Cross media wireless optical communication test successful!

Developing the marine economy, scientifically developing marine resources, protecting the marine ecological environment, safeguarding marine rights and interests, and building a maritime power are the established principles of China's marine strategy. At present, the construction of ocean engineering has been elevated to the national strategic level and is being vigorously promoted. Wuhan Liubo Optoelectronics has recently achieved new results in the research and development of marine equipment.

       In early July 2022, Wuhan Liubo Optoelectronics and XX Engineering University conducted an underwater and airborne cross medium wireless optical communication subject experiment. The experiment was conducted in a water tank with a length of 40 meters, a width of 3 meters, and a depth of 2 meters. In order to approach the real environment, the transmission channel was simultaneously overlaid with bubbles and water surface wave effects. The underwater equipment was installed 1.5m below the water surface, and the above water equipment was installed 10m above the water surface (Figure 1). A bidirectional communication experiment was conducted, with a communication rate of 3Mbps. The experimental results showed a communication error rate of 0.

Figure 1 Cross medium wireless optical communication experimental scenario

Figure 2 Experimental Scenarios of Optical Communication Equipment Equipped with Underwater Robot Abdomen (Left) and Underwater Bidirectional Communication (Right)

At the same time, underwater mobile optical communication experiments were conducted, and the optical communication equipment was installed on the belly of the underwater robot (Figure 2 (left)) to control its movement. The experimental results showed that the robot can maintain normal communication during movement, with a bit error rate of 0, a communication rate of 5Mbps, and a communication distance of 35M (Figure 2 (right)).

The emitting light source of this test equipment adopts LED, and the receiving end adopts high sensitivity photomultiplier tube. The experiment verifies the communication ability of the equipment under different water depths, different beam angles, different media and robot moving states. Real time transmission of underwater high-definition videos has been achieved through the built-in underwater high-definition camera.

Underwater optical communication is suitable for underwater exploration, underwater operations of mobile equipment, communication between underwater observation equipment and ships, high-speed data connection of unmanned underwater vehicles, and communication between airborne platforms and underwater equipment across air water interfaces.