• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.511-517
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• 2018

This paper proposes a vision-based underwater laser scanner with separate structures for an underwater camera and a line laser projector. Because the two devices can be adaptively placed regardless of the features of the unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV), the scanner has significant advantages in relation to its availability and flexibility. Position calibration between the underwater camera and laser projector guarantees a 3D measuring performance with high accuracy. To verify the proposed underwater laser scanner, a test-bed system was manufactured, which consisted of the laser projector, camera, Pan&Tilt, and Attitude and Heading Reference System (AHRS). A camera-laser calibration test and simple 3D reconstruction test were performed in a water tank and the experimental results are reported.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.442-453
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• 2020

Underwater color images suffer from low visibility and color cast effects caused by light attenuation by water and floating particles. This study applied single image enhancement techniques to enhance the quality of underwater images and compared their performance with real underwater images taken in Korean waters. Dark channel prior (DCP), gradient transform, image fusion, and generative adversarial networks (GAN), such as cycleGAN and underwater GAN (UGAN), were considered for single image enhancement. Their performance was evaluated in terms of underwater image quality measure, underwater color image quality evaluation, gray-world assumption, and blur metric. The DCP saturated the underwater images to a specific greenish or bluish color tone and reduced the brightness of the background signal. The gradient transform method with two transmission maps were sensitive to the light source and highlighted the region exposed to light. Although image fusion enabled reasonable color correction, the object details were lost due to the last fusion step. CycleGAN corrected overall color tone relatively well but generated artifacts in the background. UGAN showed good visual quality and obtained the highest scores against all figures of merit (FOMs) by compensating for the colors and visibility compared to the other single enhancement methods.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.61-81
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• 2022

The available underwater acoustic spectrum is limited. Therefore, it is imperative to avoid frequency interference from overlapping frequencies of underwater acoustic equipment (UAE) for the co-existence of the UAE. Cognitive technology that senses idle spectrum and actively avoids frequency interference is an efficient method to facilitate the collision-free operation of multiple UAE with overlapping frequencies. Cognitive technology is adopted to identify the frequency usage of UAE to apply cognitive technology. To this end, we investigated two principle underwater acoustic sources: UAE and marine animals. The UAE is classified into five types: underwater acoustic modem, acoustic positioning system, multi-beam echo-sounder, side-scan sonar, and sub-bottom profiler. We analyzed the parameters of the frequency band, directivity, range, and depth, which play a critical role in the design of underwater acoustic cognitive technology. Moreover, the frequency band of several marine species was also examined. The mid-frequency band from 10 - 40 kHz was found to be the busiest. Lastly, this study provides useful insights into the design of underwater acoustic cognitive technologies, where it is essential to avoid interference among the UAE in this mid-frequency band.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.336-342
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• 2017

Recently, there has been an increasing need for underwater communication systems to monitor ocean environments and prevent marine disasters, as well as to secure ocean resources. Most underwater communication systems adopted acoustic communication with a consideration of attenuation, absorption, and scattering in conductive sea water, and developed fully digital modems based on processors. In this study, a digital up converter (DUC) and a digital down converter (DDC) was developed for an underwater basestation based on underwater acoustic communication systems. Because one of the most important issues in underwater acoustic communication systems is low power consumption due to environmental problems, this study developed a specific hardware module for DUC and DDC. It supported four links of underwater acoustic communication systems and converted the sampling rate and frequency. The systemwas designed and verified using Verilog-HDL in ModelSim environment with the test data generated from baseband layer parts for an underwater base station.

