University sensors take to the ocean

Normally, researchers at the University of Twente’s Pervasive Systems group can be found in the lab devoting all their efforts to the development of sensor networks. But for a series of experiments which recently started they are taking the plunge into the world of deep sea diving.

The 2010 oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico showed just how vital it can be to obtain accurate information about what’s going on at the bottom of the sea and to bring it to light as quickly as possible. As part of the appropriately named research project CLAM, scientists at the University of Twente’s CTIT research institute are focusing their efforts on the development of a sensor platform for deep sea communication. The technology they are developing can be used to assess the quality of oil pipelines, to discover environmental pollution at sea, to monitor shipping in the world's major ports and to track whales. This last item might seem far removed from the world of industry, but oil platforms usually halt operations temporarily when whales are located in the vicinity.

The researchers are developing sensor modules which can not only carry out a range of measurements (e.g. determining CO2 concentrations in water; locating the source of particular sounds), but which can also process the resulting data digitally and communicate with one another to bring these measurements to the surface.

The first practical experiments involving the sensor modules took place at DiveWorld in Enschede. Among other things, the researchers were interested in finding out whether the various modules measure the correct data, whether they processed the data accurately and whether they could share this information with each other effectively. The second round of experiments will take place later this year off the Norwegian coast in a relatively shallow fjord. The system is due to be tested in the open sea in May 2013 at a depth of 300 metres.
 

The study is taking place under the auspices of the University’s CTIT research institute and is led by Prof. Paul Havinga and Dr Nirvana Meratnia of the Pervasive Systems research group. The researchers are collaborating on the project with three Italian universities, Norway’s SINTEF research organization, Norwegian company Kongsberg and Dutch company Microflown.