Depth Independent Thermal Insulation for Diving Suits
Abstract
Our objective is to construct a depth-independent, full-body wetsuit that insulates the human body effectively regardless of the temperature of the ambient seawater to facilitate safer and more efficient swimming, diving, and underwater operations. To do so, we produced 3D scans of the human body, segmented the scans through the use of software to maximize ergonomics, and then converted the segments into digital mold patterns, which were 3D printed in polycarbonate. The molds were used to cast a composite consisting of hard hollow microspheres embedded in thermally cured carrier silicone elastomer. The composite casts were tested for ergonomic mobility and adjusted as needed. We also devised a method to attach the composite components to a commercial neoprene suit to be used as a waterproof body glove carrier, thereby producing the new segmented diver suit. Future work will assemble the full suit and test it under field conditions.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2020
- Accession Number
- AD1114573
Entities
People
- Aaron P. Demers
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School