Search and Monitoring of Harmful contaminants, other pollutants and leaks in vessels in port using a swarm of robotic fish.
Funding Year: 2009
Funding Scheme: Collaborative project
Sub-Programme: Theme 3: ICT Programme
Project Duration: 2009- 2012
Total Project Value: €4,230,000
EU Grant-Aid: €2,750,000
Grant-Aid to Ireland: €442,863
Lead Partner: BMT Group LTD., UK
Irish Partner: Molecular Microsystems,Tyndall National Institute
Website: Not currently available
Project Summary:
The aim of the SHOAL project is to develop robotic fish that can monitor pollution in ports. The robotic fish will be equipped with chemical sensors to find pollutants in the water and modems to create an ad hoc network for communication with a shoal of fish. This will allow the shoal of fish to build up a broad map of pollutants moving through the port in real-time, whilst adapting to changes in environmental conditions in the port. The established methods for the detection of pollutants in waters are based on sampling and analysis of discrete water samples. The analysis is performed in laboratories located remotely away from the sampling sites and frequently the chemical analysis is personnel-dependent, time-consuming and expensive. Specific aims within SHOAL are to explore and develop novel chemical sensor subsystems which can be integrated with the overall robot concept being developed. Thus miniaturized sensors and sensor arrays as well as novel membrane strategies for provision of chemical sensitivity and anti-fouling behaviour are being examined. Given that the state-of-the-art is all lab-based methods, the proposed suggestions will go far beyond the state-of-the-art by implementing these lab-based methods in situ on board the robotic fish.
Download further information on the FP7 SHOAL project (pdf 162k).
Pdf directories on Irish participation in EU FP7 funded competitive marine research projects are also available to download from the EU Framework Research Programmes page on the Publications Section of the Marine Institute website.