NSF East Asia and Pacific Summer Institute (EAPSI) for FY 2013 in Taiwan

Zuba Michael, New Milford CT

Investigators

Abstract

This action funds Michael Zuba of the University of Connecticut to conduct a research project in the Computer and Information Science and Engineering area during the summer of 2013 at National Sun Yat-sen University in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan. The project title is "An Advanced Channel Model for Improved Underwater Acoustic Network Simulations." The host scientist is Dr. T.C. Yang. The intellectual merit of this fellowship is in developing an advanced underwater acoustic communication framework for integration into an open-source network simulation tool. The framework is validated against the results of real-world ocean environments using sea tests. This work studies the effects of the physical environment, such as wind, noise (anthropogenic and natural), sea floor sediment types, the geometry of the network and the acoustic channel effects, such as multi-path, attenuation and different modulation schemes, on acoustic communication performance. This research advances the knowledge and understanding of underwater acoustics and networking by providing an accurate communication module for simulation. New applications such as energy harvesting using wave motion and microbial fuel cells, lifetime assessment of water based civil structures and harbor and port surveillance will become more feasible, impacting and increasing our nation?s energy and infrastructure capabilities. Broader impacts of an EAPSI fellowship include providing the Fellow a first-hand research experience outside the U.S.; an introduction to the science, science policy, and scientific infrastructure of the respective location; and an orientation to the society, culture and language. These activities meet the NSF goal to educate for international collaborations early in the career of its scientists, engineers, and educators, thus ensuring a globally aware U.S. scientific workforce. Furthermore, the collaborative research will be disseminated through scholarly conferences and integrated into an open source simulation tool that will be made freely available to other researchers. This work will allow other researchers to validate new networking algorithms and physical layer improvements in underwater acoustics and networking, which lags behind terrestrial communication research.