Los Gatos, CA--SA Photonics announced that it has successfully completed open-ocean testing of its Neptune underwater communications system. Testing was performed in conjunction with the Scripps Institute of Oceanography at their pier in the San Diego harbor. By precisely modulating a visible-wavelength fiber laser, Neptune achieved data rates of up to 50 Megabits per second (Mbps) at distances beyond 20 attenuation lengths in turbid coastal water.
SA Photonics' Neptune system provides data rates that are 1000 times higher than existing acoustic modems, enabling much needed bandwidth for critical underwater applications. "Our Neptune [trade marked] communications system will transform communications between ships, submarines and unmanned underwater vehicles, even in turbid coastal waters," says Jim Coward, SA Photonics' president and CEO. "SA Photonics' Neptune also provides a means to communicate in acoustically noisy littoral waters, where traditional acoustic modems have difficulty."
SA Photonics engineers leveraged their extensive expertise in communications systems and fiber lasers to create a system that can autonomously change modulation formats and data rate depending on the water quality and link distance. Neptune incorporates an SA Photonics BeamDirector that provides precision closed-loop acquisition, pointing, and tracking for the optical link. Neptune is a very small, lightweight, and power-efficient system that easily installs in mini-subs and unmanned underwater vehicles, as well as in submarines and ships.
SA Photonics develops and deploys photonics solutions for commercial and government applications and has expertise in optical communications, ruggedized photonics hardware, optomechanical design, and complex analog and digital engineering.
SOURCE: Yahoo! Finance; http://finance.yahoo.com/news/SA-Photonics-Achieves-High-bw-900810406.html?x=0&.v=1
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