MEASUREMENT OF A 3D COIL APPLIED TO UNDERWATER MAGNETO-INDUCTIVE COMMUNICATION

Abstract

In this work, a magneto-inductive (MI) communication link is characterized using a compact three-dimensional transmitter front end. A realistic model of the MI link that includes the effect of coupling loss, conductive loss, as well as atmospheric noise is validated using measurements in a seawater tank. A relatively high capacity on the order of 100 kbps can be achieved for a distance less than approximately 4 meters. The magneto-inductive link channel gain is measured as a function of distance and frequency. This is realized with a modest power consumption below 0.1 W at the transmitter, and for small coil dimensions. Also, the measured channels are used to validate analytical models. The hardware platform is implemented with a custom-built casing. Finally using a 3D coil, the sensitivity to misalignment is significantly reduced.