Swiss mathematician, physicist and diver (1934–2022)
Hannes Keller
Hannes Keller (20 September 1934 – 1 December 2022(2022-12-01) (aged 88)) was a Swiss physicist, mathematician,deep diving pioneer, and entrepreneur. In 1962, he reached a depth of 1,000 feet (300 m) in open ocean.[1][2][3]In the 1970s through the 1980s, Keller made himself a name as an entrepreneur in theIT industry.[4] Keller was also an amateurclassicalpianist who produced twoCDs and occasionally performed for audiences of up to 2000 people.[4][5][6]
Keller was born inWinterthur, Switzerland. He studiedphilosophy,mathematics, andtheoretical physics at theUniversity of Zurich. He became interested in deep diving and developed tables for mixed-gas decompression, supported byAlbert A. Bühlmann who suggested suitable gases.[1][4] Keller successfully tested his idea inLake Zurich, where he reached a depth of 400 feet (120 m), andLake Maggiore, where he reached a depth of 728 feet (222 m).[8] On 3 December 1962,[9] he set a new world record when he reached a depth of 1,000 feet (300 m) off the coast ofSanta Catalina Island, California, together withPeter Small.[7][10] This major achievement was overshadowed by the tragic end of the mission: Keller was lucky to survive while Peter Small and Chris Whittaker, a youngUCLA student and supporting diver, lost their lives.[11]
In the 1970s, Keller sold his own line of computers and in the 1980s became a leading vendor ofIBM PCs in Switzerland.[4] He developed a series of software products (Witchpen, Ways for Windows, and Wizardmaker) which provided automaticspell checking, literalmachine translation, andmacro recording.
Keller used to run Visipix[12] the largest fine art and photo museum online with 1.3 million exhibits, all with free copyrights for any use.[4]
^"Deepest dive ever made, Hannes Keller Ken MacLeish in Lake Maggiore to 728 feet".Life magazine. 4 August 1961. p. 66.
^Bret Gilliam; Robert Von Maier; Darren Webb (1995).Deep Diving: An Advanced Guide To Physiology, Procedures And Systems. Aqua Quest Publications. pp. 60ff.ISBN0922769311.
^Eaton, B (2003)."The Atlantis affair".South Pacific Underwater Medicine Society Journal Reprinted from Diver, December 2002: 85–87.33 (4). Archived from the original on 15 April 2013. Retrieved7 August 2009.
