Friday, May 4, 2007

Back to "work" so... Let's talk about Dive-data collection

The May holidays are finished so I am back to "work". In past days I spend some time with my family - they definitely earned it. I hope they enjoyed as much as I have.

As at school we are talking about databases and we have to construct a sample database, I decided to create a Dive Log database.

This data collection (about the dives) is used to facilitate finding reasons for dive injuries, same as for dive planning and other statistical evaluations. Scientists use the data to create newer better decompression algorithms and other tools for divers. Especially the post-dive data and profile-data are used in scientists work judging the decompression algorithms. Number of post dive problems, bends, repeatability of this cases makes the evaluation of the algorithm possible. Less symptoms and bends or other cases after the dive better the algorithm is.
So, the data collected through this kind of Dive Log databases can be very useful. The main thing that should be kept in mind is to enter every dive and the appropriate data in the Dive Log and periodically send the data to DAN. DAN is an international organisation working on safety of divers providing diving insurance and organising different research projects. Most of the research projects are about decompression sickness and diving related injuries, some about the diving equipment and other diving topics.
Back to school - the Dive Log database.
What are the Data about the dive that need to be collected? Definitely we need to know:

DATA ABOUT THE DIVE:

current number of the dive,
date of the dive,
was the dive repetitive dive -if yes than the number of the dive in series,
surface interval past previous dive,
the time dive started,
duration of the dive,
max depth reached,
type of the dive - cave, wrack, technical, recreational...,
level of the dive - easy, difficult, demanding,..,
profile of the dive (run time, depth, temperature),
conditions on the dive (weather, temperature of the water, UW visibility).

DATA ABOUT THE PLACE OF THE DIVE:

country where the dive was made,
city or place name,
location name.

DATA ABOUT THE EQUIPMENT:

type of the equipment,
name of the equipment,
number of pieces of the equipment used.

DATA ABOUT PERSONS ON THE DIVE:

divers name and surname,
type of the diver (dive master or buddy),
qualification (organisation and level).

DIVE ORGANIZER:

name of DC if the dive is organized by a Dive Center,
name of Diving Club if the dive is organized by a Dive Club,
or definition of a private dive.

POST DIVE DATA:

data on how divers felt after the dive (tired, good, minor skin bends, no troubles...).

And than, there are connections between all this data that have to be established......
But about all this we will talk in next article, where we will talk about the Dive Log and it's construction.

5 comments:

Saša said...

Very interesting. Will you make your database public? Will other divers be able to contribute data to it too? Is there any such database available online?

Igor P said...

Yes, DAN is collecting data in his database. It is not public to enter and explore, but everyone can contribute to and get the results of the studies done. Every certain period of time, the reports of the studies are published in diving related publications.
Beside this, V-planner's designer has its own database of dives made using his product.
The Dive Log database I am trying to put together is personal one for final user - diver. I hope to be able to make it as an application with the export data functionality so that the exported data can be contributed to DAN's database. DAN has its prescribed format of data to enter directly in his database.

Igor P said...

But at the end ... I will think about the idea you mentioned ... mabe it would not be that bad to make it public with the functionality of entering data from diferent locations by diferent divers ... ;-)

Lujan said...

Igor, I'm from Argentina, other participan of writingmatrix project, and I found your blog very interesting. I like a lot all themes related with databases, and unless I don't know anything about diving, I think you did a great job with your DB. It's a good idea to make it public, because share information is the best way to quickly see your database grow up.

Igor P said...

hi Lujan,

thanks for your kind words. I agree that making the database public is a good idea. For now I am still working on it as want to meke it buletproof before publishing it on my website.

"see you"