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SA Photonics Achieves High Data Rate Underwater Communications in Turbid Water

Date Announced: 06 Dec 2010

Visible-range fiber laser system reaches 50Mb/s.

LOS GATOS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SA Photonics is pleased to announce that it has successfully completed open ocean testing of its Neptune™ underwater communications system. Testing was performed in conjunction with the Scripps Institute of Oceanography at their pier in the San Diego harbor. By precisely modulating a visible wavelength fiber laser, Neptune™ achieved data rates of up to 50 Megabits per second at distances beyond 20 attenuation lengths in turbid coastal water.

SA Photonics’ Neptune™ system provides data rates that are 1000 times higher than existing acoustic modems, enabling much needed bandwidth for critical underwater applications. “Our Neptune™ communications system will transform communications between ships, submarines and unmanned underwater vehicles, even in turbid coastal waters,” says Jim Coward, SA Photonics’ President and CEO. “SA Photonics’ Neptune™ also provides a means to communicate in acoustically noisy littoral waters, where traditional acoustic modems have difficulty.”

SA Photonics engineers leveraged their extensive expertise in communications systems and fiber lasers to create a system that can autonomously change modulation formats and data rate depending on the water quality and link distance. Neptune™ incorporates an SA Photonics BeamDirector™ that provides precision closed loop acquisition, pointing and tracking for the optical link. Neptune™ is a very small, lightweight and power efficient system that easily installs in mini-subs and unmanned underwater vehicles, as well as in submarines and ships.

Source: SA Photonics

Contact

SA Photonics
Sawyer Williams,
+1 401-580-0657

E-mail: s.williams@saphotonics.com

Web Site: www.saphotonics.com

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