What year was scuba discovered? Many people will argue that it was the 1960s. But when was actually scuba first invented? Let's begin with the oldest scuba equipment. Emile Gagnan, Jacques Cousteau and other early pioneers all played an important role in the evolution of scuba dive. They are responsible for the development of freedom of navigation. Who also created the first scuba regulator.
Jacques Cousteau
Jacques Cousteau, who was part of a program called Conshelf Saturation Dive in the 1960s that sought to determine if living underwater for extended periods of time was possible, participated in this program. Five divers took part in the experiments. They were documented in a film called World Without Sun. Since the introduction of scuba equipment, ocean exploration has seen a significant increase in its potential. Today, robotic undersea robots perform this work, and Cousteau's documentary won the third Academy Award for Best Documentary.
Emile Gagnan
Scuba was created by Emile Gagnan (a French engineer) in the 1940s. He was working on valve designs at a Paris-based compressor gas company. He saw that divers could be at risk of suffering from nitrogen narcosis. This is a condition in which people can become insane and experience extreme pain. Gagnan was joined by Cousteau in the design of a machine that would allow people to survive under water. They realized that oxygen-pressure regulation would be key to survival.
1860s
Henry A. Fleuss - a London-based diver engineer - invented Scuba in 1861. Fleuss' design consisted of a diving mask with a spout that could be filled with compressed air. The bag could also be filled with caustic potash. The sealed circuit system enabled divers to breath air for up to 3 hours.
1860s regulator for scuba diving
The 1960s scuba regulators are a far cry away from today's technology. They were developed by Auguste Denayrouze & Benoit Rouquayrol. Benoit Rouquayrol designed the demand valve. At first, it was used in smoky places and poisonous mining areas. It was later modified to be suitable for diving. In 1865, the Rouquayrol-Denayrouze apparatus became a mass-produced product and was adopted as a French Navy standard. However, the French diving community did not accept this regulator's invention.
Davis Submerged Escape Mechatronus
The Davis Submerged Rescue Apparatus, or Davis scuba, was invented by R H. Davis in 1914. It was composed of a rubber breathing and buoyancy device, a canister containing barium hydroxide and a steel pressure tube containing 56 litres oxygen at 120 bar. This was connected with the breathing bag. It was charged by the water pressure around it. The Davis scuba rig was the first commercially-available rebreather, and it was used for submarine escapes in the First World War. It was also used in industrial diving.
Scuba goggles from the 1860s
In the 1860s, diving gear was less sophisticated than it is today. Before the advent of scuba gear, divers used wooden or glass diving helmets that were not effective against the water's pressure. Otis Barton and his family were wealthy enough to have tried out underwater exploration. Barton used a makeshift helmet as a diving helmet to swim around Massachusetts' waters and was weighed down by rocks.
Deane brothers Scuba System
In 1829, the Deane brothers began to test their underwater apparatus. The scuba system was composed of a helmet, a breathing apparatus, and a mask. The Deane brothers' invention was a success and the brothers soon had a flourishing business. Their invention resulted in the first diving manual, The Method of Using Deane Brothers Patent Diving Apparatus. This detailed the functions of their apparatus and also provided safety instructions.
1860s scuba reservoir
Benoit Rouquayrol invente the first scuba reservoir using compressed air in the 1860s. He had already created the 'demand regulater' to be used in underground mines, smoke-filled rooms, and other places. In 1864, Auguste Denayrouze adapted Rouquayrol's design to underwater diving. This device's principle is still the same. Modern scuba regulators use a similar system.