Iowa State Student doing research for Senior Thesis

[Sadie Carver]

Hi Everyone!

I am a senior at Iowa State University majoring in Industrial Design with a minor in Apparel and Merchandising. In my last semester at ISU I am conducting research for my senior thesis project. I am just a vacation diver and only have under ten dives under my belt but it is something I love to do so I am so excited to do a project redesigning scuba gear and equipment. My main focus will be redesigning scuba suits but also have interest in scuba booties as well as transportation of equipment (scuba bags).

Below is just a general survey of some basic questions to kick off my research. Any input or insights you can share with me would be amazing and greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!

Online Survey | Built with Qualtrics Experience Management™

 

[lowviz]

Most excellent.

Invent a seal-skin type wetsuit. I'd buy one.

http://www.navsource.org/archives/08/pdf/0803636q.pdf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4345485/

 

[northernone]

I completed the survey, might I suggest redesigning it a little?

For example:

I dive fresh and salt water both. Even both on the same dive. I'm baffled what this information might be useful for. Certainly you already know divers dive both fresh and salt water without having to ask us?

For carrying equipment I use a tote, or keep the equipment bare, or use an army duffle or a roller suitcase or a mesh bag. I've done all those in 2018 already.

I dive in a drysuit, a bathing suit, rashguard, nude, a one piece wetsuit , a two piece wetsuit or sometimes layer several suits.

The issue area I have with a rash guard is very different from a drysuit. Drysuits my wrists leak, rashguards wear out against my harness.

I'm just a little confused which parts of the data will be useful to you. I did the survey but suspect my replies would do much towards redesigning dive equipment.

There are many equipment manufacturers active on this forum, perhaps your research will catch their attention.

Regards,
Cameron

 

[TMHeimer]

Done. Agree it needs a bit of change. I dive in a wide variety of temps. from near freezing to tropical and use a shortie, rashguard for warm water and 7 mil farmer john wetsuit for the cold (not an option in survey). I transport my gear in my van-- again, not an option.
Good luck with your Thesis.

 

[broncobowsher]

Survey is too point focused. I could almost fill it out correctly if you only asked what was used in the last dive. But I (and I suspect most other divers) have a broad range of dives. I might be on a live aboard diving a single AL80 in a shorty or I may drive to a dive site and dive a rebreather in a drysuit. It would be hard to even narrow it down to "typical".