Design of a Conceptual Underwater Wireless Communication System Integrating Electromagnetic and Optical Technologies

Authors

  • Damir Brdar 1 University of Rijeka, Faculty of Maritime Studies, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia; 2 1st-Relief GmbH, Schulgasse 5, 8010 Graz, Austria
  • Nikola Lopac University of Rijeka, Faculty of Maritime Studies https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0616-1265
  • Andreas Lesch 1st-Relief GmbH, Schulgasse 5, 8010 Graz, Austria
  • Irena Jurdana University of Rijeka, Faculty of Maritime Studies, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia

Keywords:

Underwater wireless communication, electromagnetic communication, optical communication, underwater navigation, underwater transceiver and antenna design

Abstract

Underwater wireless communication is pivotal for advancing maritime technology, supporting applications such as underwater exploration, autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), diver communication, search-and-rescue operations, and military systems. Traditional acoustic communication systems, while effective over long distances, are constrained by low bandwidth and high latency, limiting their suitability for data-intensive operations. Electromagnetic (EM) and optical communication technologies offer promising alternatives, providing higher data rates, greater bandwidth, and lower latency, but face challenges such as signal attenuation, scattering, and environmental interference. To address these challenges, this paper explores the potential of an integrated wireless communication and navigation system combining EM and optical technologies. Initial experimental measurements of EM wave propagation in freshwater provided valuable insights into signal attenuation and frequency-dependent performance, demonstrating the feasibility of overcoming attenuation in such environments. Building on these observations, this paper proposes a conceptual system comprising three interconnected segments: a space segment utilizing the Galileo High Accuracy Service (HAS) for precise GNSS signals, a waterline segment processing and transmitting GNSS-like signals, and an underwater segment facilitating navigation
and communication for divers and AUVs. Preliminary findings highlight the potential of combining EM and optical technologies for reliable, near real-time underwater wireless communication. Future work will focus on extending functionality, validating the system in saltwater environments, and refining the design for practical deployment.

Author Biography

Nikola Lopac, University of Rijeka, Faculty of Maritime Studies

Assist. Prof. Nikola Lopac, PhD, received the BSc, MSc, and PhD degrees in Electrical engineering from the Faculty of Engineering, University of Rijeka, in 2015, 2017, and 2022, respectively. He is currently an Assistant Professor (Docent) and the Head of the Laboratory for Information Processing (iPRO Lab) at the Department of Electrical Engineering, Automation and Computing at the Faculty of Maritime Studies, University of Rijeka. He is also a Head of the Laboratory for Cybersecurity of Communication and Navigation Devices and a member of the Laboratory for Information Processing and Pattern Recognition at the Center for Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity, University of Rijeka.

Dr. Lopac has been appointed to the scientific grades of Research associate in the field of Electrical engineering and Research associate in the field of Traffic technology and transport, according to the National Council for Science, Higher Education and Technological Development. He has led or participated in several research projects funded by local, national, and European funding sources. He has also authored a number of papers in international peer-reviewed journals indexed in the Web of Science (CC, SCIE, ESCI) database and presented his work at several international scientific conferences. Moreover, he has reviewed over 230 research papers for 23 international CC journals and has been a member of the Editorial Board of the WoS journal "Pomorstvo". He was also a member of organizing and scientific committees of scientific conferences and an editor of the associated proceedings. He regularly participates in science popularization activities. He has also spent several months as a visiting researcher at several universities in Europe and Japan and attended summer schools in the fields of image processing and deep learning.

Dr. Lopac received several awards for his academic and research achievements, including the award for research excellence from the Faculty of Maritime Studies, University of Rijeka, the Annual Hrvoje Pozar Award from the Foundation of the Croatian Energy Association, the Rector’s Award from the University of Rijeka, and five Annual Dean’s awards from the Faculty of Engineering, University of Rijeka.

His research interests include digital signal processing, time-frequency signal analysis, image processing and analysis, information processing, computer vision, and the application of artificial intelligence and deep learning.

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Published

2025-03-28

Issue

On-line first – 39/1 - June 2025 edition

Section

Original scientific papers

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Copyright (c) 2024 Damir Brdar, Nikola Lopac, Andreas Lesch, Irena Jurdana

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