|
| |
 |
|
|
 |
 |
- Jacques
Cousteau & IrDA
Located 100 miles south of San Francisco, the Monterey Bay Aquarium
Research Institute (MBARI) is a recognized world center for advanced
research and education in ocean science and technology.
The majority of instruments in use in ocean science provide an
RS-232 port. MBARI is making unique use of ACTiSYS' IrDA serial
adapter, the ACT-IR220L, as an underwater connection to those
ports.
MBARI operate submersibles, or remotely operated vehicles (ROV),
to spearhead research efforts. The Monterey Bay is heavily criss-crossed
by seismic faults that demand study, there are also many natural
springs, or seeps, arising from the seabed alive with bacteria
and minute organisms, the beginning of the oceans food chain.
MBARI is searching for greater efficiency in the gathering of
the Gigabytes of data that reside within these experiments. Today
an ROV is required to physically pick up each experiment and then
return to the vessel on the surface. The hope is that with the
introduction of an IrDA link, this mass of information can be
collected wirelessly.
MBARI are now conducting IrDA tests in the laboratory. They are
utilizing the ACT-IR220L to beam information from a replicated
experiment to a simulated ROV. The future benefits are myriad
and include the ability to insure that long-term experiments operate
effectively. This is impossible to know at the moment until the
experiment is returned to shore and thedata is downloaded.
MBARI experiments can run from one week to one year; the ability
to quickly
detect a problem provides critical cost savings.
To date the tests that have been conducted are encouraging; an
infrared data link of 50 centimeters has been achieved underwater.
One issue that remains is the tremendous pressure that is present
at such depths;~3900-psi is encountered at a depth of 9,000 feet.
Sea tests are to be undertaken this summer.
This is an early example of IrDA technology being deployed in
an unusual and fascinating manner, one-and-one-half miles underwater.
http://www.actisys.com
irda-info@actisys.com
Back to Top
|
 |
 |
|
|
 |
 |
|
