SEA-LABS: A wireless sensor network for sustained monitoring of coral reefs

Abstract

This paper describes SEA-LABS (Sensor Exploration Apparatus utilizing Low-power Aquatic Broadcasting System), a low-cost, power-efficient Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) for sustained, real-time monitoring of shallow water coral reefs. The system is designed to operate in remote, hard-to-access areas of the world, which limits the ability to perform on-site data retrieval and periodic system maintenance (e.g., battery replacement/recharging). SEA-LABS thus provides a customized solution to shallow-water environmental monitoring addressing the trade-offs between power conservation and the system's functional requirements, namely data sensing and processing as well as real-time, wireless communication. We present SEA-LABS' architecture and its current implementation. Finally, we share our experience deploying SEALABS in the Monterey Bay. © IFIP International Federation for Information Processing 2007.