DIVER MONITORING SYSTEM FOR PHYSIOLOGICAL MEASUREMENTS

THE MONITORING OF DIVER PHYSIOLOGICAL VARIABLE, SUCH AS HEART AND RESPIRATORY RATES, MUSCLE FATIGUE AND BODY CORE TEMPERATURE, IS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE BECAUSE DIVERS OCCASIONALLY EXCEED SAFE PHYSIOLOGICAL LIMITS. DIVERS ARE CALLED ONTO PERFORM TASKS WHICH REQUIRE A HIGH LEVEL OF EXERTION, OFTEN UNDER UNFAVORABLE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS. UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, AN INDIVIDUAL CAN EXPERIENCE FATIGUE, STRESS OF HYPOTHERMIA WITHOUT BEING COGNIZANT OF THE SITUATION. PHYSIOLOGICAL SENSORS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED FOR USE UNDER WATER, BUT A COMPREHENSIVE DIVER MONITORING SYSTEM (DMS), INCORPORATING SENSORS AND COMMUNICATION LINKS, HAS THE DEVELOPMENT OF SUCH A COMBINED DMS FOR THE COLLECTION OF RELEVANT PHYSIOLOGICAL DATA. THE PROGRAM OBJECTIVES INCLUDE DIVERS, DESIGN OF A COMMUNICATION HARDWARE, DATA PROCESSING AND DISPLAY, AND CONCEPTUAL DESIGN OF A DIVER MONITORING SYSTEM. SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THE PHASE I OBJECTIVES WILL RESULT IN A PROTOTYPE DMS FOR EXTENSIVE DEVELOPMENT TESTING IN PHASE II OF THE PROGRAM.