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>> Now, if you could have little sensing devices implanted in each of >> your mouthpieces that would send information to the computer (wireless!) >> then this whole thing would be a snap. >And while you're at it, why not just carry one cylinder of pure O2, >and a seperate cylinder of Air or N2, and have the computer customize >the O2 fraction in the breathing mix to keep you at a happy medium >between O2 tox and N2 absorbtion + Narcosis (where "happy medium" is >user definable). And lets throw in a CO2 scrubber and recycle exhaust >breathing gas, just for good measure. Sensing is one thing - actually doing control would be much more complicated. We're already seeing air integrated computers that have a sensing unit mounted on the 1st stage (i.e. no high pressure hose to the computer). I think that my idea is a logical extension of this, one that is easily portable (and transportable). Surely the computer portion of this, while a more complicated design than those of current computers isn't that difficult. I think something like this could be done for under 1k. >(I think that the reason you don't see anyone doing the limited form >of this as Carl proposed is that the rebreather tech is dropping in >price so quickly. Not going the whole way (or at least to O2 fraction >control) adds lots of complexity for relatively little gain. I >personally would like to see more emphasis on open circuit with O2 >fraction control, though -- less complexity, much cheaper, no twin >hose regulator, etc.) Well, a CIS-Lunar rebreather right now costs $15k. It is a full closed circuit rebreather. The open circuit units don't have many of the advantages that a closed circuit system does. Their bottom time is still very limited by the amount of gas they carry. Their advantages are that they do pp02 control allowing longer bottom times by limiting n2 exposure. There was talk of a Japanese system (open circuit) but I believe they were limited to roughly one hour of uw time (please correct me if I'm wrong). Oceanic is supposedly going to be testing a rebreather in the UK this year (although they've said that for 2 years now). From what i heard, they picked the UK to avoid the US liability issues. Any other rebreathers out there that people are aware of (of course there's always the Navy rebreather, but isn't that a pure O2 unit?). As I see it, one of the main advantages of the closed circuit system would be in the cave and wreck penetration community. It was just last year that 2 divers on rec.scuba lost their lives in a cave (and how many other experienced cave divers have lost their lives?). Having units such as these effectively eliminate the "time pressure" that occurs should anything go wrong (e.g. silt out, lost line, etc) and it gives you a wide margin of safety to work with should something happen to your buddy. I didn't even mention the issue of bubbles disturbing cave ceilings, or the fact that it's much easier to "blend in" with the sea life and get better close up pictures when you're not constantly spurting bubbles. In my mind, it's just a matter of time. -Carl-
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