NEWPORT – Bionet Sonar of Burlington, Mass., recently tested its new wireless technology HydroNet at the Narragansett Bay Test Facility at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport.
HydroNet is an open, modular and programmable underwater modem. It powers an autonomous wireless communications system that brings the internet underwater and empowers the network with artificial intelligence-driven, software-defined technologies. It can be used with remotely operated vehicles, autonomous underwater vehicles and unmanned undersea vehicles, according to the company.
The testing process was performed in collaboration with the Northeast Tech Bridge, as part of the Blueswell Incubator Program.
The HydroNet project is funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency through the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs, which encourage small businesses to engage in government research and development with the potential for commercialization.
“We are extremely pleased about this partnership with Bionet Sonar,” said Mary Sylvia, Division Newport’s technology partnership officer and deputy director of the Northeast Tech Bridge. “It is an example of how the Northeast Tech Bridge enables our local maritime ecosystem.”
According to NUWC, the Bionet team would like to return to the Narragansett Bay Test Facility this summer to work on communications techniques to further improve data rates.
Susan Shalhoub is a PBN contributing writer.
