Magnetic Communication in Harsh Environments Employing High-Sensitive Wideband Magnetic Field Sensors
type: CreativeWork
description: In many transmission media other than air, current communication systems are unable to provide sufficiently fast and stable data transmission for modern applications. Examples include underground and underwater communication, as well as data transmission in process engineering, e.g., communication in chemical reaction tanks. A promising approach to overcome these challenges is the use of magnetic fields for short- and medium-range data transmission, as they are less susceptible to the typical interference and attenuation that occur in dense or liquid media. This work presents an innovative solution for magnetic communication that enables reliable and efficient data transmission in challenging environments such as water. In this approach, the receiver coil of a conventional magnetic induction communication system is replaced by a high-sensitivity, low-noise, wideband magnetic field sensor. These sensors offer increased bandwidth and, at the same size, higher sensitivity, enabling greater communication ranges under certain conditions, particularly for mobile applications. An AMR sensor was selected as an exemplary implementation to demonstrate the feasibility of the approach. A comprehensive channel model for underwater magnetic communication is developed, addressing different water depths and water conditions in homogeneous and heterogeneous environments. Another focus is the introduction of an efficient modulation scheme, MRFSK, which uses adaptive resonance frequencies to achieve higher bit rates while reducing energy consumption. Prototype experiments validate the theoretical results. The proposed technologies are integrated into a hybrid modem that combines magnetic and visible light communication to enhance reliability. Successful tests in real underwater environments confirm the suitability of the communication concept for diverse applications and lay the foundation for further research in underwater communication.
abstract: In many transmission media other than air, current communication systems are unable to provide sufficiently fast and stable data transmission for modern applications. Examples include underground and underwater communication, as well as data transmission in process engineering, e.g., communication in chemical reaction tanks. A promising approach to overcome these challenges is the use of magnetic fields for short- and medium-range data transmission, as they are less susceptible to the typical interference and attenuation that occur in dense or liquid media. This work presents an innovative solution for magnetic communication that enables reliable and efficient data transmission in challenging environments such as water. In this approach, the receiver coil of a conventional magnetic induction communication system is replaced by a high-sensitivity, low-noise, wideband magnetic field sensor. These sensors offer increased bandwidth and, at the same size, higher sensitivity, enabling greater communication ranges under certain conditions, particularly for mobile applications. An AMR sensor was selected as an exemplary implementation to demonstrate the feasibility of the approach. A comprehensive channel model for underwater magnetic communication is developed, addressing different water depths and water conditions in homogeneous and heterogeneous environments. Another focus is the introduction of an efficient modulation scheme, MRFSK, which uses adaptive resonance frequencies to achieve higher bit rates while reducing energy consumption. Prototype experiments validate the theoretical results. The proposed technologies are integrated into a hybrid modem that combines magnetic and visible light communication to enhance reliability. Successful tests in real underwater environments confirm the suitability of the communication concept for diverse applications and lay the foundation for further research in underwater communication.
author: Hott, Maurice
keywords: Underwater Communication, Communication in Harsh Environments, Magnetic Communication, Mobile communication, Communication Systems, Modulation Scheme, Data Modulation, Magnetic Field Detection, Magnetic Field Sensors, Autonomous Underwater Vehicles
date published: 2026-01-20
date modified: 2026-07-24T01:35:31Z
provider: Christian-Albrechts Universität Kiel
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel