Toward Future Internet-of-Underwater-Things (IoUT) through Intelligent Underwater Communications and Networking

自人类历史开始以来，神秘的海洋世界就使人类着迷。虽然过去一个世纪的科技进步大大提高了人们对物质世界的认识，但人们对水下世界的了解仍然远远落后于对遥远的深空的了解。因此，近年来，出于科学、环境、商业和军事目的对海洋和其他水下环境的探索引起了国际研究人员的强烈兴趣。******水下物联网（IoUT）是物联网（IoT）的一个新类别，近年来出现了一个由智能互联水下物体组成的网络，以创建一个全球网络，以数字方式连接海洋、河流和湖泊。已经有许多研究和开发计划来解决IoUT的技术挑战。这些仍处于调查的早期阶段。剩下的最具挑战性的任务包括高效可靠的通信和网络、能源效率和降低成本。******拟议研究的目标是开发创新的算法、架构、设计和标准，通过先进的通信和网络，为环境、工业、军事和安全应用实现未来的水下物联网，以增强信息供应、提高工作效率和降低运营成本。目标是：(A)研究存在AUV和节点移动的时变水声（UWA）信道模型和估计方案；(B)为大规模阵列接收机设计和开发高效、低复杂度的均衡和数据检测方案，采用协作通信和大规模多输入多输出方法实现可靠的水声通信；(C)研究传感器和AUV网络的协作和容忍延迟的网络架构和协议；(D)研究auv辅助定位、时间同步和数据聚合方法；(E)利用AUV/无人机辅助异构网络开发创新的三维（即空中、海面和水下）海上资产监测系统。******拟议的项目将带来新的技术进步，以实现未来的IoUT。它将为HQP培训提供一个理想的平台。它的应用将为海洋勘探和近海油气行业带来显著增长。它将扩大加拿大和纽芬兰在推进通信研究和探索水下领土技术方面的作用。

The mysterious world of the ocean has fascinated human beings since the beginning of human history. Although the technology advances in the past century have greatly improved the knowledge of the physical world, the understanding of the underwater world remains far behind the understanding of even the far-away deep space. Therefore, in recent years, exploration of the ocean and other underwater environments for scientific, environmental, commercial, and military purposes has gained strong interest among researchers internationally.******The Internet of Underwater Things (IoUT), a new class of the Internet of Things (IoT), has emerged in recent years as a network of smart interconnected underwater objects to create a worldwide network that will digitally link the oceans, rivers, and lakes. There have been a number of research and development initiatives tackling technical challenges of the IoUT. These are still in the early stage of investigation. The most challenging remaining tasks include efficient and reliable communication and networking, energy efficiency, and cost reduction.******The objective of the proposed research is to develop innovative algorithms, architectures, designs, and standards that will enable future Internet-of-Underwater-Things through advanced communications and networking for environmental, industrial, military, and security applications to enhance information provisioning, improve working efficiency and reduce operational cost. The goals are to (A) investigate time-varying underwater acoustic (UWA) channel models and estimation schemes in the presence of AUV and node mobility; (B) design and develop efficient and low-complexity equalization and data detection schemes for large-scale array receivers using cooperative communication and a massive multiple-input-multiple-output approaches for reliable underwater acoustic communications; (C) study cooperative and delay-tolerant network architecture and protocols for sensor and AUV networking; (D) research AUV-aided localization, time synchronization, and data aggregation methods; and (E) develop an innovative three dimensional (i.e., aerial, ocean surface, and underwater) offshore assets monitoring system using AUV/drone-assisted heterogeneous networks.******The proposed project will bring in new technology advancements to enable future IoUT. It will provide an ideal platform for HQP training. Its applications will bring in significant growth for ocean exploration and the offshore oil and gas industry. It will extend Canada and Newfoundland's role in advancing communication research and technology for exploring the underwater territory.