Yulia Nikulina, a TSU student supervised by Dmitry Sukhanov, associate professor at the Faculty of Radiophysics, is creating а multi-channel underwater data transmission device. It can be used for communication and data exchange between the robots and an underwater ship carrier, as well as for the automatic positioning of underwater objects. This system will assist the study of the oceans and seas, marine organisms, and underwater resources.
Radio waves of high frequencies do not pass through salt water, so we use a low-frequency range for communication, but it is impossible to provide a sufficient data transfer bandwidth.
- Ultrasonic waves propagate in the water over considerable distances, and they are used for underwater communication. But at the moment there is only the one-channel mode of data transmission, - says Yulia Nikulina. - We propose multichannel transmission, where a matrix of emitters and receivers will be used. In addition, we will apply a new type of signals that will take into account that water is heterogeneous and constantly in motion.
Yulia says that in the first stage, the unit will withstand pressures of up to 100 atmospheres, that is, it can work at a depth of 1,000 meters. It will allow transferring information at a distance of 10 to 100 meters with a minimization of the noise level at frequencies from 50 to 500 kHz. The device will be completely sealed and will receive power from the onboard carrier network (surface ship or underwater robot).
- Unlike the existing underwater acoustic communication systems, which are single-channel, the proposed solution will make it possible to multiply the data transmission speed by dozens of times, - said Dmitry Sukhanov. - In addition, one of the advantages of the system will be an automatic adaptation to the mutual movement of the source and receiver and changes in water: flow, turbulent flows, and so on by the use of certain calibration signals.