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01

Repurposing Pixels
Google Funded Research 
(2024)
BRIEF
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 PRODUCT

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 PROBLEM

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

70% ↓
reduction in light penetration possible due to Sargassum, harming coral reefs

30% ↓ 
projected tourism revenue loss due to Sargassum invasion in Mexico in 2019

20M
tons of sargassum washed up in the Caribbean in 2018

$120M 
Mexico spent 120M on sargassum removal in 2019

8ft 
deep thickness of sargassum piled up on some Caribbean beaches


THE GOAL

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.


THE  CHALLENGE

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.




 
MY ROLE  

  • 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
USER IMPACT  

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
MOODBOARD

The moodboard envisions a device that balances functional modularity with a tactile, user-friendly 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.                                                                   
                                             
PROCESS



Phone camera records Sargassum color, size, and density
pH sensor connected via MCU
GPS to tag the location of the device



SOLUTION

  1. Hardware: Repurposed Google Pixel 3 smartphones paired with Arduino-based pH sensors

  2. Software: User-friendly web app for data collection, analysis, and visualization

  3. Theoretical Framework: Developed a plan for potential community network and data-sharing protocols

  4. 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.





WHAT I LEARNED

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.

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

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