Design of an acoustic telemetry system for rebreathers. 2009

S M Egi
Galatasaray University, MTF Computer Engineering Department, Ortakoy, 34357, Istanbul, Turkiye.

Despite the abundance of telemetric applications for ecology, behavior and physiology of marine life, few efforts were reported about the use of acoustic telemetry for SCUBA divers. The objective of this study is to design and test an acoustic telemetry system for monitoring breathing gases of a Dräger Dolphin semi-closed circuit rebreather as well as the depth of the diver. The system is designed around a PC based surface unit and a microcontroller based diver carried module that digitizes the output of CO2 and O2 sensors located in the inhalation side of the canister. One pair of acoustic modems establishes the data link between the microcontroller and the topside PC. The graphical user interface is written in C# and enables the recording of the diving session as well. The system is calibrated in a hyperbaric chamber and tested successfully with four dives in three different environments using 100% O2 and Nitrox (47.9% O2 - 52.1% N2) up to 15 m depth and a distance of 40 m between acoustic modems. The telemetry data cannot be used only for recording physiological data but also provides an important operational safety tool to monitor the rebreather user. The future designs will include actuators for controlling the diluent and oxygen flow to closed circuit mix gas rebreathers.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D010100 Oxygen An element with atomic symbol O, atomic number 8, and atomic weight [15.99903; 15.99977]. It is the most abundant element on earth and essential for respiration. Dioxygen,Oxygen-16,Oxygen 16
D002138 Calibration Determination, by measurement or comparison with a standard, of the correct value of each scale reading on a meter or other measuring instrument; or determination of the settings of a control device that correspond to particular values of voltage, current, frequency or other output. Calibrations
D002245 Carbon Dioxide A colorless, odorless gas that can be formed by the body and is necessary for the respiration cycle of plants and animals. Carbonic Anhydride,Anhydride, Carbonic,Dioxide, Carbon
D003629 Modems Equipment that sends digital information over telephone lines. The term Modem is a short form of the phrase modulator-demodulator. Dataphones,Dataphone,Modem
D004242 Diving An activity in which the organism plunges into water. It includes scuba and bell diving. Diving as natural behavior of animals goes here, as well as diving in decompression experiments with humans or animals. Divings
D004867 Equipment Design Methods and patterns of fabricating machines and related hardware. Design, Equipment,Device Design,Medical Device Design,Design, Medical Device,Designs, Medical Device,Device Design, Medical,Device Designs, Medical,Medical Device Designs,Design, Device,Designs, Device,Designs, Equipment,Device Designs,Equipment Designs
D005240 Feasibility Studies Studies to determine the advantages or disadvantages, practicability, or capability of accomplishing a projected plan, study, or project. Feasibility Study,Studies, Feasibility,Study, Feasibility
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D012984 Software Sequential operating programs and data which instruct the functioning of a digital computer. Computer Programs,Computer Software,Open Source Software,Software Engineering,Software Tools,Computer Applications Software,Computer Programs and Programming,Computer Software Applications,Application, Computer Software,Applications Software, Computer,Applications Softwares, Computer,Applications, Computer Software,Computer Applications Softwares,Computer Program,Computer Software Application,Engineering, Software,Open Source Softwares,Program, Computer,Programs, Computer,Software Application, Computer,Software Applications, Computer,Software Tool,Software, Computer,Software, Computer Applications,Software, Open Source,Softwares, Computer Applications,Softwares, Open Source,Source Software, Open,Source Softwares, Open,Tool, Software,Tools, Software
D013686 Telemetry Transmission of the readings of instruments to a remote location by means of wires, radio waves, or other means. (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed) Telemetries

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