Jacques Cousteau
Jacques Cousteau devoted much of his time to ocean exploration following World War II. He bought a Calypso mining boat and traveled around the world in it, including to the Antarctic Circle. He did experiments and collected data. These were used to design the Calypso-Phot underwater camera and SP-350 deep-sea two-man submarine.
Cousteau began his research with the creation of an apparatus for breathing called the aqualung. This apparatus allowed him to breathe air in a controlled manner, but was limited to shallow dives. In order to discover the depths of the oceans, Cousteau knew that he needed a better way to regulate the flow of air. The demand regulator was the result of his experiments. Air can only flow on demand. This invention would help divers extend their air supply and avoid decompression sickness.
Yves le Prieur
Yves le Prieur scuba diving dates back to the very beginning of the 1900s. In 1946, he created a fullface mask that had a loose face plate. This was to be used as a demand regulator's diaphragm. The diving regulator was his next invention.
1933 saw the invention of the first scuba diving device. The Fernez-Le-Prieur air supply system was combined with the Denayrouze-Rouquayrol demand regulator. This device changed the face of scuba diving by making underwater respirators affordable and more accessible. This was the birthplace recreational scuba.
Guy Gilpatric
Guy Gilpatric is a pioneer in scuba divership history. He was the author of the first sport diving guide, and his Saturday Evening Post articles were amongst those that covered scuba dive. His love for the sea, and his fascination with nature inspired him to explore and write about the Mediterranean. The book is credited as inspiring Jacques Cousteau. He would go on later to create modern scubadiving.
The invention of the modern scuba diving apparatus began in the early 20th century. Guy Gilpatric, an American marine biologist, patented a system that allows divers to breathe in air without using surface air. Later, Yves Le Prier created an underwater breathing system that was self-contained. Owen Churchill bought the system, and the scuba-rig gained rapid popularity. Guy Gilpatric developed rubber goggles that included glass lenses, swim fins and snorkels.
Yves Gagnan
The first century saw scuba divers relying on the use of diving bells, helmets, and air hoses. Yves Gagnan a Parisian engineer helped them develop a demand system. This new device provided compressed air on demand and was capable of adjusting to the pressure of the surrounding water. This discovery enabled people of all levels to explore oceans.
Gagnan was born 1900 in Burgundy in France. After graduating from college, Gagnan began work at Air Liquide. He studied high pressure pneumatic design. This led to the creation of the scuba equipment we use today.