New Halcyon Rebreather?

[kammel78]

The largest change is the unproven wireless computing systems; will they integrate with other technologies such as wireless pressure transmitters, how are the algorithms…? We all trust Shearwater as it is proven technology over many years and vast numbers of dives.

Would you jump into a highly dangerous environment such as caves with new and novel technologies?

The algorithm is the same as Shearwater...Buhlmann ZHL-16C. Not sure what your question about transmitters is, if you mean existing ones, but they're selling the transmitters separately as well that include the trim sensor which you can apparently turn off and just transmit pressure.

Isn't the magnetic transmission basically an application of NFT? It's a bit hasty to assume that just because something is new to you that it's a "novel" technology. You can certainly make the argument that this tech hasn't been used sufficiently enough in this specific application, or first run manufacturing could run into issues, but the risk is still dependent on understanding the technology and how it functions and limited by our knowledge of how it's been used by others. Military tech jumping over to the civilian world is a great example.

 

[kammel78]

Why not?!
You just add it to your double set-up with an extra hose for the dil.
Easier and better than BM RB. You don't even need to go out of the loop to donate the long hose
I have been diving this kind of set-up for ages and I really don't see any problem with standardization.
But of course I am no more part of this GUE stuff so what do I know?

RIght? All the divers I saw in the article, including JJ, had the same config. H valve on a single tank, still with a necklace for BO even though there's a built in BOV, long hose clipped off, QC on what I'm assuming is the dil hose, and front mounted O2 bottle. Looked pretty standardized to me.

This is exactly how I've been diving my chest mount. Leave the extra dil hose on the regs and it's always ready to dive either OC or CC.

 

[crofrog]

There’s a lot of novel technology on the Halcyon Symbios chestmount rebreather which will need time to build a reputation. It is very different from GUE’s core systems, unless they go for large backmount bailout.

The largest change is the unproven wireless computing systems; will they integrate with other technologies such as wireless pressure transmitters, how are the algorithms…? We all trust Shearwater as it is proven technology over many years and vast numbers of dives.

The stance I picked up from my interactions was they didn’t feel like the wireless technology had proven itself enough or was reliable enough to want to deal with failures for project diving.

The organization is from my perspective slow to adopt new things for 2 reasons the desire to get it right and what is currently being done is working. Unlike other agencies with the equipment being standardized in GUE the need for a more cautious approach to changing the configurations should make sense. There are high level people at GUE that are routinely exploring alternate equipment configurations and even writing about them in Quest but that doesn’t mean it’s something that can be standardized on across the entire community.

Would you jump into a highly dangerous environment such as caves with new and novel technologies?

There is a photo in either the in-depth link I posted or maybe on halcyons website of JJ diving and exploring caves in side mount.

Also the Symbios is a very travel oriented rebreather, a market that is not one GUE operates in. Ultimately their marketing and training will not be the traditional GUE team diving people.

Huh? This year I’ve dove in 4 counties, and 4 states in all of those places I met other GUE divers who were traveling to dive as well so I’m not sure I follow that line at all.

Given it is Halcyon, I’d wager the price will be well over $15k, maybe $20k.

I doubt it. They’ve already announced the computer prices the handset + hud + tank pod is 2,940

For comparison a petrel + nerd + swift is 3900

But we’ll see

Halcyon - SYMBIOS™ COMPUTER SYSTEM

Halcyon - SYMBIOS™ COMPUTER SYSTEM Symbios Technology is designed to elevate your diving experience with cutting-edge features, equipping you for today’s adventures and tomorrow’s challenges.Discover our precision-crafted gear that adapts to your underwater journey. Our Symbios handset features...

www.paragondivestore.com

 

[iliketopetsharks]

How's the accessibility of the drysuit inflator valve with ring system?
And is it compatible with a NERD? Mounting the HUD on the mask seems somehow not so smart. Mask gone - Hud gone

 

[crofrog]

How's the accessibility of the drysuit inflator valve with ring system?
And is it compatible with a NERD? Mounting the HUD on the mask seems somehow not so smart. Mask gone - Hud gone

Its much more versatile on the mask imo can be used easily open circuit as well then and you can look around and have the compass point where you’re looking.

Always having super easy reference to depth and time even while task loaded seems nice. If you end up on your backup mask you’ll still have the handset, having the mask fall off your head would really suck though lol

It’s almost bringing back the old datamask

 

[jborg]

Looks like a lot of tech is planned or in development for the Symbios computer:

The SYMBIOS HANDSET also features an innovative wireless interface, which allows data reception from multiple sources, including up to 7 tank pressure transmitters, wireless rebreather interfaces, navigation systems or for instance a diver propulsion vehicle.

Currently, the device can receive wireless data from:

•SYMBIOS Tank Pod
•SYMBIOS pO2 Transmitter
•SYMBIOS pO2 Transmitter, P-Port version
•SYMBIOS CM ECCR
•SYMBIOS GPS Buoy
•DPV equipped with a Halcyon Symbios compatible wireless transmitter
•External compass
•SYMBIOS wireless OEM interface

(Source)

 

[kammel78]

The stance I picked up from my interactions was they didn’t feel like the wireless technology had proven itself enough or was reliable enough to want to deal with failures for project diving.

This^^^ is an excellent distinction.

How's the accessibility of the drysuit inflator valve with ring system?
And is it compatible with a NERD? Mounting the HUD on the mask seems somehow not so smart. Mask gone - Hud gone

Same as with any chesty...kinda sucks but you get used to it. The best WOB comes from the CLs being as close to your actual lungs as possible which means pretty high up. Read the Scubatron GBM review for a recent example, complained about WOB until he jacked the CLs up as high as they'd go. The real pain for me was the necklace 2nd stage getting in the way. But again, it's just muscle memory, and getting to my drysuit inflator shouldn't ever be an emergency need.

Pretty sure since it's wireless, it won't be NERD compatible. But, to Cro's point it being wireless frees it up for OC use as well.

 

[fullytek]

In water testing may or may not start today.

 

[Wibble]

Also the Symbios is a very travel oriented rebreather, a market that is not one GUE operates in. Ultimately their marketing and training will not be the traditional GUE team diving people.

Huh? This year I’ve dove in 4 counties, and 4 states in all of those places I met other GUE divers who were traveling to dive as well so I’m not sure I follow that line at all.

Not wanting that to derail this excellent thread; by travel-oriented, I mean looking at pretty fish without "team" diving and the traditional large and heavy kit. For example, using the very lightweight Halcyon Symbios on the barrier reef as it's nicer to dive CCR than OC.

Hope you're right about the price!

 

[iliketopetsharks]

In water testing may or may not start today.
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Who's Bender and what did he do?