New Device for Underwater Communication Developed in Russia

Russian electromagnetic communication system Shelf to be first exhibited at the VTTV-Omsk-2003 exhibition
The instrument making research institute in the Russian city of Omsk is the developer of the new system Shelf. The innovation will be exposed at the arms exhibition VTTV-Omsk-2003 on June 3-7 in the Russian city of Omsk.

The system Shelf provides divers with wireless communication, it may also allow skin-divers to maintain communication with a vessel or with a coastal base. The Omsk research institute developed two variants of the system, a light diving radio station Shelf-B and a shipboard radio station Shelf-K.

The new system is particular, as sea water conduction currents are used in it as the data carrier. The new method guarantees safe underwater communication, even despite such obstacles as seaweeds, reefs, rocks and strong acoustic noises. The developers say, communication will be still of high quality inside of underwater caves and sunken vessels. Today the research institute holds technologies that guarantee good communication in fresh water as well.

The principle of underwater communication studied and developed at the Omsk research institute helps create an effective system of emergency communication channels for submarine vessels suffering a disaster. Originally, the developers planned to use the new device for military purposes and the innovation was used in special operations of the Navy; the performance was successful.

Today a non-defense model of the underwater radio station is popular among oil workers operating on sea drilling platforms. A Russian enterprise Lazurit from Nizhny Novgorod also evinced interest in the new device: the enterprise constructs underwater drilling facilities that help people live and work in deep water.

Omskaya Gubernia news portal