Presented by the U.S. Department of Commerce, this film shows some early underwater habitats, including the EDALHab, one the first of its kind. EDLAHab was used for Project FLARE, Florida Aquanot Research Expedition, a pioneering effort to examine the nitrogen/oxygen diving techniques sponsored by the University of New Hampshire and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or NOAA. UNH’s Engineering Design and Analysis Laboratory was formed in 1965 as an interdisciplinary faculty group made up mainly of members of the College of Technology. In the summer of 1966 the EDAL faculty undertook a study of different types of scientific sealabs, more properly known as Scientific Saturation Diving Facilities, for the U.S. Office of Naval Research. The “Edalhab” project began when the students decided to attempt building a model of the one their faculty were designing. The eight-by-ten foot Edalhab was launched on April 26, 1968 at Alton Bay, NH. Four student aquanauts spent 48 hours and six minutes living in the sea-laboratory they designed and built. EDALHAB was a success but the lab could not be moved easily and required a support ship, so its use was limited.
Underwater habitats are underwater structures in which people can live for extended periods and carry out most of the basic human functions of a 24-hour day, such as working, resting, eating, attending to personal hygiene, and sleeping. In this context ‘habitat’ is generally used in a narrow sense to mean the interior and immediate exterior of the structure and its fixtures, but not its surrounding marine environment. Most early underwater habitats lacked regenerative systems for air, water, food, electricity, and other resources. However, recently some new underwater habitats allow for these resources to be delivered using pipes, or generated within the habitat, rather than manually delivered.
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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com
