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Preliminary Research and Documentation

Design and build a AI-based aquatic drone that can be used to clean up floating trash from the surface of rivers, lakes, seas and oceans.

image15-aquacycler.jpg

Requirements

The Aquacycler must contain the following parts and components

  • Body - A water-proof and aerodynamic body that is designed to collect floating trash and store it. 

 

  • Manta 2 Console - A console is needed to view camera input and control the movement and navigation of Manta 2.
  • Docking station - A docking station that is installed on ships and seapods . The docking stations also have the charging station for Manta 2.
  • Storage unit - A storage chamber that can hold essential items like medical supplies, swimming gear, toolkit, paddles, etc.
  • Easy grip handles - Manta 2 has easy grip handles that a swimmer can grab on to.
  • Cameras - Multiple underwater cameras that can take high resolution pictures and transfer them to a computer.
  • Lighting system - A set of high powered lighting system to illuminate the sea bed for better picture quality.
  • SONAR - An active SONAR unit to map the underwater structures and surfaces.
  • Proximity sensor - Proximity sensor to safeguard the Manta from crashing into rocks and boulders in the water.
  • Salinity sensor - Salinity sensor and circuit to measure salinity of the water.
  • pH sensor - A pH sensor to measure the acidity or alkalinity of the water.
  • Thermometer - A thermometer to measure the temperature of water.
  • Antenna - An antenna that can exchange data from the source.
  • Transmitter - A transmitter that can receive signals from the sensory unit and relay the information to the software.
  • Manta Software - Software to schedule the pickup and drop points, schedules and payloads. The software also stores bathymetric data, high resolution underwater images, data from the sensors and writes it to a server for processing further.

 

Jet Propulsion Booster System

Manta 2 needs a powerful, yet efficient jet propulsion system that can propel its body weight, weight of batteries, cameras, antenna, lights, etc., and also carry payloads up to 20 kilograms. The propulsion system must be capable of powering Manta 2 to reach speeds up to 50 knots (92.6 kmph).

Body

Manta 2 is built using a light material that is waterproof, weather resistant, impact resistant. The body is aerodynamic and can float and dive.

Docking Station

Manta 2 has a docking station has charging points in the docking station. The charging points on the docking station and on Manta 2 need to be waterproof.

 

Storage Unit

The storage is designed so that people can easily access the contents. It must be designed to hold medical supplies, emergency diving equipment and a pair of paddles. 

 

Cameras

4 high resolution cameras are placed around the body of Manta 2. 

  • 2 cameras in the front, under the headlights. At any point of time, only one camera is used.
  • 2 cameras in the rear next to the propellers. At any point of time, only one camera is used.
Feature Value or description
Resolution (still images) Between 17 Megapixels to 21 Megapixels 
Image size Between 5472 x 3648 pixels and 4736 x 3552 pixels
Lens size f1.7 to f2.8
Still frame rate 11 FPS to 30 FPS
Coverage Angle Viewing angle of 120°
Battery life 120 minutes
Output formats JPG, PNG, 
Date and Time stamp

The cameras must have the option to display date and time. All 3 cameras must be set to the exact date and time in the following formats:

Time - HH:MM:SS

Date - MM/DD/YYYY

 

Optional - The date and time can be set to or  Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) or Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)  standard time and converted to local time in the software application or vice versa.

 

Lights

A set of high powered lighting system to illuminate the sea for better visibility and picture quality. The recommended specifications for the lights are:

Feature Value or Description
Size Each ring of 8 lights must not be more than 2 inches in height
Type LED
Brightness Between 1500 lumens and 2000 lumens
Lighting distance At least 5 meters (?) underwater

 

SONAR

SONAR (Sound Navigation and Ranging) is used to navigate Manta 2.  

 

Proximity Sensors

A proximity sensor detects presence of other objects and/or marine creatures within a given range. These sensors safeguard Manta 2 against crashing into ships, coral reefs, or rocks and boulders under the surface of the water. This has a range of 30.48 centimeters (1 foot) - in all directions.

Salinity Sensor

A salinity sensor measures the salinity of sea water and other solutions. The data is transmitted through cables and over the transmitter to the console on the ship.  The salinity sensor must be capable of measuring the entire range of 24-52,000 ppm (parts per million) of sea water.

 

pH Sensor

A pH sensor measure the pH value of sea water (salinity). The data is transmitted through cables over the transmitter to the console on the ship. 

 

Thermometer (temperature sensor)

The temperature of water changes as we go deeper into the ocean. The thermometer records water temperature at different depths. The data is transmitted through cables and over the antenna/transmitter to the console on the ship.

 

Antenna/Transmitter

An antenna transmitter is installed on Manta 2 that receives data from the following:

  • High resolution pictures from the cameras 
  • Depth information from the SONAR/depth logger
  • Ocean bed surface data from the proximity sensor
  • Salinity data from the salinity sensor
  • pH values from the pH sensor
  • Temperature

The transmitter transmits  this data to the console on the ship for analysis and storage. This data is then parsed and information is uploaded to Manta software application.

 

Manta software application

The Manta software application receives all this data and stores it on the cloud. Other applications can use this data for analysis and further processing.

Licensing

This project is being developed as an open-source project with the following licensing:

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