Diver Operational Status Indicator System
Navy SBIR FY2015.1


Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2015.1
Topic No.: N151-078
Topic Title: Diver Operational Status Indicator System
Proposal No.: N151-078-0271
Firm: Physical Optics Corporation
1845 West 205th Street
Torrance, California 90501-1510
Contact: John Bell
Phone: (310) 320-3088
Web Site: www.poc.com
Abstract: To address the Navy need for a device that will monitor physiological conditions of a diver and relay the information to other devices, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Diver Operational Status Indicator (DOSI) system incorporating three major components: (1) an array of physiological sensors, (2) processing and communication electronics, and (3) mechanical packaging for DOSI to provide a comprehensive solution. The novel design of the open-architecture system will be developed based on POC's prior developments in compatible dive equipment and working with the industrial leaders including Interspiro and Cochran. Leveraging POC's previous technologies, the proposed DOSI system provides critical information not only on the physiological status of multiple divers to be monitored but also transmitted to other team members and commanders. In Phase I, POC plans to provide a prototype demonstration of sensors specifically designed for Navy needs placed at strategic positions inside a diver's SCUBA mask. In Phase II, POC plans to develop a fully functional prototype system according to the outline developed in the Phase I for further testing and implementation of smart algorithms that predict the diver's state-of-health.
Benefits: Other Government Applications. The need for affordable end-to-end physiological awareness is common to many agencies, particularly the military where multiple groups of soldiers are spread across a combat zone. Monitoring vital signs remotely through digital data networks reduces the need to communicate verbally and can be used by commanders to predict fatigue and medical treatment needs. Combined with existing systems, the DOSI can be readily adapted by the military on the battlefield or local law enforcement and other first responders for various scales of incidents. Commercial Applications. The home healthcare market is a potential and natural candidate for introducing the DOSI platform, as medical devices typically command a higher retail price than most consumer products. The physiological monitor can be worn for patient tracking to provide real-time home care assessment, be integrated into a medical care supporting system for the elderly, and can be used for various sports and gaming. The proliferation of smartphones with wireless capability and a connection to the cell phone network allows medical data to be transmitted from sensor to phone and physician in a seamless manner that aids in diagnosis (by including POC's wearable sensors). Medical ambulance crews may be a smaller niche market, where a simple stick-and-transmit sensor to obtain and provide critical vital signs of a patient while in transit to the emergency room gives surgeons at the ER a `heads up' on the patients' conditions before they arrive.

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