design student wants to make scuba safer!

[Dive_Student]

Hello everyone,

I am a design student in the uk currently researching ideas for my final university project. I have an interest in diving, and have my open water. I have dived a few locations on the east coast of Oz.

When i dived it was in a small team but on a large boat for up to 70/80 people, of all different nationalities/abilities etc, and only a simple register was used to check people were back out of the water. I got the feeling it wouldnt be too difficult to leave someone behind in this scenario.

I have a vague idea for a product/system to ensure diver safety. It could be to prevent divers being stranded and left behind like in that movie 'Open Water'. Possibly along the links of a tag worn by the diver to help location/ communication etc.

What sort of products along these lines exist? how do you feel they could be improved?

I am at the beginings of this idea so any input/recommendations/links would be greatly helpful. also, any stats about dangers/accidents etc would be helpful.

thanks for reading this, and any sort of reply or suggestion would be greatly appriciated!

Regards,

Joe

 

[ortoman]

a password protected electronic switch, and every diver has his/her own password.. unless everybody enters the pass, the engine will not start... smart , right ??

 

[Meng_Tze]

RFID's.........only until all ID's are checked back in, the 'green light' (could be a counter referenced to a start number) tells the captain to star the engines. I would not make starting prohibitive since they may need to start the engines to look for strays.

I already have the patent.......
;-)

 

[PerroneFord]

a password protected electronic switch, and every diver has his/her own password.. unless everybody enters the pass, the engine will not start... smart , right ??

Hope they never have a dive accident. Not being able to start the boat to look for the diver, or even get an injured/unconscious diver back to shore would be pretty bad.

 

[Walter]

Lots of systems exist, but the best system is a simple roll call.

1. Everyone shuts the hell up and listens to the roll call.

2. Everyone answers for themself only.

3. Person conducting the roll call hears and sees each person as they answer.

4. Roll call is conducted at the dock before the boat goes out.

5. Roll is conducted after every dive.

If those simple rules are followed, no one is ever left behind.

 

[www.scubamazing.com]

Gall, I think this could be done just as easy as the "swim checks" I did at Scout Camp as a boy.

Everyone that went swimming got a little ring. When you were done swimming, you hung your ring back on the board. If the board didn't have all its rings, the personnel would know something was wrong.

Now potential problems here are peope forgetting to take or replace the ring. boats aren't on a stable surface, so rings could easily fall off / get lost. Maybe you could come up with technology that would stop these potential problems.

Good Luck, I hope you'll IM me and let me know what your ultimate project is.

 

[The Natural]

Gall, I think this could be done just as easy as the "swim checks" I did at Scout Camp as a boy.

Everyone that went swimming got a little ring. When you were done swimming, you hung your ring back on the board. If the board didn't have all its rings, the personnel would know something was wrong.

Now potential problems here are peope forgetting to take or replace the ring. boats aren't on a stable surface, so rings could easily fall off / get lost. Maybe you could come up with technology that would stop these potential problems.

Was just about to post the EXACT same thing! Great minds think alike.

 

[Damselfish]

http://www.diversalertnetwork.org/membership/biz/dids.asp

 

[scubadobadoo]

I was at a very popular dive resort recently that had DAN tags on the boats. DAN has even recently featured the current use of these tags by this resort. The DAN tags weren't being used and half of the tags were missing anyway. I don't know why they weren't being used anymore or if they ever were but I can see how this system could easily be tossed aside as being a PITA. I agree that a roll call is best in mosts cases. All that said, the resort mentioned here still did a great job and I never felt unsafe. This wasn't a complaint in other words, just pointing out that these systems get tiresome and/or employees can get lazy.

Now, wan't a great idea beyond roll calls using electronics? Put a bar code sanner on each divers gear or tank somewhere and have the scanning device located where the divers enter and exit the water. That way, you know when and where they enter, and where the diver is, how long etc...and it takes no work at all for the crew or the diver. It just happens automatically when the diver passes the scanner. This is however a cost issue though and it also needs to be water proof...just a thought...

 

[ortoman]

Hope they never have a dive accident. Not being able to start the boat to look for the diver, or even get an injured/unconscious diver back to shore would be pretty bad.

heyy.. the captain has a short-circuit key... I did think of everything