Time For Some Industry Standards for Dive Computer Alarms

[debajo agua]

You and you're buddy decided to go for a dive. You descend to your intended target and after 5 minutes of dive time, your buddy's dive computer starts making a noise. After you see him check it, you signal if everything is "okay", he in return gives you the "hands up" IDK gesture. You swim over to have a quick look but you soon realize that you're not familiar with this brand of computer.

Has this or something similar ever happen to you? If you have been diving for awhile, my guess would be that it has.

Different computers have different alarms with an array meanings. The problem arises when the user, or his buddy, is unable to interpret the alarm. Some alarms are more urgent than others e.g. a low-air alarm would have a higher priority than a breach-of-rate-ascent alarm.

It is my contention, that high priority alarms be universal on every dive computer, namely, two distinct alarms: 1. Low air alarm which I feel should activate automatically at 500 psi or less and continue until the air supply is exhausted 2. A "I'm requesting immediate assistance alarm" which would be manually activated and manually turned off. I feel that both signals should incorporate some sort of visual signal, such as a flashing led light to assist finding the diver in need.

If this standard was adopted, it would eliminate confusion when a emergency, or near emergency, is at hand. I can think of many scenarios, where something as simple as proper interpretation of an alarm could advert disaster, not only for the person in trouble, but for his dive buddies as well.

Once adopted, all future OW should receive training to distinguish between the two alarms.

If the industry will not adopt these measures on their own accord, then perhaps it's time to propose a bill to set a standard.

Feedback?

 

[Akimbo]

Hard to believe, but innovation is relatively rapid in decompression theory now. US Navy tables would stay the same for decades before the latest discoveries. Standardization would probably be more harmful than helpful right now. As time goes on, I expect that the individual differences will become greater as more is learned about body mass, age, gender, decompression history, medications, and who knows what else. This is in addition to algorithms that bias toward certain theories and data sets. Exciting times, but pioneering has its price.

 

[dbulmer]

When I'm diving with a hood on, I may not hear someone else's computer alarm.

 

[DivemasterDennis]

My computers give me two alerts- ascent too rapid, and NDL being approached/exceeded. I know these signals. They can be helpful. But each diver needs to monitor their gauges: air, depth, bottom time, etc. In my opinion, to much automation leads to a lackadazical attitude. I think a person who dives witha computer need to be familiar enough with the computer to know what the noises, flashes and signals mean. I think that is the issue in the op's presentation, not standardization.
DivemasterDennis

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I have my alarms turned off. I've never been surprised to see that I'm low on air. I don't need an audible reminder that I have 500psi.

 

[Insta-Gator]

Apparently I'm the only one in the water that can't hear my alarms, so I turn them off and ensure I check my computer regularly.

It's auto-correct via Tapatalk 2, figure it out.

 

[Guba]

Or one could simply look at the divers spg. That won't alert a partner but it would clear up the confusion.

 

[muzikbiz22]

When I'm diving with a hood on, I may not hear someone else's computer alarm.

Ditto. I rarely hear the alarms on my own computer when diving with a hood, let alone someone else's. Also, not everyone dives with a computer. If you are using a computer, YOU should know YOUR alarms, and should already know what actions to take, hand signals to make. Standardizing would be very tough. Much like flying or driving a car; they are basically computers especially planes that "fly & land themselves", HOWEVER, you still need to know what to do in the event of a failure.

 

[Captain12Pk]

It looks to me like you may be looking for a gear solution to a skillset or awareness problem.
If your bio is accurate, you have very limited dive experience. I suspect when you get some experience your awareness will increase and hopefully some of these equipment failures won't seem so overwhelming.

 

[JWard]

This is a solution looking for a problem. In other words, no.

1) If your buddy doesn't know how to use their computer, stop diving with them. Problem solved.

2) Requiring all dive computer manufacturers to have the same alarms doesn't make sense. If you go down that road, then let's just have a single computer allowed to be sold.

3) Setting an alarm at a predetermined PSI ignores the fact that different dives will need a diffreent amount of reserve pressure. Depth, breathing rates, exit considerations, cold, different tank sizes between buddys, etc. all play in to the calculation on what the "minimum pressure" should be. If your buddy can't calculate that in their head before the dive, and communicate it to you during the briefing, and be capable enough to monitor their air supply, then stop diving with them.

4) Why do I need to hit a button on my computer to let my buddy know I need help? We call this "situatoinal awareness" - it means you should KNOW the status of your buddy. Is your buddy not paying enough attention to know you need help, sometimes knowing BEFORE you do that you ned help? Stop diving with them.

5) A red flashy light will fix the "situatoinal awareness" problems? I doubt it. Maybe you should press for your buddy's computer to deliver a mild electric shock to you when they need help? If buddys aren't paying attention to each other I'm not sure that alittle flashy light will cure the real problem.

6) To whom are you suggesting we propose a bill to? Scuba congress?