Safety, Materials, Extras:
Safety: My helmet meets the safety standards that are agreed upon in the International Consensus Standards for Commercial Diving and Underwater Operations. It includes extremely strong UL level 4 glass. This makes the helmet visor very resistant to being cracked even in a collision. The structure of the helmet is made of titanium, which is used in some of the deepest diving submarines to further ensure they helmet is prepared for anything.
Materials: My helmet was created to be used underwater. I had to take into consideration that when underwater, some materials will perform better than others that may do better on land. For inspiration on what to use, I did some research on submarines. I found that Titanium was the best metal for my helmet, since it can handle water pressure more than 350 meters deep. For my glass visor, I chose to use UL level 4 glass, because of its capability to stop a .50 caliber bullet, which will make sure it is ready for any impact. For my lights I chose to use LED bulbs over incandescent bulbs, they provided more durability, less risk of failure, brighter output, and less energy consumption which were all important in the design of a small but powerful light that a user may rely on.
Special Features: My helmet features its own oxygen tank. Another larger tank may be attached to the receiver on top of the helmet if desired, but the oxygen provided can still be crucial in an emergency. Located inside the helmet are two speakers and microphones which make communicating to someone above the water easy. Finally, the 4 LED lights included on the side of the helmet provide for visibility even in extremely deep water or low lighting.
Acceleration: This helmet will allow for good acceleration through water, the helmet is shaped slightly oblong so fluid can pass over the helmets surface very quickly going in a forward direction.
KEY CONCEPTS:
Coefficients of friction: My helmet has a relatively low coefficient of friction, that is almost the same on all sides of the helmet. This will help when swimming underwater because the head and body often turn in multiple directions, so it is important to have a low coefficient at all angles which my spherical design provides.
Crumple Zones: My helmet is full of crumple zones, where the spherical structure can partially collapse of dent but continue to function. The only places where crumple zones do not exist are the visor, and neck brace because they must be sturdy to support the helmet and prevent water from entering the interior.
Drag: Through the water, the helmet will create moderate drag. The spherical design will allow for the water to smoothly flow over all sides of the helmet, leaving only mild resistance.
Inertia: Since this helmet is made with the strong but dense meta:l Titanium(4.506 g/cm³), the helmet will carry significant inertia. That being said, the friction of water is much more than air so the effects of that inertia will be felt much less when trying to slow down.
G-Force: Underwater high levels of G-force are not achieved very easily, but the materials and structure of this helmet can hold and protect the wearer while under G-force, or when colliding with an outside force at high G-force.
Friction: The leather padding on the inside of the helmet, while comfortable, will also create friction between the user's head and the helmet, ensuring a sturdy fit at all times which is crucial for safety.
Force: This helmet will be able to withstand massive amounts of force, with a titanium structure can handle more than 524 pounds per square inch (about 35 atmospheres at 350 meters depth) of pressure while underwater. This means that at lesser depths it can handle almost all collisions safely.
Research and Design Process:
Searching for the right material to construct my helmet out of was very easy. I knew that I wanted to create a helmet for underwater use, so I researched what metal submarines used as their hull. Titanium proved to be the best option over the more commonly used steel as it can withstand much more pressure. Next I needed to decide the shape my object would take. I decided to take some design aspects from old deep sea diving helmets, because of their sturdy construction and symmetrical design. One of the most important aspects of my helmet was the visor. It was critical to provide visibility to the user, without compromising strength. After researching various levels of glass, I found that UL level 4 glass would be strong enough for any amount of force exerted on the helmet. Finally I had to research how the helmet would receive oxygen underwater. I found that on average humans consume 19 cubic feet of pure oxygen per day, and that a standard scuba tank can hold up to 80 cubic feet of oxygen. As this helmet is only intended for short term diving, I concluded that using two smaller tanks would give a diver sufficient air for about an hour.
Materials: My helmet was created to be used underwater. I had to take into consideration that when underwater, some materials will perform better than others that may do better on land. For inspiration on what to use, I did some research on submarines. I found that Titanium was the best metal for my helmet, since it can handle water pressure more than 350 meters deep. For my glass visor, I chose to use UL level 4 glass, because of its capability to stop a .50 caliber bullet, which will make sure it is ready for any impact. For my lights I chose to use LED bulbs over incandescent bulbs, they provided more durability, less risk of failure, brighter output, and less energy consumption which were all important in the design of a small but powerful light that a user may rely on.
