Adaptable Underwater Networks: The Relation between Autonomy and Communications

Abstract

This paper discusses requirements for autonomy and communications in maritime environments through two use cases which are sourced from military scenarios: Mine Counter Measures (MCM) and Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW). To address these requirements, this work proposes a service-oriented architecture that breaks the typical boundaries between the autonomy and the communications stacks. An initial version of the architecture has been implemented and its deployment during a field trial done in January 2019 is reported. The paper discusses the achieved results in terms of system flexibility and ability to address the MCM and ASW requirements.

Ad hoc Acoustic Network Aided Localization for micro-AUVs

“…This paper builds on these recent results and describes a layered, service-oriented architecture designed to accommodate the needs of ad hoc acoustic sensor networks of micro-AUVs in different application scenarios, with the aim of providing the necessary services and infrastructure to enable the operation of a fleet of small, low-cost underwater vehicles. Initial concepts about the benefits of having an interplay between the autonomy and the communication systems of an AUV have been proposed by the authors in (Hamilton et al, 2020), together with an initial experimental assessment of the implemented network. Building on those early concepts, the contribution of this work is twofold.…”

Mathematical Model of Information Exchange in the Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Network

“…To reduce the time, such works are often carried out by a group of vehicles based on a certain multi-agent concept, which implies information exchange between the agents to coordinate joint actions. In this case, AUVs are considered as a network, in which the vehicles exchange information using underwater sonar communication [3][4][5][6][7]. The implementation of such communication is rather problematic in view of a low speed of sound propagation in water, the frequency dependence of the attenuation coefficient of a hydroacoustic signal, multipath propagation, and signal detection under conditions of a priori uncertainty in the noise-signal environment.…”

Vector Sensor Steering-Dependent Performance in an Underwater Acoustic Communication Field Experiment

“…Mobile platforms, e.g., autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and gliders, are particularly challenging for UWAC because acoustic communication channels are continuously varying due to changing spatial characteristics of the propagation media [ 2 ]. For those mobile assets, long-range communication allows guidance, status updates, and the sharing of on-the-fly sensor information [ 1 , 3 ]. Mobile platforms are also restricted in size, weight, and energy consumption, which explains why not many of those employ acoustic communications on board and, when they do, these are based on very simple low-power single transducer modems [ 4 ].…”