Further Testing at Austevoll and Updates to the Demonstrator

SFI Smart Ocean will test and demonstrate the technology we are developing at several test sites, including our main test site at the Institute of Marine Research’s station at Austevoll. We are  happy to confirm that we have now completed several more tests in the fjord at Austevoll, and that the demonstrator has been enhanced with additional equipment.

 


A Seaguard Data Processing Unit equipped with a current profiler, a CTD sensor and a pressure sensor (by Aanderaa), was connected to a cNODE® modem (by Kongsberg Maritime). The integration was tested through acoustic communications both in the air (in the lab) and under water from the north rig towards the dock, where another cNODE was deployed. The transducer in the cNODE was adapted to the challenging multipath structure of the underwater acoustic channel.

We are particularly happy to confirm that W-Sense, after only becoming a partner in mid-October, has already contributed by deploying infrastructure. Their W-Node was connected to an Aanderaa conductivity sensor and transmits the data wirelessly to modems deployed close to land. An IoT-hub, connected to the modems, takes the data coming from the node and transmits them to W-Node’s cloud system. In the image below, you can see an example of real time data streaming.


NORCE also deployed the underwater acoustic monitoring system they have developed to collect underwater acoustic recordings of the signals transmitted by the cNODE and W-Sense modems at the rig.

In addition to the above-mentioned installations, a range of tests were performed, and data were collected:

  • Error statistics for the underwater acoustic communications between the equipment at the North rig and the onshore equipment.
  • Environmental acoustic noise was recorded while several anthropogenic sources were present. Examples are the RV, acoustic modems, and surface and underwater drones.
  • The underwater acoustic communications between 3 modems in the dock and one modem in the North rig were tested (W-Sense modems).
  • New data collection software was tested.


The field trials were combined with testing of the NORCE coastal drone, and two underwater drones: the Seasam by Notilo Plus and Blueye X3 by Blueye robotics, from the MarTERA UNDINA project.

 

The two days were very insightful for the future development of the instrumentation to be deployed at Austevoll, and fruitful teamwork was possible among the consortium partners involved: Aanderaa–a Xylem brand, Kongsberg Maritime, W-Sense, Institute of Marine Research, and NORCE Norwegian Research Centre AS. The sensors and communication systems are providing stable data access, and it is very encouraging to confirm that consortium participants are working efficiently together, combining knowledge and technologies into a more complete system.

Other posts related to the Austevoll test site: