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Google Funded Research
(2024)
Develop a repurposed Pixel 3 phone as an environmental device for qualitative Sargassum documentation in the Caribbean.
SOLUTION
Create a user-friendly tool that enables researchers and citizen scientists to use basic phone functionalities, including a camera, pH sensor, and GPS, to monitor and document Sargassum seaweed.
KEYWORDS
Arduino, environmental device, citizen science, sustainability.
MY ROLE
I led the project from ideation to implementation, developing the hardware and with advice and help from my professor and classmates.
The Sargassum Monitoring Device repurposes the Google Pixel 3 as an affordable solution for data-driven sargassum farming in the Caribbean. Leveraging its sensors and open-source software, it enables monitoring of water quality, growth rates, and environmental conditions. This democratizes access to insights for sustainable practices while promoting community participation and economic opportunities. By providing real-time data and predictive capabilities, the device helps optimize sargassum removal efforts, protect tourism revenues, create job opportunities, and explore new economic uses for sargassum.
The Caribbean faces an unseen crisis - the massive influx of sargassum seaweed since 2011 is draining the region's environmental resilience and economic vitality through ecosystem damage, tourism decline, and harmful gas emissions
111%
sargassum's nitrogen content over phosphorus
sargassum's nitrogen content over phosphorus
70% ↓
reduction in light penetration possible due to Sargassum, harming coral reefs
reduction in light penetration possible due to Sargassum, harming coral reefs
30% ↓
projected tourism revenue loss due to Sargassum invasion in Mexico in 2019
projected tourism revenue loss due to Sargassum invasion in Mexico in 2019
20M
tons of sargassum washed up in the Caribbean in 2018
tons of sargassum washed up in the Caribbean in 2018
$120M
Mexico spent 120M on sargassum removal in 2019
Mexico spent 120M on sargassum removal in 2019
8ft
deep thickness of sargassum piled up on some Caribbean beaches
deep thickness of sargassum piled up on some Caribbean beaches
Investigate techniques and frameworks to challenge the socioeconomics of planned obsolescence, rethinking our strained relationship with smartphones and re-imagining the future of "old" devices.
In 5 months, research, design and develop a cost-effective, user-friendly monitoring device that integrates repurposed technology, engages local communities, and provides actionable data for sargassum management.
- Led end-to-end product design and development
- Conducted market research and user interviews
- Prototyped and iterated on hardware and software solutions
- Collaborated with environmental experts
- Implemented open-source software architecture
With this system, users can now:
- Capture real-time sargassum data using repurposed smartphones
- Access a user-friendly web app for data visualization and analysis
- Contribute to a growing database of Caribbean sargassum patterns
- Make informed decisions about coastal management and potential sargassum utilization
The moodboard envisions a device that balances functional modularity with a tactile, user-friendly industrial design language. The moodboard draws inspiration from citizen science initiatives like the FieldKit project, envisioning a modular device with a form factor resembling an electrical enclosure box. It takes cues from open-source hardware platforms.
Market Research and Needs Assessment
- Conducted secondary research on coastal community needs, environmental research requirements, and local authority concerns
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Analyzed existing sargassum monitoring solutions and identified gaps
- Previous studies have explored the use of smartphones and low-cost microcontrollers for environmental monitoring, laying the groundwork for the development of the Sargassum Monitoring Device.
Smartphone-Based Environmental Sensing
A smartphone-based colorimetric sensor for real-time phosphate monitoring in aquatic environments" (2017) by Wang et al. explored using a smartphone's camera and a colorimetric sensor attachment to measure phosphate levels in water. This demonstrates the potential of smartphone cameras for environmental monitoring when paired with appropriate sensors.
Low-Cost Open-Source Water Quality Monitoring
"Development of a low-cost and open-source water quality monitoring system using Arduino and Raspberry Pi" (2018) by Marques et al. describes an affordable system using Arduino and Raspberry Pi to monitor various water quality parameters, including pH, temperature, and conductivity. This showcases the feasibility of using Arduino for environmental data acquisition.
Concept Development
- Brainstormed potential solutions focusing on accessibility and sustainability
Explored various hardware configurations and software architectures
Prototyping and Testing
- Developed initial prototype using Google Pixel 3 and Arduino
- Iterated on hardware design and sensor integration
- Created and refined web app interface for data collection and visualization
- To connect the phone to an Arduino with a pH sensor, I explored several options before settling on WebUSB. Initially, I considered using MQTT to send Arduino data to a server and Glitch, which worked but had limitations. I also attempted to use the Processing software, but it proved to be glitchy. WebUSB emerged as the ideal solution, particularly for Sargassum farms/pods deployed in developing Caribbean countries with limited access to phone services.
The webapp navigation is built using JavaScript, allowing users to: access the camera to take pictures of Sargassum, read pH values from the connected sensor, integrate GPS API to tag the location whenever a picture is taken.
Concept Validation
- Presented the prototype to classmates and instructor for feedback
- Conducted a theoretical analysis of how the device would perform in real-world scenarios
Phone camera records Sargassum color, size, and density
pH sensor connected via MCU
GPS to tag the location of the device
- Hardware: Repurposed Google Pixel 3 smartphones paired with Arduino-based pH sensors
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Software: User-friendly web app for data collection, analysis, and visualization
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Theoretical Framework: Developed a plan for potential community network and data-sharing protocols
- Open-Source Concept: Prepared hardware designs and software code for potential future community contributions and adaptations
This monitoring device demonstrates how repurposed technology could empower Caribbean communities to take an active role in environmental management, potentially providing valuable data for both local decision-making and broader scientific research on sargassum dynamics in the region.
This project reinforced the rewarding value of having the courage to adapt, staying curious, and collaborating. Given more time, I could have explored power sustainability options for the device and developed an online dashboard for researchers to access real-time data, which were points that were also raised by classmates.
Due to the constraints of the project timeline, the current interface is functional but not as polished as I would have liked. Moving forward, I plan to integrate the following features:
Moving forward, I plan to integrate the following features: Machine vision to identify different sargassum species, detect potential pests or diseases affecting Sargassum, detect and count specific objects, such as the volume of sargassum in a pile or animals visiting the farm. Additional sensors for more comprehensive data collection.
Special thanks to Pedro GC, Nima Niazi, Gracy Whelihan, An-Kai Cheng, Nicholas Haughton, various AI platforms