Contact: Phil Hearn
STARKVILLE, Miss.--A Mississippi State mechanical engineering major has designed a "heads-up" scuba mask that could allow divers to keep their hands free while monitoring air supply and other life-supporting vital signs under water.
University senior Harold S. "Tommy" Thompson's high-tech proposal would integrate a computer into the mask, allowing divers to monitor a continuous display of vitals while keeping their hands free to accomplish underwater tasks. His design eliminates the need for currently used tethered consoles or wrist-mount displays.
"The information that would be displayed in the viewing area of the mask includes remaining air pressure, depth, total dive time and remaining dive time at the current depth," explained the 24-year-old entrepreneurial whiz from Decatur, Ala.
Thompson's project won first place and a $500 cash award in the MSU's 2005 Jack Hatcher Entrepreneurship Business Plan Competition. He proposes marketing the product primarily to underwater professionals and technical divers through his own planned business, Thompson SCUBA Co., which is only a theoretical company at this point.
"My mask would offer unmatched safety and convenience to these individuals who require the use of both hands at all times in their trade," he maintains.
A scuba diver for the past two years, Thompson got his idea from having to constantly check his gauges for vital information while diving, and thinking "there has to be a better way.
"I became extremely aware of the safety aspect on a dive two years ago when one of the guys with whom I was diving, an experienced diver, ran out of air on a night dive at a depth of about 90 to 100 feet," he said. "Luckily, he wasn't seriously injured, but it was an experience none of us on that dive will ever forget."
According to the U.S. Marine Corps, approximately 100 scuba divers die in accidents each year, out of an estimated two-million U.S. citizens who engage in the sport or profession. Most of the deaths are caused by medical problems, panic and exhaustion, environmental accidents, and equipment failures, the military branch reports.
"Monitoring air supply is imperative while diving, and prevents both panic and exhaustion," Marine Cpl. Krystal N. Leach wrote in an article on safe diving.
MSU's second-place finisher in the 2005 Jack Hatcher competition was Byron J. Williams of Jackson, a graduate student in computer science and engineering. He won a $300 cash award for his idea of "Beyond Car Audio," an innovative systems approach to auto customization.
Tied for third place and a $200 cash prize were:
--The "Southern Suspension" team of seniors Kyle A. Miller of Moss Point and Blake Webster of Florence, both electrical engineering majors, who detailed a company selling electronic suspension control systems; and
--Sophomore Jeremy A. Wolfe of Vicksburg, representing the "Logical Analog" team whose theoretical company produced a digitally controlled analog tremolo (tremulous effect) for musicians. He is majoring in management of construction and land development in the College of Business and Industry.
Local entrepreneurs judged the competition, along with faculty from the Bagley College of Engineering and the College of Business and Industry, and members of the Engineering Dean's Development Council. Student teams were allotted 30-45 minutes to pitch their product or idea to the panel of judges and field questions.
"The business plan competition gives these students a forum where they can present their idea and defend it," explained Gerald Nelson, director of the engineering college's Hatcher Entrepreneurship Program.
"Not many students have the opportunity to sit in a board room with CEOs, company presidents and executives, and discuss an idea and how to fund it," he added. "This is an incredible real-world educational opportunity."
Jack Hatcher, a Ripley native and 1949 MSU civil engineering graduate, established an entrepreneurial certification program within the Bagley College in 2001 to help expose engineering students to the business aspects of their chosen profession.
For more information, contact Gerald Nelson at (662) 325-8423 or gnelson@engr.msstate.edu; or Julie Lemons at 325-8098 or jlemons@engr.msstate.edu.
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LOCAL EDITORS:
Harold S. "Tommy" Thompson III is the son of Hal and Susan Thompson;
Byron Williams is the son of Letitia Crawford of ZIP 39206;
Kyle Miller is the son of Gary and Theresa Miller;
Blake Webster is the son of Paul and Kim Abercrombie; and
Jeremy Wolfe is the son of Larry and Ronda Wolfe.