The Diver Augmented Vision Display (DAVD) is a complete end-to-end diver management solution incorporating a high resolution see-through head-up display (HUD) embedded directly inside the diving helmet. This concept of using a pair of transparent glasses underwater is protected by patent.
The HUD is controlled from the surface by the Dive Supervisor using the supplied 4G Underwater Survey Explorer – “DAVD Edition” software suite and they are able control all information displayed to the diver including the ability to show real-time 3D imagery of the diver’s environment in 1st or 3rd person perspective, regardless of the water visibility conditions.
In addition to the provision of Mixed Reality (MR) scene awareness, the dive supervisor can communicate seamlessly via real-time images, videos, technical drawing, text style messaging and step-by-step instructional sets. Effectively, the diver has full on-demand access to all the technical data, know-how and support from the team on the surface to affect the best outcome of the mission. The integration of the diver head tracker and low-light HD Camera further allow complete understanding of the Divers motion, head orientation and immediate real-time working scene. Replacement of the diver legacy communication with all new digital audio allows amongst other benefits, auto-noise cancellation and background noise suppression providing clear speech audio and voice command assistance between diver and dive supervisor. The DAVD system can be used either in “rapid” deployment scenarios where minimal prior information is known or scanned, or in “Simulation and Planning” scenarios where a detailed prior 3D map of the scene is created and then annotated by the Diver and Supervisor.
The latter scenario affords the greatest functionality and is particularly beneficial for repeat dives on a work site, such as a salvage operation, where data, information and spatial context can be built in real-time and incorporated into the mission for subsequent dives.