Signal transmission technology opens the door for underwater communication

Ultra-low frequency technology allows communication to be established where normal wireless connections are not available.

According to Engadget, there is no difficulty in making wireless connections on the ground, but this connection will become useless in places where signals can not travel, like under water or in caves. The Pentagon's Advanced Defense Projects Agency (DARPA) has found a better way.

This technology can help divers send text messages to each other.

Their AMEBA team is researching and developing low frequency ULF (1Hz to 3kHz) and very low frequencies (3kHz to 30kHz) VLFs that can penetrate materials such as rock and water. This technology can help divers send text messages to each other, or search and rescue teams can still contact the outside world while they are under the tunnel.

The basic concepts of ULF and VLF signaling systems are not new. They have been used in the military for decades for communications between submarines. But the challenge here is to pack the needed power into a relatively small space, because the material moves physically with strong electric or magnetic fields instead of relying on circuits and amplifiers. VLFs during the Cold War needed large amounts of land as well as dozens of tall towers up to a hundred meters. Meanwhile, the AMEBA team brings breakthroughs in design, insulators, magnets and technology to bring their vision to reality.

With these achievements, we will soon see this technology becoming a reality and widely used instead of just limited to the military today.