Intelligent AUV-Assisted Heterogeneous Underwater Acoustic Sensor Networks

水下声传感器网络（Underwater acoustic Sensor Network，UWSN）是一种新兴的网络平台，具有广泛的应用前景，从环境监测、工业仪表监控到军事监视和安全监控。UWSN研究的进展进一步增强了最近越来越多的兴趣和工程活动在AUV（自主无人驾驶车辆）的设计和部署，这要求UWSN纳入移动性属性。AUV的使用（或AUV组）将促进网络部署策略，最大限度地扩大网络覆盖范围，并实现高速联网;然而，由于稀疏部署、低通信带宽、大的传播延迟和延迟变化，频率相关衰减，多径效应和多普勒效应强，水声信号到达距离长。本研究的主要目的是：（1）研究UWSNs的延迟/中断容忍网络架构;（2）设计和评估延迟/中断容忍链路和网络层协议;（3）利用协作通信和网络来改善网络功能;以及（4）应用压缩感知技术来更好地进行水下信道估计。AUV和传感器的移动性算法设计和网络性能的影响将密切研究这些研究目标。除了新的算法和分析模型，硬件平台的原型设计，实现和测试将通过本研究建立。拟议的研究将是高素质人才（HQP）培训的理想平台，学生将学习进行独立和创造性的研究，并获得宝贵的实践经验。这项研究将有助于巩固加拿大在水下通信和网络技术的前沿地位，并为加拿大未来的自然资源开发、环境监测和国家安全提供宝贵的通信网络支持。

The UnderWater acoustic Sensor Network (UWSN) is an emerging networking platform that promises a wide range of potential applications, ranging from environmental monitoring, industrial instrumentation monitoring and control, to military surveillance and security monitoring. The advancement of UWSN study is further augmented by the recent increasing interest and engineering activity in the design and deployment of AUVs (Autonomous Unmanned Vehicles), which has required that UWSNs incorporate mobility properties. The use of AUV (or groups of AUVs) will facilitate network deployment strategy, maximize network coverage, and enable high-speed networking; however, it also raises new challenges for localization and synchronization, route planning, medium access control, coordinated estimation, and network connectivity due to the sparse deployment, low communication bandwidth, large propagation delay and delay variation, frequency dependent attenuation, strong multi-path and Doppler effects, and long reach of the acoustic signals of the UWSNs. The objectives of the proposed research are (1) to study the delay/disruption-tolerant network architecture of the UWSNs; (2) to design and evaluate a delay/disruption-tolerant link and network layer protocols; (3) to utilize cooperative communication and networking to improve network functionalities; and (4) to apply a compressed sensing technique for better underwater channel estimation. The impact of AUVs and sensor mobility to algorithm design and network performance will be closely studied for these research objectives. In addition to novel algorithms and analytical models, a hardware platform for prototype design, implementation, and testing will be established through this research. The proposed research will be an ideal platform for highly qualified personnel (HQP) training, where the students will learn to conduct independent and creative research, as well as obtain valuable hands-on experience. This research will help solidify Canada's place in the forefront of underwater communications and networking technologies and provide valuable communication network support for Canada's future natural resources exploitation, environment monitoring, and national security.