No more deep diving deaths

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I remember a TV show in the 60's when I was a kid; I don't remember the name of the program (21st Century? 2000 something?) but it was sponsored by Union Carbide. Do they still have TV ads? Anyway, I'll always remember a segment (maybe it was an ad?) showing a mouse in an aquarium, breathing liquid. Funny how that seconds-long image has remained with me all these years. Many years later I did some (Google, Wikipedia) research about this, and was saddened to learn that the mouse did breathe liquid, but died soon after the cameras were off.

I'm not so much interested in the current state of this technology; I spend more time thinking about what recreational diving will be like 500 years from now. Of course, who knows if there will even be recreational diving, or recreation, or people for that matter, in 500 years! But since there's no way anyone can collect on it, I'm willing to bet that they'll look back on us now and see a big difference in how far we've come in other endeavors, like space travel, genomics, computing, imaging (MRI, CAT, etc.), and how relatively primitive we still are at this point in regards to diving. I'll bet in 100 years the only people using open circuit will be nostalgia buffs.

This article sure gives the impression that the scientist they are giving so much credit to is better at garnering attention to get more funding to further his research than the fact that he's actually come up with something innovative. Like others have pointed out, it's been tried before, and there are still a lot of niggling details to be worked out. That's the way it always goes, someone has a neat idea (hey, let's breathe liquid!) and that gets all the attention. The folks who patiently point out all the less-obvious hurdles that have to be overcome are called naysayers. Sometimes, though, articles like this, including the naysayers, spark another idea in someone else, and progress continues.

For instance, we divers all looked at that CO2 scrubber plugged into the femoral vein and said, "You got to be kidding me!" But maybe somebody else will read it and have another idea how to solve that problem (a different medium, or maybe an additive to it?) and progress continues.

I'd like to hear more about the SEALs and their experience with it.
 
Greetings VooDooGasMan this Tech was tested by the military and the issue of purging the lungs left many with pneumonia.
I am not sure where the test results were but someone I am sure does.
It is very interesting and I think one day will be a option but in a mainstream sense not for quite a while.

Our human condition offers challenges that we would love to overcome but unfortunately many times we can not.
Pending further test information and huge funding issues for the private sector this tech would remain pretty far off.
It is very interesting and I would imagine new developing bio-implants that interface with SCUBA units CCR would help to further the development.
This Tech may already be testing or in use, I hope they hurry!

My future dive goals would be simpler to achieve but far more costly than I anticipated!
CamG Keep diving....Keep training....Keep learning!
 
"Fish" don't kneel ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)
:rofl3: They meant "frogfish," I guess.

Anyway, I'll always remember a segment (maybe it was an ad?) showing a mouse in an aquarium, breathing liquid...was saddened to learn that the mouse did breathe liquid, but died soon after the cameras were off.
Algernon, I think his name was. ;)

Funny how that seconds-long image has remained with me all these years.
I remember the image too, distinctly. The mouse looked like he was gasping.
 
Oxygen toxicity, anyone?

That does raise an interesting thought: could the oxygen content of the breathing liquid be modified so that deeper dives could be done safely, but not so low that hypoxia would be an issue? Trimix-water, anyone??

Peace,
Greg
 
"The CO2 that would normally exit our body when we breathe out would be “scrubbed” from our blood by attaching a mechanical gill to the femoral vein in the leg." :shocked2: Another opening in the dry suit to leak!
 
Other problems with flourocarbon ventilation are post-exposure chemical pneumonitis, atelectasis requiring prolonged positive pressure ventilation, and increased incidence of pumonary infection. I do not think this should be used in the realm of recreational diving.
 
That does raise an interesting thought: could the oxygen content of the breathing liquid be modified so that deeper dives could be done safely, but not so low that hypoxia would be an issue? Trimix-water, anyone??

Peace,
Greg

Yes, the oxygen tension of the liquid media can be adjusted.
 
Yes, the oxygen tension of the liquid media can be adjusted.

Great, but wouldn't it need a replacement: ie. Nitrogen, helium, other??

Peace,
Greg
 
Yep gona say it simply...HELL NO...

This may not be the dumbest thing I have read but getting close. Given that if the early Renegades in tech diving did not go out and "Just Do It" we would not have nitrox and the other gas'.
But I dont think very many divers are going to tap into their femoral artery!
 

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