CONNECTING THE OCEANS WITH THE POPOTO MODEM
Richie Enzmann, ROV Planet
Until recently underwater connectivity was characterised by expensive modems. However, Popoto Modem offers an alternative low-cost solution for applications that were previously unthinkable because of high costs. With this important piece of the puzzle solved – to enable low-cost underwater communication between any subsea kit – a truly connected underwater internet of things (IoT) is more likely to become a reality than ever before.
In the following paragraphs there are case studies of several different applications where the Popoto Modem has provided the essential link to enable their success. These applications span from defence such as mine countermeasures to aquaculture, demonstrating a variety of potential uses for underwater communications.
MINE COUNTERMEASURES AND AUV SWARMING
Popoto Modem (Courtesy of delResearch)
Mission Systems is a robotics company based in Australia founded by David Battle and David Johnson in 2017. Previously, David Battle worked at MIT and later in the Australian Department of Defence on various AUV and mine countermeasure applications over the last 20 years, while David Johnson was defence research lead at the University of Sydney. Some of Mission Systems work is funded by the Australian Department of Defence, and they’re working on a device that can be placed close to an underwater mine to emulate targets such as ships. The idea is that one can command the device to generate signatures of ships and thus detonate the mine. In this case they were looking at a completely expendable design: not interested in building an expensive technology, but a minimal type of hardware implementation.
Popoto Modem (Courtesy of delResearch)
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