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Talk-18: The EvoLogics Acoustic Modem Integration into NURC’s MOOS Environment

Arjan Vermeij, NATO Undersea Research Centre (NURC)

The NATO Undersea Research Centre (NURC) recently acquired acoustic modems from EvoLogics. These modems, of type S2C R 8/16, are to be used in an upcoming sea trial on board our two Ocean Explorer (OEX) autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). They should provide the ability to communicate at longer ranges and possibly with a higher data throughput, than currently achievable with our WHOI (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute) Micro-Modems.

As part of the Collaborative Anti-Submarine Warfare programme, NURC researches communications and networks in the maritime environment. This project aims to evolve underwater communications from point-to-point underwater messaging into true net- working, taking into account the limitations imposed by the underwater acoustic channel, such as high latency and bandwidth constraints. This involves the development of an underwater communications stack.

There are some requirements on the integration of the EvoLogics modem into NURC’s MOOS environment:

  • The EvoLogics modem has the ability to operate in different modes, which should remain available.
  • The MAC layer, already available in the EvoLogics modem, should be usable.
  • The integration should allow for potential replacement and addition of components developed within the communications and networking task.
  • If possible, the EvoLogics modem should be able to work in parallel to the WHOI Micro-Modem.

This presentation discusses the design and developed applications as part of this inte- gration process. Furthermore, initial results obtained during the June engineering trial are presented.

A reprint of this presentation, including the source code of the developed processes, will be made available through NURC, after the conference.


DOWNLOAD the brief given at MOOS-DAWG'11.

DOWNLOAD the distribution tar file from NURC.

Categories:

  • Acoustic Communications
  • Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) / Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs)
  • The Ocean Explorer UUV
  • The EvoLogics Acoustic Modem