I-Corps: Low-weight Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) with Wireless Communication

I-Corps：具有无线通信功能的轻型自主水下航行器 (AUV)

• 批准号: 2006307
• 负责人: Reza Alam
• 金额: $ 5万
• 依托单位: University of California-Berkeley
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2020-02-01 至 2022-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2006307&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Corps; Low; weight; Autonomous; Underwater

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of a high-bandwidth underwater wireless data communication for research and industry. Unlike communication in air where radio waves allow the transmission of data, voice or video wireless, a tether is required underwater to transmit similar information. The development of a new type of underwater vehicle that can send and receive data wirelessly will unlock new possibilities in ocean exploration and marine conservation as well as new economic development opportunities. This technology could provide a solution to efficiently map the seafloor, significantly improving search and rescue capabilities. Oceans cover 70% of the planet but more than 80% of the seafloor remains unmapped. This technology also could be used to better monitor offshore industrial activities and help to prevent environmental damage and ocean pollution. In addition, the vehicle could gather data that can be used to monitor ocean health and to better predict climate change. The technology may have application across all fields of the blue economy: offshore aquaculture, maritime defense, offshore energy, ocean observing and shipping. This I-Corps project is based on the development of high-bandwidth underwater wireless data communication for seafloor mapping, environmental monitoring, underwater data collection and across all five fields of the blue economy. The technology is an underwater vehicle that can send and receive data using optical communication, which has a better range underwater than radio communication. This enables remote control the vehicle and it is possible to receive live feedback from the vehicle (e.g., live video stream) without the problems of using a tether. The vehicle also may be pre-programmed and operated in autonomous mode, and prototypes have been developed and tested in water tanks. Further development of the technology requires a better understanding of customer needs and requirements to achieve commercialization.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

I-Corps项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力是为研究和工业开发高带宽水下无线数据通信。在空中，无线电波可以传输数据、声音或视频，而在水下，传输类似的信息需要缆绳。一种能够无线发送和接收数据的新型水下航行器的开发将为海洋勘探和海洋保护带来新的可能性，以及新的经济发展机遇。这项技术可以提供一种有效绘制海底地图的解决方案，显著提高搜索和救援能力。海洋覆盖了地球的70%，但超过80%的海底仍未被绘制出来。这项技术还可用于更好地监测近海工业活动，并有助于防止环境破坏和海洋污染。此外，该飞行器还可以收集用于监测海洋健康和更好地预测气候变化的数据。该技术可以应用于蓝色经济的所有领域：近海水产养殖、海上防御、近海能源、海洋观测和航运。I-Corps项目的基础是开发高带宽水下无线数据通信，用于海底测绘、环境监测、水下数据收集以及蓝色经济的所有五个领域。该技术是一种水下航行器，可以使用光通信发送和接收数据，光通信在水下的范围比无线电通信大。这使得远程控制车辆成为可能，并且可以从车辆接收实时反馈（例如，实时视频流），而无需使用系绳的问题。车辆也可能被预先编程并在自主模式下操作，原型车已经在水箱中开发和测试。该技术的进一步发展需要更好地了解客户的需求和要求，以实现商业化。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。