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Lu S, Zeng H, Xiong F, Yao M, He S. Advances in environmental DNA monitoring: standardization, automation, and emerging technologies in aquatic ecosystems. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2024; 67:1368-1384. [PMID: 38512561 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-023-2493-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Environmental DNA (eDNA) monitoring, a rapidly advancing technique for assessing biodiversity and ecosystem health, offers a noninvasive approach for detecting and quantifying species from various environmental samples. In this review, a comprehensive overview of current eDNA collection and detection technologies is provided, emphasizing the necessity for standardization and automation in aquatic ecological monitoring. Furthermore, the intricacies of water bodies, from streams to the deep sea, and the associated challenges they pose for eDNA capture and analysis are explored. The paper delineates three primary eDNA survey methods, namely, bringing back water, bringing back filters, and bringing back data, each with specific advantages and constraints in terms of labor, transport, and data acquisition. Additionally, innovations in eDNA sampling equipment, including autonomous drones, subsurface samplers, and in-situ filtration devices, and their applications in monitoring diverse taxa are discussed. Moreover, recent advancements in species-specific detection and eDNA metabarcoding are addressed, highlighting the integration of novel techniques such as CRISPR-Cas and nanopore sequencing that enable precise and rapid detection of biodiversity. The implications of environmental RNA and epigenetic modifications are considered for future applications in providing nuanced ecological data. Lastly, the review stresses the critical role of standardization and automation in enhancing data consistency and comparability for robust long-term biomonitoring. We propose that the amalgamation of these technologies represents a paradigm shift in ecological monitoring, aligning with the urgent call for biodiversity conservation and sustainable management of aquatic ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suxiang Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Honghui Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Fan Xiong
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Meng Yao
- Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
- School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China.
| | - Shunping He
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China.
- Institute of Deep Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China.
- Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China.
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2
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Burns JA, Becker KP, Casagrande D, Daniels J, Roberts P, Orenstein E, Vogt DM, Teoh ZE, Wood R, Yin AH, Genot B, Gruber DF, Katija K, Wood RJ, Phillips BT. An in situ digital synthesis strategy for the discovery and description of ocean life. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadj4960. [PMID: 38232174 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adj4960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Revolutionary advancements in underwater imaging, robotics, and genomic sequencing have reshaped marine exploration. We present and demonstrate an interdisciplinary approach that uses emerging quantitative imaging technologies, an innovative robotic encapsulation system with in situ RNA preservation and next-generation genomic sequencing to gain comprehensive biological, biophysical, and genomic data from deep-sea organisms. The synthesis of these data provides rich morphological and genetic information for species description, surpassing traditional passive observation methods and preserved specimens, particularly for gelatinous zooplankton. Our approach enhances our ability to study delicate mid-water animals, improving research in the world's oceans.
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Affiliation(s)
- John A Burns
- Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, East Boothbay, ME 04544, USA
| | - Kaitlyn P Becker
- School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - David Casagrande
- Department of Ocean Engineering, University of Rhode Island, 215 South Ferry Road, Narragansett, RI 02882, USA
| | - Joost Daniels
- Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Research and Development, Moss Landing, CA 95039, USA
| | - Paul Roberts
- Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Research and Development, Moss Landing, CA 95039, USA
| | - Eric Orenstein
- Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Research and Development, Moss Landing, CA 95039, USA
| | - Daniel M Vogt
- School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | | | - Ryan Wood
- PA Consulting, Concord, MA 01742, USA
| | - Alexander H Yin
- Department of Ocean Engineering, University of Rhode Island, 215 South Ferry Road, Narragansett, RI 02882, USA
| | - Baptiste Genot
- Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, East Boothbay, ME 04544, USA
| | - David F Gruber
- Department of Natural Sciences, Baruch College, City University of New York, New York, NY 10010, USA
| | - Kakani Katija
- Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Research and Development, Moss Landing, CA 95039, USA
| | - Robert J Wood
- School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Brennan T Phillips
- Department of Ocean Engineering, University of Rhode Island, 215 South Ferry Road, Narragansett, RI 02882, USA
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3
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Li H, Li L, Wei J, Chen T, Wei P. Salt-Adaptively Conductive Ionogel Sensor for Marine Sensing. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024; 20:e2305848. [PMID: 37670215 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202305848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2023] [Revised: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023]
Abstract
Hydrophobic ionogel has attracted much attention in underwater sensing as the artificial electronic skins and wearable sensors. However, when the low conductive ionogel-based sensor works in the marine environment, the salty seawater weakens its sensing performance, which is difficult to recognize. Herein, a salt-adaptively conductive ionogel with high submarine strain sensitivity is reported. Based on the preliminary improvement via the proton conduction mechanism, the conductivity of the ionogel further increases with the surrounding salinity rising up since the salt-induced dissociation phenomenon, which is described as the environmental salt-adaptive feature. In seawater, the conductivity of the ionogel is as high as 2.90 × 10-1 S m-1 . Significantly, with its long-term underwater stability and adhesion, the resultant ionogel-based sensor features prominent strain sensing performance (gauge factor: 1.12) while combining with various soft actuators in the marine environment. The ionogel-based sensor is capable of monitoring human breath frequency, human actions, and the locomotion of soft actuators, demonstrating its great potential in diving detection and intelligent preceptive soft robotics for marine environmental protection and exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huijing Li
- Key Laboratory of Marine Materials and Related Technologies, Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Marine Materials and Protective Technologies, Ningbo Institute of Material Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, 315201, China
- School of Chemical Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Long Li
- Key Laboratory of Marine Materials and Related Technologies, Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Marine Materials and Protective Technologies, Ningbo Institute of Material Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, 315201, China
- School of Chemical Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Junjie Wei
- Key Laboratory of Marine Materials and Related Technologies, Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Marine Materials and Protective Technologies, Ningbo Institute of Material Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, 315201, China
- School of Chemical Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Tao Chen
- Key Laboratory of Marine Materials and Related Technologies, Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Marine Materials and Protective Technologies, Ningbo Institute of Material Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo, 315201, China
- School of Chemical Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Peng Wei
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Ningbo First Hospital, Ningbo, 315010, China
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4
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Li G, Wong TW, Shih B, Guo C, Wang L, Liu J, Wang T, Liu X, Yan J, Wu B, Yu F, Chen Y, Liang Y, Xue Y, Wang C, He S, Wen L, Tolley MT, Zhang AM, Laschi C, Li T. Bioinspired soft robots for deep-sea exploration. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7097. [PMID: 37925504 PMCID: PMC10625581 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42882-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The deep ocean, Earth's untouched expanse, presents immense challenges for exploration due to its extreme pressure, temperature, and darkness. Unlike traditional marine robots that require specialized metallic vessels for protection, deep-sea species thrive without such cumbersome pressure-resistant designs. Their pressure-adaptive forms, unique propulsion methods, and advanced senses have inspired innovation in designing lightweight, compact soft machines. This perspective addresses challenges, recent strides, and design strategies for bioinspired deep-sea soft robots. Drawing from abyssal life, it explores the actuation, sensing, power, and pressure resilience of multifunctional deep-sea soft robots, offering game-changing solutions for profound exploration and operation in harsh conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guorui Li
- Qingdao Innovation and Development Base, Harbin Engineering University, Qingdao, China.
- Science and Technology on Underwater Vehicle Technology Laboratory, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin, China.
- College of Shipbuilding Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin, China.
| | - Tuck-Whye Wong
- Center for X-Mechanics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Health Sciences, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai, Malaysia
| | - Benjamin Shih
- School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Chunyu Guo
- Qingdao Innovation and Development Base, Harbin Engineering University, Qingdao, China
- Science and Technology on Underwater Vehicle Technology Laboratory, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin, China
- College of Shipbuilding Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin, China
| | - Luwen Wang
- School of Information and Electrical Engineering, Hangzhou City University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jiaqi Liu
- School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Beihang University, Beijing, China
| | - Tao Wang
- Qingdao Innovation and Development Base, Harbin Engineering University, Qingdao, China
- Science and Technology on Underwater Vehicle Technology Laboratory, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin, China
- College of Shipbuilding Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin, China
| | - Xiaobo Liu
- Qingdao Innovation and Development Base, Harbin Engineering University, Qingdao, China
- Science and Technology on Underwater Vehicle Technology Laboratory, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin, China
- College of Shipbuilding Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin, China
| | - Jiayao Yan
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, San Diego, MA, USA
| | - Baosheng Wu
- School of Ecology and Environment, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Fajun Yu
- Qingdao Innovation and Development Base, Harbin Engineering University, Qingdao, China
- Science and Technology on Underwater Vehicle Technology Laboratory, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin, China
| | - Yunsai Chen
- Qingdao Innovation and Development Base, Harbin Engineering University, Qingdao, China
| | | | - Yaoting Xue
- Center for X-Mechanics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chengjun Wang
- Center for X-Mechanics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shunping He
- Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China
| | - Li Wen
- School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Beihang University, Beijing, China
| | - Michael T Tolley
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, San Diego, MA, USA
| | - A-Man Zhang
- Science and Technology on Underwater Vehicle Technology Laboratory, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin, China
- College of Shipbuilding Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin, China
| | - Cecilia Laschi
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
- The BioRobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy
| | - Tiefeng Li
- Center for X-Mechanics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
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5
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Masmitja I, Martin M, O'Reilly T, Kieft B, Palomeras N, Navarro J, Katija K. Dynamic robotic tracking of underwater targets using reinforcement learning. Sci Robot 2023; 8:eade7811. [PMID: 37494462 DOI: 10.1126/scirobotics.ade7811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
To realize the potential of autonomous underwater robots that scale up our observational capacity in the ocean, new techniques are needed. Fleets of autonomous robots could be used to study complex marine systems and animals with either new imaging configurations or by tracking tagged animals to study their behavior. These activities can then inform and create new policies for community conservation. The role of animal connectivity via active movement of animals represents a major knowledge gap related to the distribution of deep ocean populations. Tracking underwater targets represents a major challenge for observing biological processes in situ, and methods to robustly respond to a changing environment during monitoring missions are needed. Analytical techniques for optimal sensor placement and path planning to locate underwater targets are not straightforward in such cases. The aim of this study was to investigate the use of reinforcement learning as a tool for range-only underwater target-tracking optimization, whose promising capabilities have been demonstrated in terrestrial scenarios. To evaluate its usefulness, a reinforcement learning method was implemented as a path planning system for an autonomous surface vehicle while tracking an underwater mobile target. A complete description of an open-source model, performance metrics in simulated environments, and evaluated algorithms based on more than 15 hours of at-sea field experiments are presented. These efforts demonstrate that deep reinforcement learning is a powerful approach that enhances the abilities of autonomous robots in the ocean and encourages the deployment of algorithms like these for monitoring marine biological systems in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Masmitja
- Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM), CSIC, Barcelona 95062, Spain
- Research and Development, Bioinspiration Lab, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute MBARI, Moss Landing, CA 95062, USA
| | - M Martin
- Knowledge Engineering and Machine Learning Group, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona Tech., Barcelona 08034, Spain
- Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Barcelona 08034, Spain
| | - T O'Reilly
- Research and Development, Bioinspiration Lab, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute MBARI, Moss Landing, CA 95062, USA
| | - B Kieft
- Research and Development, Bioinspiration Lab, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute MBARI, Moss Landing, CA 95062, USA
| | - N Palomeras
- Computer vision and Robotics Institute, Universitat de Girona, Girona 17003, Spain
| | - J Navarro
- Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM), CSIC, Barcelona 95062, Spain
| | - K Katija
- Research and Development, Bioinspiration Lab, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute MBARI, Moss Landing, CA 95062, USA
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6
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Katija K. Autonomous agents for observing marine life. Sci Robot 2023; 8:eadi6428. [PMID: 37467310 DOI: 10.1126/scirobotics.adi6428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
Using artificial intelligence to facilitate autonomy in robotics will provide new insights into marine life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kakani Katija
- Bioinspiration Lab, Research and Development, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), Monterey Bay, CA, USA.
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7
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Semi-supervised Visual Tracking of Marine Animals Using Autonomous Underwater Vehicles. Int J Comput Vis 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s11263-023-01762-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/05/2023]
Abstract
AbstractIn-situ visual observations of marine organisms is crucial to developing behavioural understandings and their relations to their surrounding ecosystem. Typically, these observations are collected via divers, tags, and remotely-operated or human-piloted vehicles. Recently, however, autonomous underwater vehicles equipped with cameras and embedded computers with GPU capabilities are being developed for a variety of applications, and in particular, can be used to supplement these existing data collection mechanisms where human operation or tags are more difficult. Existing approaches have focused on using fully-supervised tracking methods, but labelled data for many underwater species are severely lacking. Semi-supervised trackers may offer alternative tracking solutions because they require less data than fully-supervised counterparts. However, because there are not existing realistic underwater tracking datasets, the performance of semi-supervised tracking algorithms in the marine domain is not well understood. To better evaluate their performance and utility, in this paper we provide (1) a novel dataset specific to marine animals located at http://warp.whoi.edu/vmat/, (2) an evaluation of state-of-the-art semi-supervised algorithms in the context of underwater animal tracking, and (3) an evaluation of real-world performance through demonstrations using a semi-supervised algorithm on-board an autonomous underwater vehicle to track marine animals in the wild.
