will still work. The Failsafe System regulator would also sense if the diver stopped breathing. Pressure would then build in the first stage, and slowly inflate the BC automatically, bringing the unconsious diver to the surface."

Neither was met with resounding success, though the Ascent BC Belt Ascent BC seems a good way to assure that you have a chance, of that your body will be recovered if you are an extreme free diver

 

[bletso]

You think? Take a look at divers in general. You have to want to have good control, you have to dive and practice the skills...


Dale

 

[Crowley]

At this point in time no, no thanks. As somebody previously mentioned, it does add an extra point of failure to the system and takes away something from the person's actual ability to dive.

Having said that - I agree that the idea can't be dismissed out of hand for the future of diving. After all, cars are already being manufactured that can almost function on autopilot, and this is not long after the automobile was first invented. I would remind folks that Bill Gates once said that the Internet would never take off...

Like the autopilot car would take the fun out of driving for people that like the feel of a wheel and some levers and a big loud vrooooom behind them, for people who just drive a car to get from A to B and C and then back to A again, they'd probably be glad of the responsibility of driving being removed to they can apply their make-up or drink a hot coffee and eat a sandwich and read a newspaper all at the same time on the journey to work.

So - an autopiloted-BCD with a disposable plug-and-play cartridge type rebreather system (plug this one here and that one there and turn it on) with little mini scooters attached to your arms and legs for propulsion and a big 360 degree bubble mask with Heads-Up-Display and automatic "anti-crash-into-coral" detectors and SPUs (Shark Prevention Units), or perhaps a form-fitting centrally heated techno-suit for those deep arctic dives - the future of diving? Give it a few hundred years and see what the boffins come up with! Just only last week we were using clunky old phones that you had to, you know, actually dial.

For now - lots of training and practice, please, just like car driving.

Cheers

C.