ADIGRAT UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER

ENGINEERING

COMMUNICATION ENGINEERING STREAM

PROJECT TITLE: PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF UNDER WATER OPTICAL

COMMUNICATION

By:

Group member’s Name ID NO

1. Yosef Kiros RET 4404/07

2. Hafte Brhanu RET 3331 /07

3.Girmay Hailu RET 3289 /07

Submitted To: Communication Engineering Stream

Date of Submission :25/07/2011E.C
Abstract

The simulation and analysis of underwater optical communication system is presented. The system
consists of transmitter, water channel, and receiver. Wireless optical communication can be
presented as an alternative to acoustic modems for scenarios where high speed, moderate distances,
lower power and less complex communication systems are desired. In this project, wireless optical
communication for the underwater criteria will design and analyze. For the system the design
challenges included: communication type, optical transmitter, bubbles effect, optical receiver, link
budget and electronics requirements and optical wavelength. The solution is optical wireless
communications in the green spectrum using frequency shift keying (FSK) and on-off
keying(OOK). Although tremendous progress has been made in the field of acoustic
communication underwater, however, it is limited by bandwidth. All this has led to the
proliferation of underwater optical wireless communication (UOWC), as it provides higher data
rates than the traditional acoustic communication systems with significantly lower power
consumption and simpler computational complexities for short-range wireless links. UOWC has
many potential applications ranging from deep oceans to coastal waters. The focus of our project
is to construct light emitting diode-based links at low cost with faster data rate of 1Mbps,
wirelessly under the water.

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Table of Contents
Abstract ............................................................................................................................................ i

1. Introduction and background ...................................................................................................... 1

4.1. General Objective ................................................................................................................. 5

4.2. Specific objective ................................................................................................................. 5

5. Literature review ......................................................................................................................... 5

7. Project methodological process/ block diagram ......................................................................... 7

8. Resources Required .................................................................................................................... 8

9. Time Plan .................................................................................................................................... 9

10. Cost Breakdown ...................................................................................................................... 10

Reference ...................................................................................................................................... 11

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 1. Introduction and background

1.1. Introduction

More than 70% of our planet is covered by water. its widely believed that underwater world holds
ideas and resource that will fuel much of next generation of since business [1]. since human are
limited by in their ability to work under water ROVs (remotely operated vehicles) and AUVs
(Automatic Under water vehicles). Wireless underwater communication is a challenging task.
Most commonly used methods, which are well established for digital communication in air, do not
work in water [2]. Conventionally, underwater communications are achieved using an acoustic
method. Acoustic communication is the most versatile and widely used technique in underwater
environments due to the low attenuation of sound in water. This is especially true in thermally
stable, deep-water settings. On the other hand, the use of acoustic waves in shallow water can be
adversely affected by temperature gradients, surface ambient noise, and multipath propagation due
to reflection and refraction. The much slower speed of acoustic propagation in water, about 1500
m/s, compared with that of electromagnetic and optical waves, is another limiting factor for
efficient communication and networking. Available radio modules operate in the GHz range, the
attenuation in water for high frequency radio, especially in electrically more conductive salt water,
is extremely high. A way around this is using ultra low frequency long wave radio, for which the
attenuation is manageable, but the maximum bandwidth is significantly limited. Optical
communication systems can have shorter ranges because of greater attenuation of light propagating
through water, they may provide higher bandwidth (up to several hundred Kbps) communications
as well as covertness. The development of high brightness blue LED sources, and laser diodes
suggest that high speed optical links can be viable for short-range application. In this project, we
review the physical fundamentals and engineering implementation for efficient underwater
communication via optical waves. Underwater systems have severe power, and size constraints
compared to land or air based systems. High speed underwater optical communications has at least
three distinct advantages over acoustic communications. The data rates achievable are high (1 to
10Mbps), the latency from when data is sent to when data is received is low, and there is no
acoustic noise associated with transmission.

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High data rates are advantageous in data retrieval applications, where, for one example, wireless
data retrieval would make deployment and recovery of certain systems more economical.

Emitted Beam Absorption

and Detector
Source scattering

Additive
Transmitter pulse Noise

Receive pulse
Fig 1: system model of underwater optical communication link

Implementing underwater optical link is dependent on the characteristic of ocean water. For
underwater communication process, we have to take care about different condition that is
associated in water. Also, in under –water wireless optical communication recently modulation
techniques are used for improvement of efficiency thus it can be useful for different conditions.

Modulation Techniques used in Underwater wireless communication

In general, the modulation methods developed for radio communications can be adapted for
underwater acoustic communications (UAC). However, some of the modulation schemes are more
suited to the unique underwater acoustic communication channel than others. Some of the
modulation methods used for UAC is as follows:

• Frequency Shift Keying (FSK)

• Phase Shift Keying (PSK)
• Frequency Hopped Spread Spectrum (FHSS)
• Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (DSSS)
• Frequency and Pulse-position modulation (FPPM and PPM)
• Multiple Frequency Shift Keying (MFSK)
• Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM)

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1.2. Background

In recent years, underwater wireless optical communications (UWOC) has attracted considerable
attention as an alternative technology to traditional acoustic approach. As a special type of free
space optical (FSO) communications, UWOC systems employ the blue/green region of visible
light spectrum to realize data transmission since this region of light suffers lowest attenuation in
natural water. Due to these advantages, UWOC has numerous applications such as real-time video
communications, remote sensing and navigation, imaging as well as high throughput sensor
network. The absorption and scattering may introduce the effects of energy loss and direction
changing for the optical beams, respectively. In turbid medium especially coastal and harbor water,
the transmitted photons are scattered multiple times, which is referred to as multiple scattering.

