THE CHALLENGE

U.S. SOCOM parachutists train for high-altitude high-opening (HAHO) operations, which includes a lengthy glide phase up to 20km. En route to their release point and throughout their descent, they will use supplemental oxygen from a compressed tank. The tank gauge is hard to reach when underway, and shows pressure but no indication of time left.

THE SOLUTION

Nanohmics worked with Special Forces parachute training school to develop a low-power battery operated wireless pressure sensor that monitored a parachutist’s individual O2 tank pressure. The system relayed the tank pressure information via Bluetooth to a mobile software application, which using the rate of pressure drop would calculate consumption and give the user the calculated time remaining for the current tank. The system electronics were integrated into a <1.5 cu in tank fitting, and the battery life was over 3 months. Nanohmics wireless O2 pressure sensor was tested in multiple parachute jumps.

BENEFIT TO CLIENT

Nanohmics wireless O2 pressure sensor provided an easy way to monitor a personal O2 tank pressure, as well as predict the time remaining based on the user’s current consumption. This allowed users to coordinate when tank changes would be required and plan accordingly, instead of carrying multiple backup tanks.