Tutorial — Underwater Communication and Networking

Ⅰ. ABOUT THIS TUTORIAL

In underwater environment, acoustic wave is the only viable option to realize wireless communication when
the distance is over 100 meters. For short-range underwater communication, wireless optical communication
(UWOC) is a powerful complement for acoustic communication as it provides ultra-high data rates with
significantly lower power consumption and simpler computational complexities. When it comes to cross water
layer communication, magnetic inductive (MI) technique becomes the only option. This tutorial aims to
introduce the basic concept and practical applications of Acoustics, Optical and MI communication, and will
provide an insight for the attendees to understand and explore new research directions in underwater wireless
communication. During the tutorial, a real underwater voice communication modem will also be shown to the
audience.

Ⅱ. TUTORIAL GOALS
1. Offer tutorials/lectures on Acoustic, Optical, and MI underwater communication.

2. Enhance the collaboration between HEU and IBCAST

3. Explore student exchange opportunities between HEU and partner universities in Pakistan

Ⅲ. LECTURE TOPICS
1. Underwater Acoustic Communication and Networking
2. Underwater Wireless Optical Communication
3. Magnetic Inductive Communication
4. Underwater Acoustic Voice Communication

IV. Schedule

Time Titles Lecturer

1 hr Underwater Acoustic Communication and Networking Gang Qiao
20 mins Tea break
1 hr Underwater Wireless Optical Communication Yi Lou
Lunch/ Dinner Break
1 hr Magnetic Inductive Communication Niaz Ahmed
20 mins Tea break
1 hr Underwater Acoustic Voice Communication and demonstration Songzuo Liu
Lunch/Dinner Break
V Introduction

Gang Qiao
Qiao Gang received the B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees from the College
of Underwater Acoustic Engineering, Harbin Engineering University
(HEU), China, in 1996, 1999, and 2004, respectively. He is currently
Professor and an Associate Dean in the College of Underwater Acoustic
Engineering at HEU. Since 1999, he has been associated with the College
of Underwater Acoustic Engineering, Harbin Engineering University. He
is the author of more than 150 papers and inventor of more than 20 national
patents. His research interests include underwater communication and
networks, detection and positioning of underwater targets. He is currently
a member of Acoustical Society of China, a member of the Youth
Federation of Heilongjiang Province, and the Vice Chairman of Robotics Society of Heilongjiang
Province. He is also the recipient of the National Award for the Outstanding Scientific and
Technological workers and the Science Technology Award for Young Talents, Heilongjiang.

Underwater Acoustic Communication and Networking

Abstract:
As the pace of ocean exploration is growing quicker and quicker, all kinds of underwater
applications, such as marine resource exploration, marine environment protection and marine
science research, require more and more advancement in underwater wireless communication
technology. Therefore, we see serious research efforts and rapid advancement in underwater
acoustic communication technology, especially in the aspects of communication range,
communication rate and reliability.
This talk introduces some of the latest research results of some new communication
technology, including long-range spread spectrum underwater acoustic communication, OFDM
based high-speed communication technology and full-duplex communication technology. In
addition, many kinds of underwater information applications based on high-rate and high-reliability
underwater acoustic communication will also be referred in this talk.
 Yi LOU
Yi Lou received the B.Sc. degree in communication engineering from Jilin
University, Jilin, China in 2009, and the M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in information
and communication engineering from Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin,
China, in 2013 and 2017, respectively. He was a Visiting Student with the
University of British Columbia, Kelowna, BC, Canada, in 2016. He is currently
a Lecturer with the College of Underwater Acoustic Engineering, Harbin
Engineering University, Harbin, China. His research interests include
cooperative underwater acoustic communication and underwater wireless optical communication.

Underwater Optical Communication

Abstract:
Underwater communication is of great interest to the industry, and the scientific community, as it
plays an essential role in pollution monitoring, oil control and maintenance, offshore explorations,
climate change monitoring, and oceanography research. Therefore, there is an increase in the
number of unmanned devices or vehicles deployed underwater, which require high bandwidth and
high capacity for underwater information transformation. Although tremendous progress has been
made in the field of underwater acoustic communication (UAC), however, it is limited by
bandwidth. All this has led to the flourish of underwater wireless optical communication (UWOC),
as it provides higher data rates than the UAC systems with significantly lower power consumption
and lower implementation complexities for short-range wireless links.

This tutorial provides an exhaustive overview of recent advances in UWOC, including channel
characterization, modulation, coding, various practical implementations of UOWC, and the hybrid
optical/acoustic system.
 Niaz Ahmed

Niaz Ahmed received his B.S. degree in telecommunication engineering from

NUCES-FAST University, Islamabad, Pakistan, the M.S. degree in computer
engineering from CASE University, Islamabad, Pakistan, in 2010 and 2012,
respectively, and the Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from Missouri
University of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO, USA, in 2017. He is one of
the pioneers in the field of Magneto Inductive communication for underwater
wireless sensor networks. He has published articles in reputed and prestigious
journals and international conferences. He is also being selected in the OES student poster
competition for two consecutive times. He is currently an Associate Professor in Harbin Engineering
University University, Harbin, China. His research interests include wireless communication,
underwater wireless sensor network, magneto-inductive communication and embedded systems.

Magnetic Inductive Communication

Abstract:
During the recent years, Magneto-Inductive (MI) communication has been actively studied for
underwater wireless communications, thanks to its applications in sensor network and internet of
underwater things. In comparison to acoustic and optical communication means, due to the same
penetration of MI in water and air because of the similar magnetic permeability of both mediums.
Magneto-Inductive (MI) systems are best suited for underwater wireless sensor networks
applications with short range, high-data-rate and low power consumption. MI communication has
the unique advantage of being small form factor, low cost, low power, low propagation delay, no
multipath, and operational in air, underwater, and under ground. Therefore, MI communication can
play an important role in applications that involve complex environment, such as river, lake, wet
land, farm field, and caves.
The purpose of this tutorial is to introduce the basics and applications of Magneto Inductive
communication to the research community about the potential and applications of Magneto
Inductive communication. We also plan to show some video demonstration of the lab experiment
for better insight.
 Songzuo Liu

Songzuo Liu received his B.S. and Ph.D. degree in signal and
information processing from college of underwater acoustic engineering,
Harbin Engineering University(HEU), China, in 2008 and 2014
respectively. In 2016, he started as a Postdoc researcher with
Underwater Wireless Sensor Networking (UWSN) group in SENSE lab,
Sapienza University of Rome. Now he is a professior in College of
Underwater Acoustic Engineering, HEU. His research interests lie in the areas of
underwater acoustic communication, design and implementation of underwater
acoustic modem.

Underwater Acoustic Voice Communication and demonstration

Abstract:
Wireless Underwater Communication system can be used for divers or scubas to
communicate with each other freely. A Digital underwater voice communication
modem design and consideration will be given in this presentation. A prototype system
of digital underwater acoustic voice communication will be also demonstrated during
the talk.
The whole system consists of two main sections: Transmitter section and Receiver
section. Both are made up of two main parts. At the transmitter section, the input speech
signal is compressed by the Co-processor, after channel coding, and then compressed
bit stream is sent to the receiver on an acoustic carrier wave using OFDM signal. In the
receiver section, the speech decoder followed by demodulation. After synchronization
and equalization, the compressed speech is fed to Co-processor to synthesize the speech
signal.