• Explosives and Blasting
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.11-22
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• 2013

This study compared and analysed ground vibration, size of underwater background noise in fish farms and underwater object noise of blasting and obtained ground vibration prediction equation through a regression analysis and correlation equation between underwater object noises in order to predict degrees of underwater noise in blasting and organize underwater noise control regulations. Before the study, when background noise of fish and shellfish farms with different conditions was measured, levels of background noise were different according to environmental characteristics of each farm. Ground vibration which causes underwater noise was measured to obtain a correlation equation between ground vibration and underwater object noise. Therefore, if underwater noise is predicted for each construction with a use of a correlation and permissible standards appropriate for each condition are applied for design and construction, financial loss from damages to fish and shellfish caused by development of insufficient technological and engineering logic can be prevented and successful construction with safety of underwater creatures guaranteed can be achieved.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Communications and Information Sciences
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• v.37C no.12
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• pp.1328-1336
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• 2012

Compared to terrestrial RF communications, underwater acoustic communications have several limitations such as limited bandwidth, high level of fading effects, and a large underwater propagation delay. In this paper, in order to tackle those limitations of underwater communications and to make it possible to form a large underwater monitoring systems, we propose a hierarchical underwater network architecture, which consists of underwater sensors, clusterheads, underwater/surface sink nodes, autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). In the proposed architecture, for the maximization of packet delivery ratio and the minimization of underwater sensor's energy consumption, a hybrid routing protocol is used. More specifically, cluster members use Tree based routing to transmit sensing data to clusterheads. AUVs on optimal trajectory movements collect the aggregated data from clusterhead and finally forward the data to the sink node. Also, in order to minimize the maximum travel distance of AUVs, an Integer Linear Programming based algorithm is employed. Performance analysis through simulations shows that the proposed architecture can achieve a higher data delivery ratio and lower energy consumption than existing routing schemes such as gradient based routing and geographical forwarding. Start after striking space key 2 times.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.9
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• pp.233-239
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• 2019

An unmanned underwater vehicle is a major weapon system that allows surveillance and reconnaissance missions in border areas or threatening areas where enemy submarines are present. Unmanned underwater vehicles can be used to explore underwater resources, predict disasters, and survey the topography of the ocean floor in the civilian fields, while in the defense fields, it can be used for anti-submarine reconnaissance and mine countermeasures. In this paper, we first investigate the main classification of unmanned underwater vehicles, and foreign R&D trends are analyzed based on the main classification criteria by weight, such as portable, light, heavy and large-scale unmanned underwater vehicles. Then we examine the trends in the development of domestic unmanned underwater vehicles. Finally, through the analysis of both domestic and foreign unmanned underwater vehicles, we present future development trends of unmanned underwater vehicles in order to set defense goals to counter the anticipated threats and diversified potential environment.

• Journal of the Institute of Convergence Signal Processing
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.92-100
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• 2020

Currently, the demand for underwater or underwater photography is growing very fast. Its coverage of underwater shooting for broadcasting, leisure and sports, and military and operational use is also growing rapidly. Among them, we specifically select the best camera to be used in underwater drones to photograph and inspect marine life attached to the ship's hull. To compare three cameras performance, they are compared and evaluated using objective and subjective criteria in special circumstances such as underwater shooting. This study checks whether performance criteria, such as resolution of a camera, meet objective and subjective standards in the unusual situation of underwater shooting. And it shows that in addition to the filter that calibrates the image, proper camera selection is important for providing good picture quality. Even after this study, research using more diverse cameras could provide an appropriate standard for comparison of underwater camera quality.

• Explosives and Blasting
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.81-88
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• 2011

Most of the blast pollution that causes complaints is noise and vibration. Hence, special attentions need to be paid to controlling the underwater noise in designing blasting for those areas. This study estimated underwater sound pressure using distance from blasting and charge per delay and underwater sound pressure level using the underwater sound pressure. To identify the validity of the estimated value, the study demonstrated the results at other areas and compared actual results with estimated results.

• Transactions of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering
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• v.23 no.10
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• pp.920-927
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• 2013

The requirement of acoustic performance about underwater acoustic material which is used in underwater environment more increases. Underwater acoustic material was made by viscoelastic material such as a rubber and a polyurethane etc. In order to increase an acoustic performance, several kinds of inclusions were added to viscoelastic material. In this paper, acoustic modelling and analysis techniques were introduced and the acoustic characteristics of underwater acoustic material were studied. Echo reduction and transmission loss were calculated with volume fraction of inclusion in the material. Also the characteristic impedance and the input impedance of underwater acoustic material were obtained and effects on the echo reduction and transmission loss of material were discussed.