Toward Immersive Underwater Cloud-Enabled Networks: Prospects and Challenges

Underwater engineering significantly increases the liveability and sustainability of our planet's ecosystems. Enhancing the connectivity of ocean-based engineering systems and ensuring its digital resilience is, therefore, indispensable for reaping the benefits of underwater engineering systems. To this end, this work proposes augmenting underwater engineering systems with cloud connectivity platforms as a paradigm shift for upscaling underwater communication networks and applications. The envisioned underwater cloud-assisted network (UCAN) provides joint underwater computing, processing, communication, and acquisition while benefitting from the cooling features of the aquatic environment. We first survey the literature on conventional underwater wireless communication networks. We then describe the prospects for UCANs and advocate the deployment of UCANs for sustainable connectivity. Next, we explore the opportunities stemming from the deployment of UCANs—e.g., resource management, natural cooling, and underwater intelligence. Finally, we highlight the challenges and open issues arising from such a futuristic cloud-enabled underwater communication network—e.g., channel modeling, characterizing achievable-rate, quality-of-service retrofitting, and preserving marine biodiversity.