History
Since 1992, a group of students from the É.T.S. in electrical, mechanical, software and automated automation engineering have taken part in the completion of Omer, a human-powered submarine. The first generation of Omer was a two-seater submarine that made its mark around the world. Despite the students' efforts and with numerous prizes and awards in conception and innovation, Omer was not the world's fastest submarine. Otherwise, at the first presence of the Omer team, a variable pitch system was operational and gave good performances and helped the next Omer submarines to increase their speed.
In September 1995, the team decided that Omer would become the world's champion. With new members' ideas and older members' expertise, Omer 2 was born. In four months, a new hull was made and a new onboard computer was added to control the variable pitch from the propeller, and to give some information to the pilot as well.
Omer went to California for a competition in May 1996, where it won a world record in the two-seater category. With that victory in hand, the team decided to aim for first place in the one-seater category. Construction on Omer 3 began.
The team found success in Washington in June 1997, winning world record in all categories. In the summer of 2001, Omer 4 was set to beat the previous world record of 7.192 knots. Since then, a new electrical control system has been tested and integrated for the 2002 competition in California.
Since their creation, Omer, Omer 2 and Omer 3 had a lot of visibility in the media, and gained offers of help from individuals and corporations.
In the summer of 2003, Omer 5, the new two-seater submarine took first place again using the experience acquired from Omer 4. The new submarine is now much more stable than Omer 4. In 2005, it beat the world speed record for a two-seater submarine setting the mark at 7.061 knots.
In the summer of 2007, the submarine Omer 5 set the new world record reaching a speed of 8.035 knots. Omer 6 a submarine using non-propeller reach 4.642 knots, with its driver Nicolas Tardif, setting also a world record for non-propeller submarine.
Read more about this topic: Omer (submarine)
Famous quotes containing the word history:
“What would we not give for some great poem to read now, which would be in harmony with the scenery,—for if men read aright, methinks they would never read anything but poems. No history nor philosophy can supply their place.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“The disadvantage of men not knowing the past is that they do not know the present. History is a hill or high point of vantage, from which alone men see the town in which they live or the age in which they are living.”
—Gilbert Keith Chesterton (1874–1936)
“[Men say:] “Don’t you know that we are your natural protectors?” But what is a woman afraid of on a lonely road after dark? The bears and wolves are all gone; there is nothing to be afraid of now but our natural protectors.”
—Frances A. Griffin, U.S. suffragist. As quoted in History of Woman Suffrage, vol. 4, ch. 19, by Susan B. Anthony and Ida Husted Harper (1902)