Cost-Saving Enhancements to the Swimmer Detection Sonar Network (SDSN)

A low cost Swimmer Detection Sonar Network (SDSN) is now being developed under an ONR Phase 2 SBIR and as a joint project between the USA and Singapore. The SDSN is a network of inexpensive sonar nodes where narrow sonar beams are formed using airbacked parabolic reflectors. The feasibility of the system has been proven through trials conducted in Singapore harbor and full development is well underway. Currently each parabolic reflector has a single transducer at the focal point and is used for both transmission and reception. There is one parabolic reflector for each beam, with up to 10 beams per node. A substantially less complex, cheaper, and smaller node might be realized using a single widebeam transmitter and a multibeam airbacked spherical reflector receiver. Initial modeling shows promise. The Phase 1 effort would include more thorough modeling, testing of a multibeam airbacked spherical reflector receiver, and design of a complete node. In Phase 2 we would build up 3 nodes and evaluate their performance against the current design. If successful this SBIR would make the SDSN even more cost effective, allowing for its use in a much broader range of applications, along with significantly increasing the commercial potential.