Development of a Safety-Support Prototype for Artisanal Hookah Divers
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51747/energy.v16i2.p474-489Keywords:
Artisanal Hookah Diving, Occupational Safety, Prototype Development, Human-Centred Design, Engineering Design, Small-Scale FisheriesAbstract
Artisanal hookah divers in small-scale fisheries face significant occupational safety risks because they rely on surface-supplied compressors and long breathing-air hoses, while existing commercial dive computers are not designed for this operational context. This study aimed to develop a safety-support prototype tailored to the needs of artisanal hookah divers using a human-centred design approach. User needs were identified through preliminary field observations and supported by literature, safety standards, and technology benchmarking. These needs were translated into system requirements and prioritised using an evidence-weighted engineering design process to guide prototype development. The resulting prototype integrates a diver-mounted monitoring module, a surface monitoring and control unit, and a compressor-side flow-proxy module connected through a wired communication pathway. The analysis identified reliable wired communication between the diver and the surface unit as the highest engineering priority, and the prototype successfully implemented a functional manual surface-to-diver warning mechanism. This study contributes a context-specific prototype that reallocates safety-support functions between the diver and the surface operator, providing a practical design framework for improving occupational safety in artisanal hookah diving. Technical validation and field evaluation remain subjects for future research.
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