Monday, March 7, 2011

Transmitting Data And Power Wirelessly Through Submarine Hulls

Transmitting Data And Power Wirelessly Through Submarine Hulls: "Steel walls are no match for Tristan Lawry. The doctoral student at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has developed and demonstrated an innovative new system that uses ultrasound to simultaneously transmit large quantities of data and power wirelessly through thick metal walls, like the hulls of ships and submarines."

Presently, to install critical safety sensors on the exterior of ships and submarines, the U.S. Navy is forced to drill holes in the hull through which cables for data and power transmission are run. Each hole increases the risk of potentially serious issues, including leaks and structural failure. Additionally, installing these sensors on commissioned vessels requires the use of a drydock or cofferdam, which can take months and cost millions of dollars.

Lawry's invention solves this problem. Unlike conventional electromagnetic wireless systems, which are ineffective at transmitting power and data through vessel hulls because of the "Faraday cage" shielding effects they present, his patent-pending system uses ultrasound - high-frequency acoustic waves -to easily propagate signals through thick metals and other solids.
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U-Boats "Made in Germany"



German submarine technology is breaking new ground.