Table of Contents
Award Categories
This demonstration was entered and competed in the following award categories:
- Brian L. Barge Award for Excellence in Microsystems Integration
- Sponsored by CMC Microsystems
- Award for Excellence in Microsystems CAD Tools and Design Methodology
- Sponsored by COMSOL
Poster
During the TEXPO2022 demonstration, the following poster was presented:
This poster is also available as a PDF (1.6MB).
Summary
The project is designed to detect and then localize marine life in real-time to ensure safe operation of underwater equipment such as tidal turbines. To accomplish this, an acoustic localization algorithm was developed. Unlike the standard Time Difference of Arrival (TDoA) algorithm, this algorithm also considers a surface bounce which improves the accuracy of the estimation. The sounds produced by marine life are captured using an array of hydrophones (underwater microphones). This data is then used by the controller that uses a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) to detect the presence of the marine life sounds. Subsequently, the FPGA uses the developed algorithm to estimate the location of the marine life based on the slight differences in the received signals. The controller can then display this location on a map to the end user. This system can display the estimated locations in real-time to ensure safe operation of underwater equipment.