Long-range broadband underwater wireless communications

The GROW project aims to develop a novel solution for timely long-range, high bitrate underwater wireless communications. The solution combines short-range wireless technologies (e.g., radio, wireless optical), intermediate AUVs as data mules, and long-range acoustic communications; the latter are used to control in real-time the range, bitrate, and latency of a data link between the AUV and the central station. A multidisciplinary research team is involved in GROW: the team from INESC TEC, with long experience in wireless networks and robotics, including the development of AUVs and navigation algorithms for marine robots; the team from IPMA, with vast know-how in marine geosciences, hazards characterization, and experience in marine observation and monitoring.