Design of a Web Based Underwater Acoustic Communication Testbed and Simulation Platform

Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks (UWSNs) are playing a vital role in exploring the unseen underwater (UW) natural resources. However, performance evaluation of UWSNs is still a challenging research problem. Various techniques such as, in-field testing, simulation and emulation have been used for the purpose but they all have limitations. For example, in-field testing is expensive as well as extensive; similarly, a simulation model based on assumptions may not provide precise results. Consequently, it is crucial to have a solution that is reliable, inexpensive and requires less effort to validate the functionality of UWSNs and their components. In this paper, a testbed is proposed that evaluates the UW communication system in a controlled aquatic environment and simulates the UW channel and sound propagation models. The constraint of physical access to the testbed facility is resolved by using a web-based monitoring and controlling graphical user interface. Preliminary results obtained by using the testbed in evaluating the performance of UW communication systems and the simulations done show that the proposed solution is indeed superior to existing solutions as it is cost-effective, requires less effort and is reliable.