Recent progress in and perspectives of underwater wireless optical communication

Underwater wireless optical communication (UWOC) is an emerging and feasible underwater communication technology and has developed rapidly in recent years. Building a high-performance and practical UWOC system requires comprehensive consideration and optimization design from the device to the system, as well as from the internal modulation to the external environment. This paper provides an overview of the recent developments in UWOC systems, covering aspects about the system transmitters and receivers, advanced modulation formats and underwater channels. Some key technologies to improve transmission capacity of UWOC are classified and summarized to provide guidance for system design. The main challenges and perspectives to achieve a reliable UWOC system are also mentioned. The summary and analysis of these advances and techniques will shed light on the future development of UWOC technology and assist in the construction of the internet of underwater things.