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soon you can dive with it. We're talking about the DataMask HUD – featuring an advanced air-integrated dive computer – built directly into the mask!
 The DATAMASK contains a miniature liquid crystal display (LCD) panel, proprietary Digital Optic System, microprocessor, depth transducer, wireless cylinder pressure receiver, diver replaceable battery, and controlling software. The miniature LCD allows you to keep your eyes focused on the dive while presenting critical dive data including: current depth, elapsed dive time, cylinder pressure, and dive time remaining. The Digital Optic System provides a clear, highly magnified image of the LCD, which is viewable regardless of environmental conditions and may be seen clearly by the vast majority of people, regardless of vision.
Introduction
Special Operations Forces (SOF) divers typically consist of US Navy SEALs, Marine RECON, US Army Combat Swimmers, and US Air Force Combat Controllers. Their missions are often conducted in areas of extremely poor water visibility, such as harbors, rivers, and the coastal zone. SOF divers operating in these regions use specialized underwater breathing apparatuses (UBAs); such as the US Navy MK-25, or the MK-16 mixed-gas rebreather. SOF personnel may also employ a variety of underwater sensors including compasses, handheld sonars, and hydrographic survey systems that require the use of both hands during operation. Reading critical life support and UBA status from depth gauges, dive watches, pressure gauges, or wrist-worn displays can be nearly impossible under extremely poor visibility conditions - even with luminous dials or auxiliary lighting. The inability to accurately monitor current dive status can lead to a life-threatening situation in many cases. SOF divers need the capability to monitor this data regardless of water visibility, lighting, or other environmental conditions - all while remaining clandestine.
The purpose of the IDDM project was to develop an integrated diver display mask that could provide SOF divers this needed capability, and from which other diving applications could be ultimately developed.
Design Mission & Basic IDDM Requirements
The SOF Combat Swim Mission, along with CSS's experience in military dive operations and underwater systems design, was used to develop operational, functional, and technical requirements for the IDDM. These requirements helped define the environmental, human factors, technical, and operational modes of the IDDM.
Within the SOF Combat Swim Mission, the masked-based display information would need to be viewed occasionally during a mission (i.e. the diver periodically checking status of depth, time and cylinder pressure for 5 -10 seconds at a time). The display could not interfere with the diver's normal field-of-view through the mask while in use. These two developed requirements helped establish the physical location of the display in the periphery of the diver's vision within the mask frame. Based on eyestrain considerations and available space, the lower right section of the mask frame was selected. In this location, the diver could visually access the information by glancing downward and slightly to the right.
Integrated Systems Engineering: Mechatronics Approach
Today the design, development and manufacture of underwater technologies takes place in an increasingly multidisciplinary environment where the system elements are a mixture of mechanical, electronic, control, and software components. New products and systems based on the integrated application of mechanical, electronic and software engineering technologies often demonstrate reduced mechanical complexity, increased performance, and unique capabilities previously thought unattainable.
To achieve these results an integrated systems engineering, or mechatronics approach to design and development is needed. Mechatronics is the multi-disciplinary integration of mechanical, electronic, and software control systems.
To design and develop the IDDM system required the integrated application of an array of multidisciplinary subsystems; including miniature LCDs, transducers, optics, electronics, RF data transmission, and imbedded software control. Our approach was to assemble a multidisciplinary technical team comprised of Oceanic and military engineers, use the best available and custom developed technologies; and implement an integrated systems engineering, or mechatronics design and development process.
To make the extreme modifications necessary to a basic mask frame, it was essential to build a digital 3D parametric solid model of the frame. All subsequent design changes could then be made within a virtual design environment. The solid model was constructed using Pro/Engineer ä design software and allowed different concepts, approaches and hardware solutions to be tested in the virtual design environment before committing to prototype production. This solid model was the foundation for the IDDM system from which operational prototypes were produced.
Miniature Liquid Crystal Display Screen
The display used in the mask is a custom designed miniature segmental liquid crystal display. This display technology was selected because it is a mature technology successfully used in many existing underwater applications (such as dive computers), possesses inherent reliability and ruggedness, and has a low power requirement with the possibility of extreme miniaturization. In order to combine the needed information on to a single screen that would fit integrally within the mask frame, it was necessary to approach the industry limit for miniaturization of segmental LCD technology.
The physical size of the display (0.375-inch [9.52mm] diameter viewing area), primary characters (0.075-in [1.9mm] height), and annunciators (0.029-inch [0.75mm]) actually makes them unreadable close to the eye without magnification. This necessitated developing a unique optical system to provide the required magnification.
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