Loose thoughts by Bjorn Landfeldt
A pair of undergrad students presented the outcomes of their thesis work on an automatic BCD in early October at the UNiversity of Auckland (Mechatronics).
The (invention) is a control system for managing ascents and descents of divers using an embedded system and a control loop for the inflation circuit. Apparently, there is also what is known as a cruise control whereby the (pilot) sets desired depth and the circuitry maintains that depth.
To me this sounds like a pretty stupid idea for a number of different reasons such as:
1) Increased reliance on equipment, especially for new divers who might be in a very bad position if the circuitry fails
2) One more point of failure (actually several)
3) Need to bring batteries for the BCD on a dive trip (or do you hook it up to 240V and charge overnight?)
4)Costly circuitry and mechanical control components
5)Completely unnecessary, buoyancy is a necessary skill to learn anyway and it needs to be practiced
6)etc.
I wonder what George Irvine III would say? Unnecessary Crap perhaps!
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5 comments:
Convoluted crap perhaps. Speaking of GI3, it seems that, even though he's no longer cave diving, he's still setting world records.
That's not GI3 is it? Trey Irvine?
That's him alright. He's in the photograph on the right side. The one with no shirt on.
No shirt on, of course!!!
I should have spotted that after having seen the DIR videos :)
automatic BCD is really cool I want to upload you the picture.
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