Costas Pelekanakis
Associate Research Professor,
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Office
- 750.A EXP
Research Focus
Underwater acoustic communications and networks; adaptive signal processing; machine learning for communication systems; secure and resilient maritime communications; anti-jamming techniques; ocean acoustics and climate impacts on underwater propagation.
About
Konstantinos (Costas) Pelekanakis received his Diploma in Electronic and Computer Engineering from the Technical University of Crete, Greece, in 2001. He earned his M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in Mechanical and Ocean Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, USA, in 2004 and 2009, respectively.
From 2009 to 2015, he was a Research Fellow at the Acoustic Research Laboratory (ARL) at the National University of Singapore (NUS). Between 2011 and 2014, he also served as a Lecturer in the Master of Defence Technology and Systems (MDTS) program at the Temasek Defence Systems Institute (TDSI) in Singapore. From 2015 to 2023, he worked as a Senior Scientist at the NATO Science and Technology Organization (STO), Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation (CMRE) in Italy. From December 2023 to February 2026, he served as a Senior Scientist at the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO). In 2026, he joined the faculty of Northeastern University.
Dr. Pelekanakis is a Senior Member of the IEEE. He serves on the editorial board of the IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering (2017–present) and is a member of the Administrative Committee (AdCom) of the IEEE Oceanic Engineering Society (2023–present). He also contributes to the technical committees of the IEEE Underwater Communications and Networking Conference (UComms) and the Underwater Acoustics Conference and Exhibition (UACE).
Honors & Awards
Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) Premium Award for Best Paper in Radar, Sonar & Navigation (2019)
NATO Scientific Achievement Award for JANUS: the first digital underwater communications standard (2018)
MIT Presidential Fellowship (2001)
Leadership Positions
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NATO Information Sciences Technology (IST) 216: Channel Modelling and Application for Secure Underwater Acoustic Communications Waveform Assessment and Standardization (2024–2027)
Netherlands-appointed representative in a multinational research team with 21 partners across 12 nations. Contributing to the development of standardized procedures for evaluating and certifying secure underwater acoustic communication waveforms, including reference ocean environments and common performance metrics for fair comparison of proprietary systems. -
NATO Industrial Advisory Group (NIAG) Study Group 243 (2020–2021)
NATO-appointed representative in a study involving 14 partners across 7 nations examining NATO’s military digital underwater communications capabilities from an industrial perspective. -
NATO IST-174: Secure Underwater Communications for Heterogeneous Networks (2019–2022)
NATO-appointed representative in a multinational collaboration with 10 partners across 7 nations investigating secure and interoperable underwater acoustic communication waveforms and networking protocols.
Research Overview
Underwater acoustic communications and networks; adaptive signal processing; machine learning for communication systems; secure and resilient maritime communications; anti-jamming techniques; ocean acoustics and climate impacts on underwater propagation.
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Underwater Acoustic Communications – Signal processing and communication techniques for reliable underwater links, including coded modulation, adaptive equalization, OFDM, array beamforming, spread spectrum, and anti-jamming methods, validated through experimental ocean data.
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Machine Learning for Underwater Communication Networks – Data-driven approaches for adaptive link optimization and network management, including supervised learning for modem configuration and reinforcement learning for multi-hop routing in ad-hoc underwater acoustic networks.
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Sparse Channel Estimation and Adaptive Signal Processing – Development of advanced algorithms for sparse and impulsive underwater acoustic channels, including adaptive channel estimation and decision-feedback equalization for robust communications in challenging environments.
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Secure Underwater Communications – Physical-layer security, cryptographic key generation using shared acoustic channel features, and resilience to jamming and network attacks through game-theoretic and reputation-based methods.
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Environmental Impacts on Underwater Acoustics – Modeling the effects of climate change on underwater acoustic propagation and communication performance using climate simulations and acoustic propagation models.
Research Centers and Institutes
Selected Publications
K. Pelekanakis, P. Paglierani, A. Alvarez, J. Alves, “Comparison of error correction codes via optimal channel replay of high north underwater acoustic channels,” Computer Networks, vol. 242, 2024.
P. Paglierani, F. Raouf, K. Pelekanakis, R. Petroccia, J. Alves, M. Uysal, “A Primer on Underwater Quantum Key Distribution,” Hindawi Quantum Eng., 2023.
S. Yıldırım, K. Pelekanakis, G. Sklivanitis, et al, “Secret Underwater Acoustic Key Generation Challenged by Eve’s Simulator,” IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering, 2023.
B. Kebapci, V. E. Levent, S. Ergin, G. Mutlu, I. Baglica, A. Tosun, P. Paglierani, K. Pelekanakis, R. Petroccia, J. Alves, M. Uysal., “FPGA-Based Implementation of an Underwater Quantum Key Distribution System with BB84 Protocol,” IEEE Photonics Journal, 2023.
A. Signori, F. Chiariotti, F. Campagnaro, R. Petroccia, K. Pelekanakis, P. Paglierani, J. Alves, M. Zorzi, “A Geometry-Based Game Theoretical Model of Blind and Reactive Underwater Jamming,” IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications, 2021.
K. Pelekanakis, S Blouin, D. Green, “Performance Analysis of Underwater Acoustic Communications in Barrow Strait” , IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering, 2021.
J. Tao, Y. Wu, X. Han and K. Pelekanakis, “Sparse Direct Adaptive Equalization for Single-Carrier MIMO Underwater Acoustic Communications,” IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering, 2020.
K. Pelekanakis, R. Petroccia , Y. Fountzoulas , D. Green , S. Fioravanti, J. Alves, S. Blouin , and S. Pecknold, “A Simulation Study for Long-range Underwater Acoustic Networks in the High North,” IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering, 2019.
G. Ferri, A. Tesei, P. Braca, F. Meyer, K. Pelekanakis, R. Petroccia, J. Alves, C. Strode, and K. LePage, “Cooperative Robotic Networks for Underwater Surveillance: an Overview,” IET Radar, Sonar & Navigation, 2017. (2019 best paper award).
C. Lal, R. Petroccia, K. Pelekanakis, M. Conti, and J. Alves, “Toward the Development of Secure Underwater Acoustic Networks,” IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering, 2017.
K. Pelekanakis and M. Chitre, “Robust equalization of mobile underwater acoustic channels,” IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering, 2015.
K. Pelekanakis and M. Chitre, “Adaptive sparse channel estimation under symmetric alpha-Stable noise,” IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communication, 2014.
M. Chitre, K. Pelekanakis, and M. Legg, “Statistical bit-error trace modeling of acoustic communication links using decision-feedback equalization,” IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering, 2013.
K. Pelekanakis and M. Chitre, “New Sparse Adaptive Algorithms Based on the Natural Gradient and the L0 Norm,” IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering, 2013.
K. Pelekanakis and A. B. Baggeroer, “Exploiting time-frequency-space diversity with coded OFDM for underwater acoustic communications,” IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering, 2011.
Editorials:
C. Tsimenidis, Y. Zakharov, C. Laot, K. Pelekanakis, P. Casari, and A. K. Morozov, “Underwater Communications and Networking,” Editorial paper for a special issue of the Hindawi Journal of Electrical and Computer Engineering, 2012. [doi: 10.1155/2012/214012]
Book Chapter:
J. Alves, K. Pelekanakis and R. Petroccia, “Telemetry for AUVs,” Autonomous Underwater Vehicles: Design and practice, Chap. 9, pp. 237-283, IET Digital Library. [doi: 10.1049/SBRA525E]