Biomimetic sentinel reef structures for optical sensing and communications

An artificial reef structure configured to be moored to the sea floor, comprising:

• a. an open frame comprising a plurality of links connected by a plurality of joints;
• b. said open frame including a plurality of rings of said links, with each of said rings lying primarily in a plane, with no two rings lying in the same plane;
• c. said open frame creating a three-dimensional structure;
• d. a connector lying within a central position within said three-dimensional structure;
• e. a plurality of tension members, wherein each of said tension members runs between one of said joints and said connector;
• f. wherein each of said joints, includes,
• (i) an anchor point attached to one of said tension members,
• (ii) a first leg, a second leg, and a third leg, with each of said first, second, and third legs including a receiver slidably receiving an end of one of said links,
• (iii) wherein a first angle between said first leg and said tension member attached to said anchor point is acute,
• (iv) wherein a second angle between said second leg and said tension member attached to said anchor point is acute,
• (v) wherein a third angle between said third leg and said tension member attached to said anchor point is acute;
• g. said connector being positioned so that every link in said structure is placed in compression by said tension members;
• h. said tension members lying outside a single plane;
• and
• i. a mooring line configured to moor said artificial reef structure above said sea floor and below a sea surface.