The Internet is under water

Wi-Fi waves can be found in the grasslands of Africa, around the Arctic glaciers and even in airplanes, but until now the underwater remains one of the places where the Internet still can not go. to come .

Researchers at the University of Buffalo in New York are developing a "deep-sea computer network " that can transmit data from sunken sensors in the ocean, the sea, and lakes to connect wireless devices. user.

The purpose of creating an underwater Internet is to help people get a better idea of what's going on in the depths of the ocean. For example, underwater Wi-Fi could help scientists detect tsunamis and send warning to coastal residents, collect data on water pollution and monitor offshore oil rigs.

"An underwater wireless network will give us the ability to collect and analyze data from the oceans," said Tommaso Melodia, a researcher at the project. " Send this information to anyone through a smartphone or computer, especially when a tsunami or other type of disaster occurs. The system may emit an early warning."

"We can even use it to track fish, sea animals and learn how to best protect them." Melody confirmed.

It is known that typical wireless networks use radio waves to transmit data, but radio waves are not transmitted in water. Marine communications agencies such as the Navy and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration must use sound waves. While sound waves work, to send information, they must be converted to radio waves. It's a multi-step process.

The study of Melody and his team is based on the transmission of data from flooded sensor networks directly to laptops, smartphones, tablets and other wireless devices. Recently, researchers have successfully tested the computer network underwater in Lake Erie.

In recent times, scientists have made significant progress in trying to get Internet into the water.