Dolphin Sounds-Inspired Covert Underwater Acoustic Communication and Micro-Modem

A novel portable underwater acoustic modem is proposed in this paper for covert communication between divers or underwater unmanned vehicles (UUVs) and divers at a short distance. For the first time, real dolphin calls are used in the modem to realize biologically inspired Covert Underwater Acoustic Communication (CUAC). A variety of dolphin whistles and clicks stored in an SD card inside the modem helps to realize different biomimetic CUAC algorithms based on the specified covert scenario. In this paper, the information is conveyed during the time interval between dolphin clicks. TMS320C6748 and TLV320AIC3106 are the core processors used in our unique modem for fast digital processing and interconnection with other terminals or sensors. Simulation results show that the bit error rate (BER) of the CUAC algorithm is less than 10−5 when the signal to noise ratio is over ‒5 dB. The modem was tested in an underwater pool, and a data rate of 27.1 bits per second at a distance of 10 m was achieved.

[1]  Alessandro Casavola,et al.  SeaModem: A low-cost underwater acoustic modem for shallow water communication , 2015, OCEANS 2015 - Genova.

[2]  P. Willett,et al.  MIMO-OFDM for High-Rate Underwater Acoustic Communications , 2009, IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering.

[3]  Songzuo Liu,et al.  Biologically inspired covert underwater acoustic communication by mimicking dolphin whistles , 2017 .

[4]  Gang Qiao,et al.  Experimental Study of Long-Range Shallow Water Acoustic Communication Based on OFDM-Modem , 2012 .

[5]  John S. Heidemann,et al.  Low-power acoustic modem for dense underwater sensor networks , 2006, WUWNet '06.

[6]  Meng Zhou,et al.  An underwater acoustic communication scheme exploiting biological sounds , 2016, Wirel. Commun. Mob. Comput..

[7]  Songzuo Liu,et al.  Covert underwater acoustic communication using dolphin sounds. , 2013, The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America.

[8]  B. Woodward,et al.  Underwater acoustic voice communications using digital pulse position modulation , 1997, Oceans '97. MTS/IEEE Conference Proceedings.

[9]  Jeffrey A. Neasham,et al.  Development of the “Seatrac” miniature acoustic modem and USBL positioning units for subsea robotics and diver applications , 2015, OCEANS 2015 - Genova.

[10]  Hao Zhou,et al.  DSP based receiver implementation for OFDM acoustic modems , 2012, Phys. Commun..

[11]  Carrick Detweiler,et al.  AquaNodes: an underwater sensor network , 2007, Underwater Networks.

[12]  Jingwei Yin,et al.  Multiuser underwater acoustic communication using single-element virtual time reversal mirror , 2009 .

[13]  J. J. Serrano,et al.  An Ultra-Low Power and Flexible Acoustic Modem Design to Develop Energy-Efficient Underwater Sensor Networks , 2012, Sensors.

[14]  R. Kastner,et al.  Design of a low-cost, underwater acoustic modem for short-range sensor networks , 2010, OCEANS'10 IEEE SYDNEY.

[15]  Sunshin An,et al.  An Ultrasonic Sensor Based Low-Power Acoustic Modem for Underwater Communication in Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks , 2007, EUC Workshops.

[16]  Songzuo Liu,et al.  Design and Implementation of OFDM Underwater Acoustic Communication Algorithm Based on OMAP-L138 , 2014, WUWNet.

[17]  Jaime Lloret,et al.  Underwater Sensor Nodes and Networks , 2013, Sensors.

[18]  J. J. Serrano,et al.  A low cost and high efficient acoustic modem for underwater sensor networks , 2011, OCEANS 2011 IEEE - Spain.

[19]  Dario Pompili,et al.  Underwater acoustic sensor networks: research challenges , 2005, Ad Hoc Networks.

[20]  S. Singh,et al.  The WHOI micro-modem: an acoustic communications and navigation system for multiple platforms , 2005, Proceedings of OCEANS 2005 MTS/IEEE.

[21]  Sung-Joon Park,et al.  Design and Implementation of an Omni-Directional Underwater Acoustic Micro-Modem Based on a Low-Power Micro-Controller Unit , 2012, Sensors.

[22]  Yin Jingwei,et al.  Research on bionic underwater acoustic communication technology based on differential Pattern time delay shift coding and dolphin whistles , 2013 .

[23]  Jaime Lloret,et al.  Underwater Acoustic Modems , 2016, IEEE Sensors Journal.

[24]  Songzuo Liu,et al.  HEU OFDM-modem for Underwater Acoustic Communication and Networking , 2014, WUWNet.

[25]  E Gallimore,et al.  The WHOI micromodem-2: A scalable system for acoustic communications and networking , 2010, OCEANS 2010 MTS/IEEE SEATTLE.

[26]  Winston Khoon Guan Seah,et al.  Localization in underwater sensor networks: survey and challenges , 2006, Underwater Networks.

[27]  Milica Stojanovic,et al.  Underwater sensor networks: applications, advances and challenges , 2012, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences.

[28]  Ying Li,et al.  Design of a Low-Cost Underwater Acoustic Modem , 2010, IEEE Embedded Systems Letters.

[29]  Bhaskar D. Rao,et al.  Sparse channel estimation via matching pursuit with application to equalization , 2002, IEEE Trans. Commun..

[30]  M. Aydinlik,et al.  A physical layer implementation on reconfigurable underwater acoustic modem , 2008, OCEANS 2008.

[31]  Alexander G. Dean,et al.  An ultrasonic communication system for biotelemetry in extremely shallow waters , 2008, Underwater Networks.

[32]  Antonia Papandreou-Suppappola,et al.  A new signaling scheme for Underwater Acoustic communications , 2013, 2013 OCEANS - San Diego.

[33]  Lihua Lei,et al.  Study on underwater acoustic voice communication system for divers , 2012 .