University of Florida debuts BlueME for real-time underwater robot communication
The University of Florida has created BlueME, a new technology that finally makes real-time underwater chat possible.
Instead of struggling with old-school radio or acoustic methods that fizzle out in saltwater, BlueME uses special magnetoelectric antennas to let underwater robots talk to each other over 700 meters, while drawing around 10W, less than a household LED light bulb.
BlueME array achieves 1-100 kb/s underwater
BlueME's antennas work at low frequencies and are set up in an array that boosts their signal big time, so messages get through even when the water's murky or noisy.
In tests, they achieved data rates between 1 Kb/s and 100 Kb/s, with freshwater and saltwater trials conducted at separate sites.
This could be a game-changer for mapping the ocean floor or steering fleets of underwater robots: no need for them to pop up for air just to send a message.