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Talk-11: Fully Embedded Wavelet Compression for Low Bandwidth Image Telemetry

Chris Murphy, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (WHOI)

AUVs typically communicate with scientists on the surface over an unreliable acoustic channel, resulting in very low data throughput. While there are several examples of scientific data, even imagery, being successfully transmitted over high rate acoustic links, channel coding methods with high rates of error-correction are often employed that limit data throughput to tens or a few hundred bits per second. Little research exists into appropriate methods for image and data compression for acoustic links at these very low rates.

We recently have experienced success using compression techniques based upon the Set Partitioning in Hierarchical Trees (SPIHT) embedded coding method, and feel they are particularly suited to underwater data. In this paper we describe how these methods can be applied to compress scalar environmental data and imagery for communication over acoustic links. We also present initial results of sea trials performed near Rota in the Commonwealth of Northern Marianas Islands, during which images were captured, compressed and transmitted in-situ.

Categories:

  • Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) / Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs)
  • Acoustic Communications
  • Image Compression