Overview Of The Navy Diving Biomedical Research And Development Program

The objectives of the Navy Diving Biomedical Research and Development Program are to provide biomedical technology to support all Navy manned diving operations, to increase the safety and efficiency of divers at current operational depths, and to provide physiological information that will allow Navy divers to perform useful work at deeper depths for longer periods of time. The major thrusts of the program are: Development of safe and efficient decompression procedures for air, mixed gas, and saturation diving. Development of biomedical criteria for design of underwater breathing apparatus and for thermal protection of divers. Development of improved therapies for decompression sickness and air embolism, and the development of improved capabilities for the safe use of oxygen in diving and in treatment of diving accidents. Past accomplishments and future thrusts of the program are illustrated.