A team of U.S. Navy engineers at the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Panama City has developed a new head-up display system designed to be embedded directly in diving helmets.
The Divers Augmented Vision Display HUD system works to provide high-resolution see-through visual display of necessary information, including diver’s location and dive site, text messages, diagrams, photographs and augmented reality videos, in real time, the Navy said Thursday.
DAVD works to support user safety and efficiency in diving missions such as ship husbandry, underwater construction and salvage operations through new situational awareness and location accuracy tools.
Dennis Gallagher, underwater systems development project engineer and DAVD project leader, said that DAVD HUD-outfitted diving helmets are similar to the one used in the “Iron Man” movie that can provide information conveniently to users.
The team has demonstrated the system to more than 20 divers in a number of government commands and are now in phase two of the development wherein components for helmet systems and full-face masks are being designed.
In-water simulation tests on the DAVD are lined up for October this year with phase three of the project scheduled to begin in 2017.