Collaborative Research: Efficient and Robust Underwater Acoustic Sensor Networks: An Integrated Coding Approach

本研究的目的是解决阻碍水下传感器网络向实用系统发展的最大挑战之一：如何在具有大误码率、低可用带宽和长传播延迟的不可靠的水声链路上确保数据的可靠性和传输效率。该项目提出了一种集成编码方法，将数字喷泉与跨应用、网络和物理层的优势互补的网络和信道编码方案无缝结合。该项目的学术价值在于对水下网络极限进行了严格的研究，并系统地设计了强大的喷泉和网络编码方案，以解决水下传感器网络面临的挑战性问题。项目成果将包括物理层网络编码理论成果、新型非二进制喷泉编码、稀疏线性网络编码和水下信道物理层网络编码方案，以及用于水下单播场景的组网协议。理论结果、编码和协议设计将通过真实世界的实验进行评估。该项目的更广泛影响体现在两个方面。首先，预计该项目将加快新兴水下传感器网络的发展，这将对科学界、国家安全和整个社会产生重大影响。其次，这个项目将使研究生接触到新的具有挑战性的研究问题，培养他们成为快速增长的水声网络领域的领先专家。它还将支持本科生、妇女和其他代表性不足的群体，使他们能够参与高级研究及其实际应用。

The objective of this research is to address one of the greatest challenges that hinder the development of underwater sensor networks into practical systems: How to ensure data reliability and delivery efficiency over unreliable acoustic links with large error rates, low available bandwidth, and long propagation delays. The project proposes an integrated coding approach, seamlessly combining digital fountain, and network and channel coding schemes with complementary strengths, across the application, network, and physical layers. The intellectual merit of this project lies in the rigorous study of the underwater network limits and a systematic design of powerful fountain and network coding schemes to address the challenging issues facing underwater sensor networks. The project outcomes will include physical layer network coding theoretical results, novel non-binary fountain codes, sparse linear network codes, and physical-layer network coding schemes for underwater channels, as well as networking protocols for underwater unicast scenarios. The theoretical results, coding, and protocol designs will be evaluated through real world experiments.The broader impact of this project is reflected in two aspects. First, this project is expected to accelerate the development of emerging underwater sensor networks, which will have major impact on scientific communities, national security, and the society as a whole. Second, this project will expose graduate students to new challenging research problems, fostering them to become leading experts in the fast-growing field of underwater acoustic networks. It will also support undergraduates, women and other under-represented groups, allowing them to participate in advanced research and its practical applications.