Scubapro Human Factors in Computers

[tridacna]

Scubapro are making a big deal about the integration of Human Factors with their computers. Specifically integrating heart rate and skin temperature to be incorporated into their algorithms. Does anyone think that this adds much to the mix? Personally I think that it's a (not very successful) marketing ploy that has contributed nothing useful to dive computers.

I gave up on using this after a Galileo went into lockup because the chest-strap erroneously reported my heart beat to be 240 BPM on a dive. Tech services acknowledged the problem but were unable to do anything about it. Just curious to see if anyone thinks that this is a useful feature.

 

[undrwater]

Data is always interesting and useful to some, myself included. However, I rarely use the "extra" data during a dive.

It would be interesting for me to see things like heart rate and skin temperature on a graph after a dive (maybe during special circumstances on a dive).

I would never, however want to put on an extra strap such as a chest strap. I would also hate for a computer to lock me out if one of those features failed.

For me, I see it as a "cool factor" feature, and would only be interested if the core functionality were quite robust.

 

[tridacna]

I wonder if they're incorporating this into the Sea Bear computers? If so, would be a negative IMO. We will see at DEMA.

 

[beaverdivers]

Yes, we find it extremely useful. We have been using the heart rate monitors in all of our training courses including open water beginning with the student's first pool session. We download their dives then review them with the students. The heart rate gives us another perimeter to analyze. The heart rate equates to workload. It is very interesting to associate an incident such as clearing a mask or seeing a shark the first time or swimming with a whale shark with increased heart rate.

Moreover, it is an excellent tool to illustrate to a tentative student how relaxed they are. When they see a low workload and low surface air consumption, it gives them the confidence they need.

As workload increases with an increase in the heart rate, it correlates to the diver's nitrogen load and affects the No Stop time. We have never had a Galileo Sol lockup due to a malfunctioning heat rate monitor.

Personally, I find the heart rate monitor to be very useful in extending my diving ability. It is interesting that I can be at depth ( 130' ) and have a heart rate that is at my resting heart rate. Or if I am swimming with whale sharks in a remote destination that my nitrogen load is taking into account my increased workload.

 

[redacted]

Can you provide any documentation on the relationship of heart rate and nitrogen loading?

 

[sheeper]

i had used the monitor for a while with my Galileo computer. it was kind of interesting as i'm a bit of a data nerd. However, i stopped using that and went to a Petrel/Perdix. The data was nice, interesting and i learned a bit about my body when diving. But i had no desire to stick with it.

 

[tridacna]

Sounds like a marketing ploy to try and up sell computers to students. I can't imagine that analyzing data post-fact makes any difference to performance of future skills. Most students are aware of their own stress levels during mask removal or seeing a shark. (In training, really? - OK maybe not). I doubt whether this really adds one iota of USEFUL data post-dive. Heart rate and skin temperature are interesting data points but generally will have no impact on future dives. Who cares if your heart rate is at the same level at 130' as the surface. Like you say, interesting at best but of no value from a dive computer perspective. Think about why we use a dive computer.

It's a pity that SP have taken so long to release a OLED computer with a reasonable form factor and have chosen instead to focus on this BS technology. I really wonder whether they will screw up the SeaBear with this rubbish. I hope not.

 

[Neilwood]

I would say that unless someone comes up with an scientifically backed up algorithm which takes into account those additional factors then it is window dressing.

 

[Diver0001]

Sounds like a marketing ploy to try and up sell computers to students.

That's exactly what I thought too. As an instructor: a) I can SEE everything I need to know about a student's status by looking into their eyes and getting them to respond to an OK sign and (b) if I needed to wait to see the data after the dive then it's too late and I would STILL need to look into their eyes and give them an OK during the dive anyway. (c) the student can tell me after the dive how they were feeling in a lot more detail than the computer can. The diver knows their own body and psychology and me looking at numbers is a lot less useful to them than me asking them how they felt.

I know there are people who like to measure everything so if you're one of those, then go for it. As a training aid, however, a computer that gathers biometric data has zero practical use unless you're in the business of convincing people to buy things that they don't need.

It's a pity that SP have taken so long to release a OLED computer with a reasonable form factor and have chosen instead to focus on this BS technology. I really wonder whether they will screw up the SeaBear with this rubbish. I hope not.

OLED is useful. My next computer will have an OLED screen.

R..

 

[guyharrisonphoto]

I am a big fan of my galileo, including the LCD screen with its intelligent and very readable layout, (also 100 dives and still showing full battery). No burning desire for OLED. But, I don't use the heart rate monitor. I have not seen any coherent explanation of how it alters the deco algorithm (Buhlman) to change NDLs or deco stop times (I am a no-deco diver). Without understanding what the computer is doing, I don't want to implement the feature. At least with the mirco-bubble conservatism feature, the computer's behavior is predictable and I can choose to add the conservatism or not.

Other posters have raised the very good question of whether there is a scientific basis for altering the algorhthm. It seems to be accepted that high workloads increase the likelihood of DCS, but there is a long way from that to actually having a precise, documented basis to mess with the algorithm. Without such a basis or a clear explanation of the rationale for the alteration, I prefer to leave that feature unused.

I have posted this very question on the Scubapro manufacurer forum (how does the algorithm change based on heart rate) but did not receive any answer.