Abstract
Dive computers are important and useful underwater instruments across sport, commercial, military, scientific, exploration, and technical diving sectors. We discuss dive computers, 2 basic underlying models, uses and misuses, data collection and correlations, and some observed features of modern diving with computers. Selected references cover topics in great detail.
Highlights
Modern digital dive computers [1,2,3,4,5] date to the early 80s, though analog devices simulating tissue gas uptake and elimination through porous membranes date back to the 70s
A decompression computer is a microprocessor consisting of a power source, pressure transducer, analog to digital signal converter, internal clock, chip with RAM and ROM, and pixel display screen [5]
Pressure readings from the transducer are converted to digital format by the converter, and sent to memory with the elapsed clock time for model calculations, somewhere in 3-10 second intervals
Summary
Modern digital dive computers [1,2,3,4,5] date to the early 80s, though analog devices simulating tissue gas uptake and elimination through porous membranes date back to the 70s. A decompression computer is a microprocessor consisting of a power source, pressure transducer, analog to digital signal converter, internal clock, chip with RAM (random access memory) and ROM (read only memory), and pixel display screen [5]. Results are displayed on the screen, including diver time remaining, time at a stop, tissue gas and bubble buildup, time to fly, oxygen toxicity levels (CNS and pulmonary), and other warnings (model violations). 6. Diving algorithm: combination of a gas transport and/or bubble formation model and coupled diver ascent strategy. 7. Decompression stop: necessary pause in a diver ascent strategy to eliminate dissolved gas and/or bubbles safely and is model based. DCS: crippling malady resulting from bubble formation and tissue damage in divers breathing compressed gases at depth and ascending too rapidly
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