Introduction
As the most experienced user of Dr. Samuel Wilcox’s
ingenious device the SCUBAPS: Self-Contained Underwater Breathing and
Anti-Pressure Suit, he has asked me to write a guide on how to use the SCUBAPS.
In this brief tutorial, you’ll learn how to use the SCUBAPS to dive at any
depth and how to maintain your safety while wearing one.
Before Entering the Water
When donning the SCUBAPS, it will at first seem too
large to fit, but once it reaches up to your neckline, it will snap tight. The
SCUBAPS has been altered to work with underwear or even very thin clothing worn
beneath it. The zipper will merge with the front of the suit, making it
seamless. A pull-tab at the neckline can be used to cause the zipper to
reappear and will also loosen the suit.
Upon Entering the Water
First, you will want to activate the A.I. inside the
suit. Simply say, “Activate A.I.” or “Turn on A.I.” or any similar variation
and the A.I will respond. Once she [I use she here because the voice is feminine]
responds, you will know she is activated and can be used to initiate the jet
propulsion device. In addition, you can instruct her to activate any of the
suit’s features like the headlamp, Sea-Vision, anti-predation measures, and
more. The A.I. will be your constant companion but can be turned off as easily
as it is activated. Even with the A.I. off, you can still use vocal commands to
turn on the headlamp or change the field of vision within the helmet. If swimming
in a location where predation is likely, maintain the anti-predation feature at
all times.
Special Features of the SCUBAPS
In addition to keeping the wearer protected from the crushing
pressure of the deep, the SCUBAPS has several internal features that aid the user.
A map can be instructed to appear in the lower right-hand corner of the screen
or extended to encompass the window of the helmet. At all times depth,
location, pressure, oxygen permeability levels, and outside temperature are
displayed in the upper left-hand corner. However, it can be turned off by
asking the A.I. Sea-Vision allows the user to tint the field of vision to allow
the user to see in the dark. Any creatures within view will become visible
under the use of Sea-Vision. The SCUBAPS also allows the user to take
photographs of anything viewed through the window. Fully compatible with the
c-com, the photos can be sent to the c-com device upon returning to Oceania via
a quick instruction to the A.I. Although not part of the suit itself, the
SCUBAPS can integrate with a jet propulsion pack to aid in movement. The A.I. is
fully integrated with the jet propulsion pack and can increase or decrease the
speed based on vocal instruction. The jet propulsion pack has three speeds: low,
medium, and high. High speed is intense and can only be maintained for a short
period of time due to stress on the body. Low speed is good to aid in swimming,
while medium speed is good to use for traveling at distance. To protect against
predation of the user, the SCUBAPS has an anti-predation feature that nullifies
echolocation and masks the electrical signature of the user, making them
invisible to sharks, whales, and dolphins. The outer skin of the suit can mask
the user to photosensitive hunters as well.
Removing the Suit
Taking off the suit is easy. Once out of the water,
first remove the helmet by tugging forcefully upwards and the helmet will unseal
from the suit. The helmet can sense water pressure and the amount of water surrounding
the suit when underwater. If the helmet senses that the user is still
submerged, no amount of tugging will remove the helmet as a safety measure.
Once the helmet is off, then the user can access the pull-tab at the neckline.
One tug and the zipper will reappear on the suit. The zipper can be pulled down
and the suit removed.
Basic Care of the Suit
The SCUBAPS is designed to be indestructible. Still, a
very sharp object could damage the integrity of the suit, so never cut or allow
the suit to be cut on anything sharp. Underwater, a slight tear of the suit
could cause an implosion, so better not to risk it. Each suit should be allowed
to dry before the next use and (officially) the suit is not to be worn for more
than 12 hours at a time.
You’ve reached the end of the blog post for this week. The next blog post will be released soon. I hope you enjoyed reading this blog post and if you have any comments, you can leave them here on my blog or email me directly at elizataye@gmail.com. As always, I love hearing from my readers.
