High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The Thalmann Algorithm (VVAL 18) is a deterministic decompression model originally designed in 1980 to produce a decompression schedule for divers using the US Navy Mk15 rebreather. It was developed by Capt. Edward D. Thalmann, M.D., USN, who did research into decompression theory at the Naval Medical Research Institute, Navy Experimental Diving Unit, the State University of New York at Buffalo and Duke University. The algorithm forms the basis for the current U.S. Navy mixed gas and standard air dive tables.