Author Identifier (ORCID)
Mainul Islam Chowdhury: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-9780-9777
Quoc Viet Phung: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6138-3944
Iftekhar Ahmed: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4441-9631
Daryoush Habibi: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7662-6830
Abstract
Accurate navigation is essential for underwater vehicles like AUVs, which often operate in deep or remote areas. However, complex ocean dynamics, cumulative inertial-measurement unit (IMU) drift, and diverse noise sources often result in erratic and unreliable position estimates. To overcome these challenges, we proposed a method that combines underwater acoustic signals with onboard motion sensor data to improve the underwater position tracking system. The proposed system uses a long baseline (LBL) acoustic array of surface buoys to capture the Time-difference-of-Arrival (TDoA) of a multi-pulse beacon. We extract arrival times using a superimposed-envelope-spectrum (SES) detector, which exploits the beacon’s periodic structure to stay reliable even in heavy noise. These acoustic measurements are fused with six-degree-of-freedom IMU data using a particle filter (PF). The filter suppresses IMU drift and reveals how long dead-reckoning remains reliable before an acoustic update becomes essential. Simulation results demonstrated that our PF-TDoA fusion method achieved up to 40% reduction in mean localization error compared to traditional fusion filters and optimization method. In the experiment, we compared the simulated IMU prediction with real-world acoustic measurements, and the resulting fused position estimated remained within (Formula presented) of Global Positioning System (GPS)-reported trajectory, demonstrating robust performance under operational conditions.
Keywords
Beacon signal, data fusion, inertial-measurement unit (IMU), long baseline (LBL), particle filter
Document Type
Journal Article
Date of Publication
4-1-2026
Volume
184
Publication Title
Ad Hoc Networks
Publisher
Elsevier
School
School of Engineering
Funders
Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation in Western Australia
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Comments
Chowdhury, M. I., Phung, Q. V., Ahmed, I., & Habibi, D. (2026). An integrated tracking technique for underwater navigation using acoustic and IMU measurements. Ad Hoc Networks, 184, 104151. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adhoc.2026.104151