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DARPA Contemplates Vast Ocean Network

Posted by samzenpus on from the under-the-sea dept.

coondoggie writes Probably one of the last and perhaps unforgiving areas of the world not truly "wired" is above and below the ocean. Researchers at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) want to explore the possibility of seriously changing that notion and develop what it calls "a system-of-systems architecture and critical components to support networked maritime operations, to include undersea, surface, and above surface domains."

12 comments

  1. Someone isn't paying attention by dave-man · · Score: 2

    Power cables, telecommunications cables, SOSUS arrays - littorals and continental shelves are littered with cables and there are a goodly number in the deep ocean.

    --
    Bill Gates is a communist -- he's just more equal than the rest of us.
  2. Sea Quest? by garrettg84 · · Score: 1

    I feel we are moving towards Sea Quest.

    --
    -g
    1. Re:Sea Quest? by mrchaotica · · Score: 2

      SeaQuest was set only 4 years from now. We're already failing to get our Back To The Future flying cars; I think we're going to fail to get our underwater settlements and talking dolphins too.

      --

      "[Regarding the 'cloud,'] ownership was what made America different than Russia." -- Woz

  3. Big networks... by roger_that · · Score: 1

    I sounds like big (physical) networks, with very few users (although it could be _very_ useful at times of emergency).

  4. Underwater cities by penguinoid · · Score: 1

    Just build a bunch of cities underwater, and giant floating cities, and you'll have cables everywhere.

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    Don't waste your vote! Vote for whoever you want, unless you live in a swing state it won't matter anyways
    1. Re:Underwater cities by WormholeFiend · · Score: 1

      The biggest oil platform, Hibernia, can only accomodate 185 people.

  5. Deaf Leapord (seals) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Hopefully DARPA's requirements include not deafening, killing, or confusing sea life. I imagine they intend "wireless" communications underwater. Almost certainly means an acoustic network. Probably one way transmission unless they can obfuscate the origin of a sub sending out a message. Hopefully we don't cause all the worlds sea life to explode. I am concerned not out of altruism, but because lots of sea critters are tasty.

    Thanks - Fud

  6. Its being worked by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Wireless communications with places like deep mines, the bottom of well casings and deep sea locations. But the NSA isn't going to like a world in which there isn't a piece of fiber they can pick up and tap.

    As a DARPA project, this isn't an issue. But what if a private concern gets there first?