RAPID: Adaptive, Mobile Robotic Sampler Platform for In-Water Capture and Return of Oil Spill Chemical, Microbial and Particulate Matter

University Of South Florida, Tampa FL

Investigators

Abstract

The PIs have requested a Gulf oil spill RAPID award to construct, validate, and deploy within selected Gulf and coastal waters, an operational adaptive mobile robotic sampler platform for in-water capture and return of oil spill chemical, microbial and particulate matter. The system is comprised of a robotic sampling payload coupled with a renewable energy (solar) autonomous underwater vehicle (SAUV), both were technologies supported by past NSF funding. The project will demonstrate a basic technological capability integrating a mobile underwater platform (robot) with sensing and robotic sampling instrumentation in order to support the automated study of biological and chemical phenomena through spatio-temporal data acquisition and model-based sampling. The prototype sensor/sampling/platform system will support an adaptive approach to physical sampling of the Deep Water Horizon Oil Spill impact zone. The system implementation addresses fundamental issues in intelligent aquatic based platforms and control of complex interactive systems. The mobile sampler system will advance the temporal and spatial sampling of the oil and other contaminants which may have fundamental impacts on the less-visible portions of the delicate chemical and biological ecosystem of the Gulf of Mexico. Broader Impacts In the near term, this program addresses a unique window of opportunity to provide spatial and temporal mapping of the Gulf oil spill and its impact on ecosystem viability. The mobile sampling and adaptive sampling principles will apply to many other domains where such complex sampling based networks can be utilized. The adaptive chemical sampling approach will impact ocean technology and ocean science with a new sampling modality. Sampling of remote ocean material coupled to standard lab based analysis can permit investigations toward high priority science questions related to complex ecosystems. The influence of this work could spill over into all areas of oceanography (biological, chemical, physical, geological and coupled version of the four areas). The mobile sampling platform technology may be extended to study other marine phenomena including, for example, harmful algal blooms (HAB), fine structure of plankton distributions, and coastal contamination. The expected impact of the project, if successful, will be in the systems engineering feat for a low cost adaptive intelligent aquatic sampling system. The work will produce an innovative and intelligent hardware framework capable of purifying and detecting bio/chemical targets in complex, natural samples. The physical system will be promoted as a prominent example of interdisciplinary design and technology education with the use of renewable energy, intelligent systems and robotics. Education and outreach efforts to general audiences will include remote access to the sampling operational activity and project results.