Special Features: My helmet features its own oxygen tank. Another larger tank may be attached to the receiver on top of the helmet if desired, but the oxygen provided can still be crucial in an emergency. Located inside the helmet are two speakers and microphones which make communicating to someone above the water easy. Finally, the 4 LED lights included on the side of the helmet provide for visibility even in extremely deep water or low lighting.
Acceleration: This helmet will allow for good acceleration through water, the helmet is shaped slightly oblong so fluid can pass over the helmets surface very quickly going in a forward direction.
KEY CONCEPTS:
Coefficients of friction: My helmet has a relatively low coefficient of friction, that is almost the same on all sides of the helmet. This will help when swimming underwater because the head and body often turn in multiple directions, so it is important to have a low coefficient at all angles which my spherical design provides.
Crumple Zones: My helmet is full of crumple zones, where the spherical structure can partially collapse of dent but continue to function. The only places where crumple zones do not exist are the visor, and neck brace because they must be sturdy to support the helmet and prevent water from entering the interior.
Drag: Through the water, the helmet will create moderate drag. The spherical design will allow for the water to smoothly flow over all sides of the helmet, leaving only mild resistance.
Inertia: Since this helmet is made with the strong but dense meta:l Titanium(4.506 g/cm³), the helmet will carry significant inertia. That being said, the friction of water is much more than air so the effects of that inertia will be felt much less when trying to slow down.
G-Force: Underwater high levels of G-force are not achieved very easily, but the materials and structure of this helmet can hold and protect the wearer while under G-force, or when colliding with an outside force at high G-force.
Friction: The leather padding on the inside of the helmet, while comfortable, will also create friction between the user's head and the helmet, ensuring a sturdy fit at all times which is crucial for safety.
Force: This helmet will be able to withstand massive amounts of force, with a titanium structure can handle more than 524 pounds per square inch (about 35 atmospheres at 350 meters depth) of pressure while underwater. This means that at lesser depths it can handle almost all collisions safely.
Research and Design Process:
Searching for the right material to construct my helmet out of was very easy. I knew that I wanted to create a helmet for underwater use, so I researched what metal submarines used as their hull. Titanium proved to be the best option over the more commonly used steel as it can withstand much more pressure. Next I needed to decide the shape my object would take. I decided to take some design aspects from old deep sea diving helmets, because of their sturdy construction and symmetrical design. One of the most important aspects of my helmet was the visor. It was critical to provide visibility to the user, without compromising strength. After researching various levels of glass, I found that UL level 4 glass would be strong enough for any amount of force exerted on the helmet. Finally I had to research how the helmet would receive oxygen underwater. I found that on average humans consume 19 cubic feet of pure oxygen per day, and that a standard scuba tank can hold up to 80 cubic feet of oxygen. As this helmet is only intended for short term diving, I concluded that using two smaller tanks would give a diver sufficient air for about an hour.
Sources:
Glass-
http://www.tssbulletproof.com/ul-10-bullet-resistant-glass/
Helmet Base:
https://repository.tudelft.nl/islandora/object/uuid:10475838-773c-4acf-bf5c-e00980f5315d/datastream/OBJ3
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Submarine_hull
Lights:
http://stuckinthewoods.info/gear/led-flashlights.html
http://www.calctool.org/CALC/other/games/depth_press
Air Tanks:
\https://health.howstuffworks.com/human-body/systems/respiratory/question98.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diving_cylinder
http://www.tssbulletproof.com/ul-10-bullet-resistant-glass/
Helmet Base:
https://repository.tudelft.nl/islandora/object/uuid:10475838-773c-4acf-bf5c-e00980f5315d/datastream/OBJ3
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Submarine_hull
Lights:
http://stuckinthewoods.info/gear/led-flashlights.html
http://www.calctool.org/CALC/other/games/depth_press
Air Tanks:
\https://health.howstuffworks.com/human-body/systems/respiratory/question98.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diving_cylinder