Development of a scientific instrument interface module for cabled seafloor observatories based on industrial control technology

Cabled seafloor observatories are subsea infrastructure for real-time, in-situ and 3-dimensional oceanographic observations. Data acquired by cabled seafloor observatories can be used for tsunami/earthquake forecast, environmental monitoring, research on climate change, etc. In our work, a Scientific Instrument Interface Module (SIIM) has been developed for the connection of underwater instruments with various power requirements and communication interfaces. It is a standard device interfacing between instruments and cabled seafloor observatories. Reliability and flexibility are emphasized during the design of SIIM to reduce maintenance cost. With the use of industrial control technology and modular design, the number and type of the instrument ports are configurable according to customer requirements.