Future Dive Tech? GPS, Sonar Mapping, Comms, Vitals, etc?

[KevinNM]

There have been some underwater cave systems mapped using a system that I believe is a cruise missile inertial guidance package and a sonar platform combined together. If I understand this correctly, it uses survey points determined by radio transmitters inside the cave that are precisely surveyed on the surface to link the cave map to the topography. Due to the issue of exporting cruise missile guidance packages this is pretty much a US only solution and due to cost I think only one or very few exist.

Given the ways a CCR can fail I really doubt you can avoid a bail out system. Electronics fail, batteries die, gaskets leak, hoses tear or leak, screws can not get tightened, any of which can rapidly result in an unbreathable atmosphere.

 

[NAM001]

being a retired submarine sonarman. I can tell you that the range issue from a fixed point is easy to do. a sliding fm signal from a transmitter to a receiver which is synced to he xmitter, you can ie measure the freq at a delayed time and compare the received sig to the xmitted signal and determine 4range the greater the difference the longer the range. you can put a pulse out at time zero and sync the divers receiver to it and you measure delta t of the sync time and arrival time of the pulse at the receiver. down side bad for short ranges 1 sec of delay/pregression down the fm slide is 5000 feet. bearing to the xmitter is difficult as the array to get precision direction is expensive and size of the device is driven by the frequency. the higher the frequency the smaller of receiver array the more directional, the shorter the effective range. the higher the % of signal not taking the direct path, the more power the receiver has to have to process and the more power the xmitter has to put out. With any xmitted signal, it is subject to echoing on the banks and other objects.

Emergency beacons are no problem as they can be deployed and a wet probe going dry can power it up get a location and xmitt a signal.

Location from one diver to another will be difficult as the device on the diver would have to have the power to xmitt. Then the device gets large in size.


Its my opinion the we are a long way from having an affordable option for these capabilities. The technology exists but most likely still remain in the military/ research arenas

 

[dmaziuk]

Location from one diver to another will be difficult as the device on the diver would have to have the power to xmitt. Then the device gets large in size.

Its my opinion the we are a long way from having an affordable option for these capabilities. The technology exists but most likely still remain in the military/ research arenas

Lynx does the location on its AI transmitters, no idea how well. Obviously over a limited range and one can argue over the definition of "affordable", but it is available.

Personally, I just want a google glass-type thingy in my mask. So the readouts are always in my FOV.

 

[NAM001]

Lynx does the location on its AI transmitters, no idea how well. Obviously over a limited range and one can argue over the definition of "affordable", but it is available.

Personally, I just want a google glass-type thingy in my mask. So the readouts are always in my FOV.

I agree with you, the technology is there but not what would be generically be accepted at the recreational cost.