Method and apparatus for altering and/or minimizing underwater noise

A method of altering the noise made by a diver comprising the steps of:

• a. directing exhaled gas from a diving regulator into a frequency adjustor wherein the frequency adjustor comprises a porous body, where the porous body has interstitial spaces and an average porosity between 100 and 500 microns, a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the gas passes through the frequency adjustor and escapes into the surrounding fluid;
• wherein the proximal end is in fluid communication with a second stage scuba regulator;
• b. altering a position of a switch that is coupled to the distal end of the porous body to a closed position, such that when the switch is in a closed position a substantial portion of the exhaled gas exits the frequency adjustor by going through the porous body thereby reducing the bubble size of the bubbles exiting the frequency adjustor into surrounding fluid relative to the size of the bubbles in the absence of the frequency adjustor;
• and
• c. thereby increasing the frequency of sound produced by the bubbles exiting the frequency adjustor into surrounding fluid to a frequency that approximates the background noise of the fluid into which the bubbles are introduced.

A method of altering the noise made by a diver comprising the steps of

• a. directing exhaled gas from a diving regulator into a frequency adjustor, wherein the gas passes through the frequency adjustor and escapes into the surrounding fluid;
• b. reducing the bubble size of the bubbles exiting the frequency adjustor into surrounding fluid relative to the size of the bubbles in the absence of the frequency adjustor;
• c. increasing the frequency of sound produced by the bubbles exiting the frequency adjustor into surrounding fluid to a frequency that approximates the background noise of the fluid into which the bubbles are introduced;
• wherein the frequency adjustor comprises a porous body where the porous body has interstitial spaces and an average porosity between 100 and 500 microns a proximal end, a distal end a switch coupled to the distal end and a void volume of greater than 20%, wherein less than 80% of the void volume of the frequency adjustor is filled with water in 1 to 3 seconds during a diver inhalation;
• wherein the frequency adjustor is in fluid communication with the diver's lungs such that at least a portion of the diver's exhaled gas is urged to enter the frequency adjustor by diver exhalation pressure;
• wherein the switch has at least an open and a closed position such that when the switch is in the open position a substantial portion of the exhaled gas exits the frequency adjustor at the distal end without going through the porous body, and when the switch is in a closed position a substantial portion of the exhaled gas exits the frequency adjustor by going through the porous body;
• and
• wherein at least 50% of the volume of gas exhaled by the diver exits the frequency adjustor and enters the water in under 2 to 5 seconds after exhalation;
• and wherein the frequency adjustor alters the frequency of sound produced by exhaled gas by increasing the frequency of sound produced by at least a portion of the bubbles to above 105 Hz.