A Software-Defined Underwater Acoustic Modem for Everyone: Design and Evaluation

Abstract

The development of small low-cost autonomous underwater and surface vehicles has increased the need for underwater wireless communication and ranging to support swarm operations for collaborative data collection efforts. Specifically, newly available low-cost underwater and surface vehicles make the realization of swarm formation cost effective. However, their mission coordination involves the use of expensive acoustic modems whose price may be higher than that of the vehicle itself. In this paper, we describe and evaluate a low-cost software-defined acoustic modem developed with only off-theshelf components, able to perform one-way travel-time ranging. The modem is specifically designed for dense mobile networks deployed in shallow water environments, such as rivers, lagoons and lakes. The modular software design of the modem allows us to easily configure parameters such as modulation and coding schemes, scheduling algorithm, source power, carrier frequency and bandwidth. In this paper we evaluate, in a shallow environment, the modem performance in terms of packet detection ratio, packet delivery ratio, and one-way travel-time ranging.

Design method for long-term evaluation of underwater acoustic communications and networks in a Norwegian fjord environment

“…Although there are numerous commercially available underwater acoustic modems [5][6][7][8][9][10][11], more and more research groups are developing their own low-cost solutions, as discussed in [12]. The development of a low-cost underwater software-defined acoustic modem is also part of the Centre for Research-based Innovation SFI Smart Ocean [13].…”

OFDM-based medium access control protocols for the next generation of underwater wireless networks

“…Note that they are actually attaching a modem to a modem. Another notable effort is currently being made by Campagnaro et al [15], who are developing a low-cost software-defined acoustic modem made only by off-the-shelf components. Campagnaro's modem uses a carrier frequency of 50 kHz and, for DSSS, a bandwidth of 30 kHz.…”

“…15.4 band, moreover, they need to have the same Personal Area ID. Each XBee has a role in a network: it can be a Coordinator (one per network), a Router, which is able to forward messages and run functions,or an Processing Module.…”