High speed underwater optical communications has at least three distinct advantages over acoustic communications. The data rates achievable are high (1 to 10 Mbps), the latency from when data is sent to when data is received is low, and there is no acoustic noise associated with transmission. Of course one of the biggest limitations of an optical approach underwater is the rapid attenuation of optical signals due to spreading loss, scattering, and absorption. Nonetheless, communication signals have been broadcast, received, and decoded over distances of 100 to 200 meters. High data rates and low latency make optical communications an attractive human interface to underwater systems, such as wireless control of underwater vehicles. Underwater optical communications is generally well-suited to multiple platform environments, where acoustic silence and limited range avoids interference between platforms. High data rates are advantageous in data retrieval applications, where, for one example, wireless data retrieval would make deployment and recovery of certain systems more economical. Recent engineering developments and accompanying experimental data are put forth in this paper, and the implications for future development are discussed.
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