Data Fusion in Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks and Open Research Challenges

Underwater wireless sensor networks consist of numerous devices such as vehicles and sensor nodes, which are positioned underwater, and these devices collaboratively perform data collection, monitoring, and control task. The most critical issues related to underwater wireless sensor networks include limited bandwidth, data aggregation, data fusion, data collection, routing, media access control, higher propagation delay, and higher power consumption. Underwater data fusion is one of the critical issues for underwater military surveillance applications. It is also considered an equally important and challenging aspect for underwater intelligent traffic control and underwater vehicle navigation systems. This chapter provides an insight into basic concepts about multi-sensor data fusion and detailed review of most popular data fusion architectural models available for underwater wireless sensor networks. Finally, the chapter also provides open research directions to researchers for multi-sensor data fusion.