[abstract] ALTERNATIVES TO CHAMBER TESTS IN VALIDATING RECREATIONAL DIVE COMPUTERS.

Abstract

Criticism of recreational dive computers suggests that some of these devices are being sold without having been submitted to formal testing. Without discussing the validity of this complaint, it is pertinent to describe a relatively new mechanism of ethically meeting some testing requirements with a minimal need to actually expose subjects in a pressure chamber. The Workshop on Validation of Decompression Tables issued by the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS 74(VAL)1-1-88, 1989) provides guidelines on, among other things, using past experience and field exposures as part of the validation process. The Workshop's efforts were directed primarily toward commercial and institutional diving, but there are useful lessons that can be applied to dive computers. The Workshop recognized that the developing organization clearly has the responsibility for decisions about the quality of decompression, and suggested a mechanism for making the decisions requiring judgement. This could be through a board or group-within the organization but perhaps including outside expertise-charged with that responsibility and having the competence to do it. This could be called a Decompression Decision Board (DDB). The Workshop felt that "interpolative" past experience could be used for new procedures within the tested limits of the experience, and if its applicability could be documented. Advanced ideas which, extrapolations of available experience, require appropriate formal testing. Whatever the validation process, initial field implementation-a provisional stage of operational evaluation-should be with special care, medical backup, monitoring, documentation, and feedback. The DDB would judge when the procedures or DC are fully operational. While the DDB would not be responsible to any higher authority, if questioned its actions would have to stand the scrutiny of its peers. Ongoing feedback and analysis of routine field use is strongly encouraged.