A Metamaterial That Bridges Air and Water

To help sound travel between air and water, Hesam Bakhtiary Yekta simulated a metamaterial that will sit at the air-water interface and improve sound transmission. His metamaterial is made from three parallel plates with "ribs" separating them, and sitting at the boundary between the two materials, it works by passing the vibrations through its structure, helping to transfer the energy between the two. Bakhtiary Yekta hopes that his metamaterial will help facilitate communication between underwater and airborne vehicles, such as an underwater robot and a drone.