America’s underwater special forces ops might not like it at first, but this dolphinlike device, PowerSwim, will let them reach targets fast — and without having to catch their breath. The device is compatible with standard scuba gear, as well as the front-mounted rebreathers (artist sketch, above) used by special operations personnel to avoid telltale bubble trails.
Humans are terrible swimmers, converting roughly 3 percent of their kicks, strokes and general underwater exertions into forward motion. We can boost our efficiency to 10 percent by adding fins, but dolphins, by comparison, can turn 80 percent of their energy into thrust. Not to be outdone, the Pentagon’s research wing, DARPA, is developing a contraption that lets Navy SEALs and other combat divers swim faster, and with less effort.
Instead of kicking, PowerSwim calls for a kind of undulation as its hinged foils pivot up and down. Similar to the way a dolphin or tortoise pumps its fins, this motion generates both lift and thrust. And while artificial fins operate within the swimmer’s own wake (they form a kind of expanding cone, starting at a swimmer’s shoulders), the PowerSwim’s lead foil — or propulsor foil — sweeps through the water just outside that wake.
See how the PowerSwim works at Military.com.
– Christian
{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
Why not,since the pentagon doesn’t want to shell out for mini-subs to be used by the SEALs.
I looked up the Popular Mechanics article about this device & somebody in the comments section of the article is saying that this “cute device” costs about 2.8 million dollars.I’m not sure if the price is adjusted for HYPER-inflation & the devaluation of the American Dollar,but 2.8 million dollars is a bit much for a device that is not motorized & runs on human power alone.I don’t even think that a surfboard costs as much as this thing.
Why not purchase the Pegasus Thruster instead? At least it runs on batteries.
I look at this and I have a couple of questions. I mean, can’t the navy shell out for a little motor? I mean, this device may be more efficient, but given the choice between an 80% efficient muscle and an external battery, I’d take the battery every time. This seems like a solution in search of a problem. As for the 2.8 million, that probably counts the engineering cost of it. There probably is a lot of technical work in the foil, it is like an aircraft wing. Still, not much cost in stamping out wings of polycarbonate or something like that.
I didn’t know a tortoise had fins.
This is going to make being a SEAL super easy! :)
Hey I love ‘em- but lets face it- the SEALS are overrated. I think they swim in when they could probably just HALO in. Both Grenada and Panama had the SEALS doing frankly stupid things so they could show off. Heck- in Panama they could have taken a taxi to that airport.
But we need to justify $3 billion Jimmy Carter subs, $1 billion LCS’s, waterwings, etc.
Don’t know about this app, but if the folks at PowerSwim ever do a bodysurfer version, they can probably find test volunteers at any pier, reef or beach break, anywhere.
Especially if they kick in for beer and pizza, afterwards.
Why try to be superhuman when we know that the basic model human is only 3% efficient?
Wouldn’t it make more sense to use a totally inhuman unmanned underwater craft designed to move like an 80% efficient dolphin? Electric motors don’t make bubbles either.
If robots are good enough for oil companies, underwater cable laying companies, and oceanagraphers, they ought to be good enough for the U.S. military as well.
as long as new recruits still get trained the low tech way I am O.K with it. If seals dont learn to swim and thier equipment breaks, they are screwed.
Amateurs.
refresh my memory please. why do the seals need this? the war we are fighting is in the freakin desert!!
don’t we already use dolphins to do this kind of work?
refresh my memory please. why do the seals need this? the war we are fighting is in the freakin desert!!
Posted by: Davila, S at November 28, 2007 02:57 PM
_____________________________________________
In response, have you never heard of black ops son? Or pre-emptive development? It’s the same as fixing the air conditioning in the new Helo’s the Army bought, or finding something to replace the damn M-14A2′s with their overheating problems.
If it don’t work just right, improve it.
I recall seeing this device 20-30 years ago in Popular Science magazine. DARPA may have spent megabucks on research and testing, but you could make one of these things easily for less than $100 .
A light weight, silent, all mechanical device without batteries to go flat would be a boon to SEALs. You could parachute with it, hide it easily on the beach. It wouild fill the gap between a full swimmer delivery vehicle and swim fins.
Reminds of some of the tests we did up at Fort Greely, Alaska in the 70′s. Dog boot test for the 172nd infantry dogs, trouble was they didn’t have dogs anymore they used Kawasaki 1000 silent snowmobiles! Had to go to Mount McKinley and use the sled dogs from the forest rangers! Point being, check with the brigade commanders to see how, what, where and why before you spend fortunes on worthless research! Want another one? F-20 Tigershark, best damn fighter aircraft I ever flew, AF boys didn’t want it, it didn’t happen! Guess nothing has changed with those R&D boys, still trying to justify their paychecks!
Pentagon should simply organize open competition challenges for ideas on what it would otherwise research. “Out-of-box” thinkers & garage-tinkerers will almost always win, as with the driver-less vehicle competition.
I’m curious about how the swimmer would control the Powerswim, especially if tight turns were necessary or the operator has to negotiate restricted spaces. If he has to make a rapid evasive movement near the surface, the end of the wing could pop above the surface, destabilizing him and possibly exposing him to hostiles. I would also hope there is an effective quick-release, especially for the leg shackle arrangement. Could be problematic if they run up against a surprise enemy swimmer or shark.
How about moving supplies or an Operator gets injured? 2 swimmers pulling 1 injured swimmer decreases effeciency to 1% per able body. Change in a better direction is welcomed. 10 years ago, we weren’t in the desert, where will we be in 10 from now?
Sounds like another boondoggle and a pocket liner $$ for someone. Seen too many items get bought “for the military” that should’ve never gone further than the boneyard, where the good stuff went in the first place.
Love to rent one in Maui HI, Caribbean, HI State, PR, FL, Cuba, Seychelles, Maldives, Vietnam, Australia, Fiji, Baja CA Mex
Nice.
Use for 007 movie due???
Now add Diver tug pod & wild.
Deploy from SSGNs or surface Cyclone class SpecOps cutters.
Great for USCG use & SEAL Ops.