ROME CUP 2015: ENEA presented the basis for a hybrid light-sound modem to be used on mini-submarines

Among the technological novelties showed at  ‘ROME CUP 2015’, ENEA has presented the basis for a prototype of a new communication technology, specifically designed to research, monitor and study the marine environment through the emission of light and sound pulses.

Optical head, part of the optical modem for underwater communication, working in cooperation with the acoustic modem

Among the technological novelties of 'ROME CUP 2015’, the technology fair held in Rome last 25-27 March and dedicated to robotics, ENEA presented the basis for a prototype of a new communication technology, specifically designed to research, monitor and study the marine environment through the emission of light and sound pulses. In particular, this is a hybrid "sound-light modem" being under development in the robotics laboratories of the Enea Casaccia Research Center, in cooperation with the Electronic engineering department of the University of Rome Tor Vergata.

The transmitter-receiver system aims to transmit data at a very high speed compared to the traditional systems, and will be able cover distances of tens of meters in water. Moreover, this is a cooperative system because a traditional sonar receives passive reflected signals from the objects. During the Rome Cup event, the optical part of the system has been presented which, by the combined use of different sources with different characteristics at the same time, will allow to perform also metrological measurements in quite zero time, owing to the faster speed propagation of light with respect to sound.

Optical head for underwater communication alongside the VENUS robot that is to use it

The light flashes can reach a brightness level higher than the sun’s for a very short time. Such metrological system is the basis of the modem, which is under building and under patenting. The ENEA ‘light-sound’ system is to be mounted on board underwater VENUS swarm robots to be used for monitoring sea beds and coastal contamination, for underwater archaeology, hull surveys, and surveillance of critical structures for the nation’s security.

ENEA also presented NINFA (NautIcal Network For innovAtion), a network created by a proposal of the ENEA Robotics Laboratory with the aim to monitor the marine environment by the development of a High-Tech technology made in Lazio. NINFA is supported by a network of excellence SMEs and by a public infrastructure, involving multidisciplinary research centers in partnership with CNR and the most important Lazio universities. Such a network is intended to develop high-tech technologies dedicated to monitoring the sea for activities relevant to Marine Biology, Hydrodynamics, Acoustics, Optics, Robotics, Communication Sciences, Materials Sciences, Chemistry, Oceanography.

 

Optical modem detail: omni-directional light head

Graphical simulation of robots equipped with the optical modem

For further information:

Claudio Moriconi, Robotics Laboratory, ENEA Casaccia Research Centre, claudio.moriconi@enea.it

Ramiro Dell'Erba, Robotics Laboratory, ENEA Casaccia Research Centre, ramiro.dellerba@enea.it