Building an interactive mobile aqua probe system

In this paper, we presented a year-long project of designing and fabricating an Interactive Mobile Aqua Probe Surveillance system. Within a year, the group consisted of students in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering and Biology; this group designed and built three generations of prototype and conducted several experiments With each subsequent design, modifications and advancements were made that have brought this project closer to its ultimate goal of full autonomous water quality data collection. The first torpedo-style prototype was a crash course in learning the ins-andouts of the electronic circuits, propulsion systems, and hull design. The second aqua probe, designed specifically for underwater video observation, possessed the positive attributes from the first prototype while eliminating the less favorable elements we identified in this probe. The propulsion system, control algorithms, and video transmission system were all upgraded. From the experience of designing and fabricating the first two aqua probes, the third pontoon probe design was born. This probe use the same propulsion system as the video probe while taking advantage of the large buoyant force offered by a pontoon design. The pontoon probe possessed the ruggedness and durability of the prototype design while maintaining the agility and swiftness of the video probe. This probe has the cargo capacity to carry a multitude of biological sensors as well as an onboard solar-power battery charger, making this design ideal for future modification and additions. With the addition of these sensors in the coming months and the shift of focus to autonomous control, this version of the aqua probe will be well suited for use by biologists interested in studying the water parameters of aquatic ecosystems both educationally and professionally.