2. Statement of the Problem

As analyzed by underwater communications are traditionally made with a physical connector,
made by cables or fiber-optics. These represent some advantages since they are capable of
transport electrical power and offer a high speed and reliable communication. However, their use
can limit the range and maneuverability of underwater operations, and the presence of a long and
heavy cable and the associated hydrodynamic drag, increases the risks of an operation.

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3. Proposed solution
For these reasons, there is a high interest on the investigation of alternative ways to transmit
information underwater, without been dependent on a cable connection. This is why it has been
giving a big importance to the wireless communication techniques. A wireless link is desirable in
many situations although fiber optic or copper cablings are used for bulky and immobile devices.
Free space optical communication is considered as a promising alternative as it overcomes low
data rates, high latencies and multipath issues offered by prevailing acoustic communications.

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4. Objectives of the Project

4.1. General Objective

➢ To simulate underwater wireless optical communication system.

4.2. Specific objective

➢ To simulate the transmitter and receiver for under water wireless communication
➢ To study the underwater channel and appropriate digital modulation technique
➢ To decided laser or LED based system is best for under water optical communication
➢ To analysis the factor that affect under water optical communication and component that
can be used for UWOC

5. Literature review
In this chapter we should write a wide description of our project compared to other project and
research related to our topic and we focus what our project includes compared other. So many
research and project had done related to under water optical communication. Liu and Ge [7]
reported an underwater sensor network for undersea exploration applications dependent on a blue
green laser for long range communications as an alternative to an acoustic sensor network because
of the high delay, limited bandwidth, high bit error rate and high energy consumption of acoustic
systems. Liu et al. [12] discussed a high data rate underwater optical wireless communication
system. A simple analytical method based on using P spice simulator was used to evaluate the
underwater optical link and bit error rate by using light emitting diodes (LEDs) with the effect of
absorption and scattering in realistic ocean water.

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6. Methodology
We will use simulation software to analyze and simulate under water optical wireless
communication and Our methods of work are organized and accomplished through a sequence of
stages.

Idea and concept of underwater optical wireless communication

1.6 Methodology

Literature review

Mathematical model and system design include block diagram of UWOC

Developing matlab code depending on our mathematical model

Simulation

Result

Discussion and conclusion

Figure 2: Methodology block diagram

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7. Project methodological process/ block diagram

Music, voice, video derive

Data, bits + compress mixer power amplifier
Information
Modulator Transmitter
source

Water
channel

Information
Demodulator Receiver
sink

Video display, speakers, low noise amplifier

Detect + decode + decompress (LNA), mixer

Figure 3: block diagram of underwater communication communication system

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8. Resources Required
The software we are going to use for our project is matlab. And the required materials to perform
the project are as follows: -

NO. Material Quantity

1 Computer 1
2 Paper 100
3 Print 3
4 Pen 5

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9. Time Plan
Time
schedule

March 3rd April April 2nd May2nd

April 4th
NO. Activity March 1st 1st -April 3rd May 4th
May 1st
Weeks Week Weeks Weeks
weeks
Time organize and
1 topic selection ✓
finalization
Literature serving
2 ✓
on Project
Composition of
3 overall writing ✓
thesis proposal
Working for overall
4 project ✓
in detail body part
Proof a project on
5 Matlab and ✓
Conclusion
Presentation
6
app

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10. Cost Breakdown

Materials required Cost in birr

Computer/laptop 25000
Paper 75
Print 100
Pen 25
Total 27200

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Reference
[1]. Pearl Antoinette Me dez1, Roth James2, “Comparative Study of Underwater Wireless
Optical Communication for Three Different Communication Links”.
[2]. C.T. Poomagal*, “M. Athappa Wireless Optical Communication for Underwater
Applications”
[3]. López Estepa, “Pedro Underwater optical communication”
[4]. A. Mahdi and J. S. Doerun, "Wireless optical communications: a survey," in Wireless
Communications and Networking Conference, 2004. WCNC. 2004 IEEE,2004, pp. 2399-2404
[5]. D. C. O'Brien, L. Zing, H. Le-Minh, G. Faulkner, J. W. Wale ski, and S. Randal, “Visible
light communications: Challenges and possibilities," in Personal, Indoor and Mobile Radio
Communications, 2008. PIMRC 2008. IEEE 19th International Symposium on PIMRC, 2008,
pp.1-5.
[6]. H. Henniker and O. Wilbert, "An Introduction to Free-space Optical Communications,"
Radio Engineering NO. 2, vol. 19 pp. 203-212, 2010.
[7]. Y. Liu and X. Gee, "Underwater Laser sensor network: A New Approach for Broadband
Communication in the Underwater," in 5th WSEAS International Conference on
Telecommunications and Informatics Istanbul, Turkey, 2006, pp. 421-425.
[8]. Y. F. Fung, M. Dai, and M. F. Recant, "Underwater short range free space optical
communication for a robotic swarm," in 4th International Conference on Autonomous Robots
and Agents, Wellington, New Zealand, 2009, pp. 529-532
[9]. G. Baden, Y. Bistro, and A. Maloti, "Paving the way for a future underwater
omnidirectional wireless optical communication systems," Ocean Engineering, vol. 36, pp.633-
640, 2009.
[10]. Y. J. Gaudi, "Underwater Free Space Optics," Master of Science North Carolina State,
2006

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[11]. D. Angina, D. Brizzolara, and G. Parodi, "Building an Underwater Wireless Sensor
Network Based on Optical: Communication: Research Challenges and Current Results," in
Sensor

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