Jacques Cousteau
Jacques Cousteau devoted all his energy to ocean exploration, even after World War II. He bought the Calypso, a minesweeper, and sailed it around all of the globe, even the Antarctic Circle. He conducted experiments and collected data that he used to develop the Calypso-Phot underwater camera and the SP-350 deep-sea two-man submarine.
Cousteau began his research with the creation of an apparatus for breathing called the aqualung. Although this apparatus was able to allow Cousteau to breathe in controlled air, it was only suited for shallow diving. Cousteau was determined to find out the depths beneath the oceans. He needed a better method to regulate airflow. His experimentation led to the development of the demand regulator, which allowed air to pass only on demand. This invention would aid divers in increasing their air supply while avoiding decompression sickness.
Yves le Prieur
Yves le Prieur is a pioneer in scuba diving, dating back to the early 1900s. In 1946 he invented a fullface mask with a loose front plate that was a sort of diaphragm for the demand regulator. His next invention, the diving regulator.
In 1933, the first scuba diving apparatus was patent. The Fernez-Le-Prieur Air Supply System was combined with the Denayrouze & Rouquayrol's demand regulator. This device changed the face of scuba diving by making underwater respirators affordable and more accessible. This was the birth of recreational diving.
Guy Gilpatric
During his lifetime, Guy Gilpatric has contributed to the history of scuba diving in many ways. He was the author of the first sport diving guide, and his Saturday Evening Post articles were amongst those that covered scuba dive. He was fascinated by the sea and the natural world and decided to travel the Mediterranean to write about it. It is believed that the book inspired Jacques Cousteau to develop modern scuba diving.
The modern scuba dive apparatus was invented in the 20th century. Guy Gilpatric, an American marine biologist, invented a system that allowed divers air to be breathed in without the need for surface air. Later, Yves Le Prier created an underwater breathing system that was self-contained. The scuba rig was quickly popularized by Owen Churchill after he sold it to him. Guy Gilpatric then developed rubber goggles with glass lenses, face masks, snorkels, swim fins, and a high-pressure air tank.
Yves Gagnan
In the beginning of the century, scuba divers had to rely on helmets, diving bells, and air hoses from the surface. Yves Gagnan (Parisian engineer) helped them to create a demand valve system. This new device provided compressed air on demand and was capable of adjusting to the pressure of the surrounding water. This discovery allowed people from all walks of life to explore the oceans.
Gagnan was a French citizen, born in Burgundy, France in 1900. After graduating from college, he took up employment with Air Liquide and studied high-pressure pneumatic design. This helped to develop the scuba equipment we now use.