GROW

About Project

Long-range broadband underwater wireless communications

The GROW project aims to develop a novel solution for timely long-range, high bitrate underwater wireless communications. The solution combines short-range wireless technologies (e.g., radio, wireless optical), intermediate AUVs as data mules, and long-range acoustic communications; the latter are used to control in real-time the range, bitrate, and latency of a data link between the AUV and the central station. A multidisciplinary research team is involved in GROW: the team from INESC TEC, with long experience in wireless networks and robotics, including the development of AUVs and navigation algorithms for marine robots; the team from IPMA, with vast know-how in marine geosciences, hazards characterization, and experience in marine observation and monitoring.

Acronym

GROW

Responsible

Rui Lopes Campos

Status

Concluded

Start

January 1, 2018

End

January 30, 2021

Effective End

January 30, 2021

Global Budget

€238,486.63

Financing

€209,524.00

Members

Team Leaders

Rui Campos has a PhD degree in Electrical and Computers Engineering in 2011, from University of Porto. Currently, he leads the “Wireless Networks” research area (http://win.inescporto.pt) of the Centre for Telecommunications and Multimedia consisting of 30 researchers, and he is an IEEE Senior Member. He has coordinated several research projects, including: SIMBED in Fed4FIRE+ Open Call 3, UGREEN, BLUECOM+, MareCom, MTGrid, the WiFIX action approved in CONFINE Open Call 1, Mare-Fi, Under-Fi, ReCoop, and HiperWireless. Rui Campos has participated in several research projects, including the following European projects: H2020 Fed4FIRE+, H2020 RAWFIE, FP7 SUNNY, FP7 CONFINE, FP6 Ambient Networks Phase 1, and FP6 Ambient Networks Phase 2. His research interests include medium access control, radio resource management, mobility management, and network auto-configuration in emerging wireless networks, with special focus on flying networks, maritime networks, and underwater networks.

Team Members

José Carlos dos Santos Alves

Nuno Miguel Neves de Abreu

Nuno Alexandre Lopes Moreira da Cruz

Aníbal Castilho Coimbra de Matos

Bruno Miguel Mateus Ferreira

Filipe Borges Teixeira

Rui Lopes Campos

Associated Centres

Robotics and Autonomous Systems

The Centre for Robotics and Autonomous Systems (CRAS) focuses on developing innovative robotic solutions for operation in complex environments. Each day, our researchers strive to map the unknown, creating solutions to explore the oceans’ depths, monitor the environment, or inspect infrastructures. Our goal? To become a global reference in robotics and autonomous systems, combining expertise in multisensory perception and 3D modelling, navigation and control, robotic manipulation and intervention - pushing the boundaries of autonomous robotics and integrating aerial, ground, and underwater robots into our solutions. Focusing on Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) between 5 and 8, CRAS develops prototypes and operational solutions for strategic sectors. Our laboratory infrastructure includes test tanks, prototyping workshops, and a wide range of equipment ready to operate in real-world environments. Our researchers also resort to Mar Profundo, a support vessel for testing and validating innovative maritime technologies - a key asset in bridging theoretical design and field validation. CRAS stands out for a practical approach: we combine advanced research with a strong focus on real-world applications, reducing human risk in hazardous missions, optimising operations and processes, and expanding the frontiers of autonomous robotics.

Telecommunications and Multimedia

The Centre for Telecommunications and Multimedia (CTM) welcomes close to 200 members, including at least 100 integrated researchers who carry out scientific work in the fields of communications, Artificial Intelligence, and computer science and engineering. The Centre’s activities cover several Research and Development (R&D) domains: <ul> <li>Communications and Electronics <ul> <li>Radio Frequency Technologies</li> <li>Optoelectronics</li> <li>Microelectronics</li> <li>Wireless Communication Networks </li> </ul> </li> <li>Computer Perception <ul> <li>Computer Vision applied to Medical Imaging</li> <li>Computer Vision applied to Digital Media</li> <li>Computer Audio applied to Music</li> </ul> </li> </ul> With multidisciplinary teams that include dozens of PhDs, CTM is strongly committed to both European and national research projects, as well as consultancy projects with industry.