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

这个i-Corps项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是为研究和工业开发高带宽水下无线数据通信。与空中通信不同，无线电波允许无线传输数据、语音或视频，而水下需要系绳才能传输类似的信息。能够无线收发数据的新型水下机器人的开发，将为海洋勘探和海洋保护带来新的可能性，也将带来新的经济发展机遇。这项技术可以提供一种有效绘制海底地图的解决方案，显著提高搜救能力。海洋覆盖了地球70%的面积，但80%以上的海底仍未绘制地图。这项技术还可以用来更好地监测近海工业活动，帮助防止环境破坏和海洋污染。此外，该工具还可以收集数据，用于监测海洋健康状况和更好地预测气候变化。这项技术可能会应用于蓝色经济的所有领域：近海水产养殖、海洋防御、近海能源、海洋观测和航运。该i-Corps项目的基础是开发用于海底测绘、环境监测、水下数据收集和蓝色经济所有五个领域的高带宽水下无线数据通信。该技术是一种水下机器人，可以使用光通信发送和接收数据，比无线电通信在水下具有更好的范围。这使得能够远程控制车辆，并且可以接收来自车辆的实时反馈(例如，实时视频流)，而不存在使用系绳的问题。该车辆还可以预先编程并在自动模式下操作，原型已经在水箱中开发和测试。这项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NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

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.