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01

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 software components.

    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


    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


    Market Research
    Current sargassum monitoring relies heavily on satellite data and predictive models, lacking real-time coastal inputs. Citizen science initiatives capture visuals but miss quantitative environmental data. Conventional monitoring devices provide quantitative measurements but lack integrated visual sensing. Most solutions are costly, specialized, and inaccessible to underserved Caribbean communities facing sargassum influxes. Affordable options focus narrowly on visuals or specific parameters in isolation, limiting comprehensive insights into sargassum growth dynamics. Proprietary systems hinder open collaboration and customization to address localized monitoring needs cost-effectively.


    Precendet Research

    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.

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    The TaskHow might we co-create an affordable, open-source monitoring solution by repuporsing e-waste and engaging local communities?

    MoodboardThe 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.


    Features The repurposed Pixel 3 phone includes the following key features

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

    Turning it up 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.


    Sketches // How it works





    DEMO               from Google Pixel 3

    Future implementations  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, solar panels for improved sustainability and off-grid deployment

    Special thanks to Pedro GC, Nima Niazi, Gracy Whelihan, An-Kai Cheng, Nicholas Haughton, ChatGPT

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