DARPA Develops Dolphin-like Tail For Divers

willatnewscientist writes "Forget flippers, the latest idea from the guys at DARPA is a tail-like prosthetic for divers. The (forward-facing) tail, demonstrated at DARPA Tech 2007, is designed to help a diver maintain a speed of 2 knots for up to 300 metres. 'The unpowered, carbon-fibre structure straps to a diver's shins and is used with a motion that is not unlike the way Patrick Duffy swims in The Man from Atlantis. The design is inspired by the way mammals like Seals and Dolphins swim. I caught this video of Powerswim (3.5 MB .avi) at the DARPATech 2007 gathering in Anaheim, California. It would be nice to grab one and try it out when I next head down to the beach, but unless its designers DEKA (the same people who make the Segway) come up with a budget version, the $500 price-tag is going to keep me firmly in my flippers.'"

RTFA

[Anonymous Coward]

No need to click and read the article. The summary *is* the article.
 

now,

[martinelli]

we just need some laser beams.

Re:now,

[firpecmox]

we just need some laser beams.

And attach them to the head of some friggin sharks.

Next prosthetic...

[CptPicard]

Lasers!!

Re:I am eating DOLPHIN right now!

[mike_the_kid]

According to The Register [theregister.co.uk], the new fins will allow a diver to swim at a sustained 2 knots.

According to the first link returned by Google for "How fast can a great white swim": A great white's can swim about 20 knots -- in bursts. But, they usually swim around 1 or 2 knots.

So, the question is, who's got a better burst, a diver or a hungry shark? And who do you think can sustain that for longer?

Not too long ago, the Cincinatti Bengal's wide receiver Chad Johnson raced a horse. If anyone ever wants to race a shark, please let me know. I'm putting money on the shark.

Re:I am eating DOLPHIN right now!

[modecx]

I'll let other people have at it--until they make it possible to not have a giant wing oscillate so close to my nuts. That stupid thing is a castration catastrophe waiting to happen. No thanks.

Re:I am eating DOLPHIN right now!

[mobby_6kl]

You don't need to outrun a shark, only the other guy who happens to be in the water nearby.

Re:$500 - not a bad price

[geobeck]

2 knots an hour? for 300 m?

That's a hell of a distance over which to sustain that degree of acceleration. ;)