A Smartphone Application for Two-Way Divers Communication

It is important for divers to have a smooth and efficient communication for the facilitation of the various tasks. Currently such communication relies on the understanding of the signs by the divers. However, these can be problematic for new divers that are not yet familiar with the signs. The efficiency of communication can have a direct impact on the safety and accomplishment of any assigned targets or missions. In emergency situations the communication is the most critical factor that can be compromised when divers are under stress leading to possible negative repercussions. This paper proposes the use of smartphone sensors and image recognition for a two-way diver's communication. The monitor of the sender smartphone can display a dual color that the receiver smartphone can detect, translate to text and propose some common responses. The diver can then choose one of the proposed approaches or select another one. The smartphone will then display a dual color that corresponds to the selected action. The limitation of the proposed approach is that it requires the use of waterproof smartphones and it can detect sings from a small distance.