The project AQUASMARTT(data acquisition with underwater and above-water sustainable wireless nodes for monitoring how climatic changes affects natural disasters and biodiversity) targets the design of a sustainable and affordable integrated above water and underwater sensor network infrastructure for monitoring coastal environments and studying climate changes and biodiversity. Its objectives are:
- design a hybrid underwater and above water network architecture that enables data retrieval from submerged and surface sensors;
- develop the first Italian low-cost and low-power sustainable acoustic modem that can be used in a dense sensor network;
- formulate pathloss and fading models for radio frequency signals used for underwater and above water transmissions and to cross the water to air boundary;
- release an open-source network simulator for integrated underwater and above water networks;
- develop a proof-of-concept prototype demonstrator of the network;
- disseminate the results to scientific community, stakeholders, and the public.
Research and development activities results will be shown in final prototype validation and testbed/field demonstrations, involving both vendors and operators.
AquaSmartt is part of Spoke 6 – Innovative Architectures and Extreme Environments
Project PI: Michele Zorzi
- Definition of a shallow water and deep water use case in the Venice lagoon, definition with stakeholders of sensors to be acquired, spatial and temporal granularity requirements of the measures. Definition of the overall system architecture.
- Development of a first acoustic modem prototype, test of innovative modulation and coding schemes, exploration of underwater MIMO transmissions, and integration of the modem with the complete protocol stack suite provided by the open-source DESERT Underwater Framework. Design of a fair anti-jamming routing protocol based on Q-Learning. Transmission adaptation based on channel quality.
- Study radio frequency propagation underwater, formulation and validation of a propagation model with tank and sea tests. Inclusion of the proposed model into the DESERT Underwater simulation and experimentation framework.
- Design and development of a low-cost sensor network composed of floating sensors for studying various water parameters.
It is expected that the following areas may take advantage of the innovative deployment: Natural Disaster Prevention (floods), Marine Scientists (biologists, ecologists, vets, and geologists), Aquafarming (Aquaculture 4.0), Bridge, Quay and Infrastructure (e.g, MOSE) Maintenance, Smart Ports (Shipping 4.0), and Governments (including public security).
- Development of a floating sensor prototype to be used as testing platform for communication and data acquisition in coastal areas and lagoons.
- Low Power RF reaches a range of 2 meters in underwater communication links in rivers and lakes, while in the sea it reaches only a few centimeters: still, it can be used to transmit data from surface nodes to a destination gateways even in the case they are partially submersed (e.g., when the waves cover them partially).
- Age of Information must be taken into account when developing adaptation algorithm in underwater networks, due to the time variability of the acoustic channel.
- development of a low-cost acoustic modem for everyday use, not only able to achieve the performance of more expensive equipment, but also able to provide a simple and user friendly way of using it, so creating a community-based system where externals can provide their contribute in enhancing it.
It is expected that the following areas may take advantage of the innovative deployment: Natural Disaster Prevention (floods), Marine Scientists (biologists, ecologists, vets, and geologists), Aquafarming (Aquaculture 4.0), Bridge, Quay and Infrastructure (e.g, MOSE) Maintenance, Smart Ports (Shipping 4.0), and Governments (including public security).
Papers:
F. Busacca, L. Galluccio, S. Palazzo, A. Panebianco, “A comparative analysis of predictive channel models for real shallow water environments,” Computer Networks, Volume 250, 2024, 110557, ISSN 1389-1286, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comnet.2024.110557.
M. Ghalkhani, F. Campagnaro, A. Pozzebon, D. De Battisti, M. Biagi, M. Zorzi, “A LoRaWAN Network for the Real-Time Monitoring of the Venice Lagoon: Preliminary Tests”, IEEE/OES MetroSea, October 2023, Malta.
R. Francescon, F. Campagnaro, F. Favaro, F. Guerra, M. Zorzi, “Software Defined Underwater Communications: an Experimenting Platform for Research”, IEEE/OES Oceans Limerick 2023.
There are not industrial partners in the project, but stakeholders are involved in the discussion of the system requirements. Some integrator companies and one new startup are providing substantial help to co-design electronic and mechanical components of the system, leaving our universities focusing on research activities. Among the others, SubSeaPulse SRL, inspired by the research ideas of this project and that provide a significant help to develop the software and hardware components of the system, recently launched a new line of products for underwater communications and water quality monitoring in coastal areas and rivers.
Program partners:
- Podcast Tutto Connesso – Come si comunica sott’acqua? July 30, 2023 https://www.spreaker.com/user/polimi/tc-84-comunicazioni-subacquee
- Video presentation of the first sensor prototype in the social media June 27, 2023 https://www.facebook.com/deiunipd/videos/1420960658725912
Publications
- Expected: at least 75 publications in 36 months
- Accomplished: 38
- Readiness: 100%
- Expected: >=30% joint publications in 36 months
- Accomplished: 3 joint publications out of 25
- Readiness: 60%
- Expected: 30 talks or event chairing/organizing within SEXTET activities in 36 months
- Accomplished: > 15 (including dissemination events and conference presentations)
- Readiness: 100%
- Expected: 2 PoCs expected by the end of the project
- Accomplished: 2 PoC are ready, but not demo has been done yet
- Readiness: 100% (work according to plan)
- Expected: 20 meetings
- Accomplished: 4 meetings
- Readiness: 100%
- Expected: 2 items over 36 months
- Accomplished: 2 prototypes are in a very advanced phase and very soon will be considered innovation outcomes
- Readiness: 100%
All deliverables and milestones due to date have been accomplished.
Milestones:
M1 - Concept Design Frozen:
Deliverables:
D1 - System requirements and Design:
Milestones:
M1 - Concept Design Frozen:
- Definition of use-cases, requirements and concept design, due to 30/6/2023, achieved
- Design of RF and acoustic network component including acoustic modem, network protocols and the RF devices, due to 31/12/2023, achieved
- Development and optimization of RF and acoustic network component including acoustic modem, network protocols and the RF devices, due to 31/12/2024, readiness level: 80%
Deliverables:
D1 - System requirements and Design:
- Definition of use-cases, system requirements and initial design of the overall concept, due to: 30/6/2023, achieved
- Intermediate report of technical work packages WP3 and WP4, due to 31/12/2023, achieved
- Intermediate report of WP3, WP4 and WP5, due to 31/12/2024
- Final project report, due to 31/12/2025
Researchers involved: 123
Collaboration proposals
The AQUASMARTT Project is open to collaborations on the following topics:
- Waterproof electrical circuits to be deployed in coastal environment.
- Design and development of power amplifier, pre-amplifier and tx/rx switch for low-cost acoustic modems.
- Modeling of RF noise underwater.
For any proposal of collaboration within the project please contact the project PI.