Cyber System:Collaborative Research: Networking of Autonomous Underwater Explorers

本方案的重点是通过声学通信实现自由漂浮水下观测系统的网络化。这些自由漂浮的探险家随着洋流漂流，为科学家们提供了一种在他们自己的参照系中观察生物和过程的方法。将它们连接在一起的好处是，它允许将信息实时传递给用户，并执行协调的任务。智力优势：智力目标是创建新的网络协议，以适应这些自由浮动探险家的声学水下网络的独特挑战。这包括自我定位方法，使设备能够有效地跟踪其不断变化的物理位置，同时最大限度地降低相关的能源成本。将开发新的路由协议，以便在系统的独特约束下向用户传递信息。除了模拟研究和分析分析外，新协议还将在海上的实际部署中进行测试。配备传感器和浮力控制执行器的多个液力计将被组装起来，为测试新想法提供一个实验平台。更广泛的影响：本项目将在许多层面上产生更广泛的影响。与目前其他技术相比，一组自主机器人有可能大大增加海洋过程的空间/时间采样。这对海洋学领域的进步至关重要。此外，该项目的成果将被整合到UCSD的水下声学和无线网络课程中。在此提案中发起的合作也将推进到扩展的联合研究中，由于其多样性和跨学科的性质，这将使两个领域的研究人员和学生受益。通过斯克里普斯的教育外展联系中心，结果和总体愿景可以通过学校演讲或展览向公众传播。

This proposal focuses on the networking of free-floating underwater observation systems through acoustic communications. These free-floating explorers drift along with the ocean currents and offer scientists a way to observe organisms and processes in their own frame of reference. The advantage of networking them together is that it allows information to be relayed to users in real time and perform coordinated tasks. Intellectual Merit: The intellectual goal is to create new networking protocols that are tailored towards the unique challenges of acoustic underwater networks of these free-floating explorers. This includes self-localization methods that allow devices to efficiently track their continuously-changing physical position, while minimizing the associated energy cost. Novel routing protocols will be developed to relay information to the users within the unique constraints of the system. In addition to simulation studies and analytical analysis, the new protocols will also be tested in a real-life deployment at sea. Multiple drogues, equipped with sensors and a buoyancy control actuator, will be assembled to provide an experimental platform for testing the new ideas. Broader Impacts: This project will have broader impacts on many levels. A group of autonomous drogues has the potential to vastly increase the space/time sampling of oceanic processes compared to what is currently possible with other techniques. This is paramount to progress in the field of oceanography. In addition, the results from the project will be integrated into the curriculum on underwater acoustics and on wireless networking at UCSD. The collaboration initiated in this proposal will also be carried forward into extended joint research, which will benefit researchers and students in both fields due to its diverse and inter-disciplinary nature. Through the Center for Educations Outreach Connections at Scripps, the results and overall vision can be disseminated to the public, via school presentations or exhibits.