In this study, BlueME, a compact magnetoelectric (ME) antenna array system for underwater robot-to-robot communication, is deployed on the BlueBoat and BlueROV2 to test the its performance. The results show that BlueME is successful and represents the first practical underwater deplyment of ME antennas!
Abstract: We present the design, development, and experimental validation of BlueME, a compact magnetoelectric (ME) antenna array system for underwater robot-to-robot communication. BlueME employs ME antennas operating at their natural mechanical resonance frequency to efficiently transmit and receive very-low-frequency (VLF) electromagnetic signals underwater. To evaluate its performance, we deployed BlueME on an autonomous surface vehicle (ASV) and a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) in open-water field trials. Our tests demonstrate that BlueME maintains reliable signal transmission at distances beyond 200 meters while consuming only 1 watt of power. Field trials show that the system operates effectively in challenging underwater conditions such as turbidity, obstacles, and multipath interference– that generally affect acoustics and optics. Our analysis also examines the impact of complete submersion on system performance and identify key deployment considerations. This work represents the first practical underwater deployment of ME antennas outside the laboratory, and implements the largest VLF ME array system to date. BlueME demonstrates significant potential for marine robotics and automation in multi-robot cooperative systems and remote sensor networks.
Authors: Talebi, M.; Mahmud, S.; Adam Khalifa, A.; and Jahidul Islam, M.
Journal: arXiv
To read more, click here!