Investigation of Underwater Acoustic Networking Enabling the Cooperative Operation of Multiple Heterogeneous Vehicles

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2013

Authors

Nuno A Cruz (Author) FEUP; Bruno M Ferreira (Author) Other; Oleksiy Kebkal (Author) Other; Anibal C Matos (Author) FEUP; Chiara Petrioli (Author) Other; Roberto Petroccia (Author) Other; Daniele Spaccini (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Marine Technology Society Journal

Vol. 47

Pages: 43-58

ISSN: 0025-3324

Publisher: Marine Technology Society, Inc.

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 23 Citations

Scopus - 35 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Engineering and technology > Environmental engineering

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-005-2KH

DOI: 10.4031/mtsj.47.2.4

Abstract (EN): In this paper, we investigate the creation of an underwater acoustic network to support marine operations based on static and mobile nodes. Each underwater device combines communication, networking, and sensing capabilities and cooperates with the other devices in coordinated missions. The proposed system is built upon the SUNSET framework, providing acoustic communications and networking capabilities to autonomous underwater vehicles, autonomous surface vessels, and moored systems, using underwater acoustic modems. Specific solutions have been developed and tested to control the underwater nodes acoustically and to instruct the vehicles on keeping a given formation using acoustic links. One of the novelties of our approach has been the development and utilization of a realistic simulation infrastructure to provide a very accurate representation of all the dynamic systems involved in the network, modeling the vehicle dynamics, the acoustic channel, and the communication messages. This infrastructure has been extensively used to investigate and validate the proposed solutions under different environmental conditions before the actual deployment of devices. Several experiments were then conducted in the laboratory and in the field. The experimental results have confirmed the effectiveness of the proposed solutions and the reliability of the proposed simulation framework in estimating system performance.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 16