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8
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Xia N, Zhu G, Wang X, Dong Y, Zhang L. Multicomponent and multifunctional integrated miniature soft robots. SOFT MATTER 2022; 18:7464-7485. [PMID: 36189642 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm00891b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Miniature soft robots with elaborate structures and programmable physical properties could conduct micromanipulation with high precision as well as access confined and tortuous spaces, which promise benefits in medical tasks and environmental monitoring. To improve the functionalities and adaptability of miniature soft robots, a variety of integrated design and fabrication strategies have been proposed for the development of miniaturized soft robotic systems integrated with multicomponents and multifunctionalities. Combining the latest advancement in fabrication technologies, intelligent materials and active control methods enable these integrated robotic systems to adapt to increasingly complex application scenarios including precision medicine, intelligent electronics, and environmental and proprioceptive sensing. Herein, this review delivers an overview of various integration strategies applicable for miniature soft robotic systems, including semiconductor and microelectronic techniques, modular assembly based on self-healing and welding, modular assembly based on bonding agents, laser machining techniques, template assisted methods with modular material design, and 3D printing techniques. Emerging applications of the integrated miniature soft robots and perspectives for the future design of small-scale intelligent robots are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neng Xia
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Guangda Zhu
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Yue Dong
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Li Zhang
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
- Chow Yuk Ho Technology Center for Innovative Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- CUHK T Stone Robotics Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
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9
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Afzal SS, Akbar W, Rodriguez O, Doumet M, Ha U, Ghaffarivardavagh R, Adib F. Battery-free wireless imaging of underwater environments. Nat Commun 2022; 13:5546. [PMID: 36163186 PMCID: PMC9512789 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33223-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Imaging underwater environments is of great importance to marine sciences, sustainability, climatology, defense, robotics, geology, space exploration, and food security. Despite advances in underwater imaging, most of the ocean and marine organisms remain unobserved and undiscovered. Existing methods for underwater imaging are unsuitable for scalable, long-term, in situ observations because they require tethering for power and communication. Here we describe underwater backscatter imaging, a method for scalable, real-time wireless imaging of underwater environments using fully-submerged battery-free cameras. The cameras power up from harvested acoustic energy, capture color images using ultra-low-power active illumination and a monochrome image sensor, and communicate wirelessly at net-zero-power via acoustic backscatter. We demonstrate wireless battery-free imaging of animals, plants, pollutants, and localization tags in enclosed and open-water environments. The method’s self-sustaining nature makes it desirable for massive, continuous, and long-term ocean deployments with many applications including marine life discovery, submarine surveillance, and underwater climate change monitoring. The authors present an approach to underwater imaging, which does not require tethering or batteries. The low-power camera uses power from harvested acoustic energy and communicates colour images wirelessly via acoustic backscatter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayed Saad Afzal
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.,MIT Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Waleed Akbar
- MIT Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.,Program in Media Arts and Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Osvy Rodriguez
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.,MIT Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Mario Doumet
- MIT Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Unsoo Ha
- MIT Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | | | - Fadel Adib
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA. .,MIT Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA. .,Program in Media Arts and Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA. .,MIT Sea Grant, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
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10
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Bernardi M, Hosking B, Petrioli C, Bett BJ, Jones D, Huvenne VAI, Marlow R, Furlong M, McPhail S, Munafò A. AURORA, a multi-sensor dataset for robotic ocean exploration. Int J Rob Res 2022. [DOI: 10.1177/02783649221078612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The current maturity of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) has made their deployment practical and cost-effective, such that many scientific, industrial and military applications now include AUV operations. However, the logistical difficulties and high costs of operating at sea are still critical limiting factors in further technology development, the benchmarking of new techniques and the reproducibility of research results. To overcome this problem, this paper presents a freely available dataset suitable to test control, navigation, sensor processing algorithms and others tasks. This dataset combines AUV navigation data, sidescan sonar, multibeam echosounder data and seafloor camera image data, and associated sensor acquisition metadata to provide a detailed characterisation of surveys carried out by the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) in the Greater Haig Fras Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ) of the U.K in 2015.
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11
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Allan EA, DiBenedetto MH, Lavery AC, Govindarajan AF, Zhang WG. Modeling characterization of the vertical and temporal variability of environmental DNA in the mesopelagic ocean. Sci Rep 2021; 11:21273. [PMID: 34711868 PMCID: PMC8553870 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-00288-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasingly, researchers are using innovative methods to census marine life, including identification of environmental DNA (eDNA) left behind by organisms in the water column. However, little is understood about how eDNA is distributed in the ocean, given that organisms are mobile and that physical and biological processes can transport eDNA after release from a host. Particularly in the vast mesopelagic ocean where many species vertically migrate hundreds of meters diurnally, it is important to link the location at which eDNA was shed by a host organism to the location at which eDNA was collected in a water sample. Here, we present a one-dimensional mechanistic model to simulate the eDNA vertical distribution after its release and to compare the impact of key biological and physical parameters on the eDNA vertical and temporal distribution. The modeled vertical eDNA profiles allow us to quantify spatial and temporal variability in eDNA concentration and to identify the most important parameters to consider when interpreting eDNA signals. We find that the vertical displacement by advection, dispersion, and settling has limited influence on the eDNA distribution, and the depth at which eDNA is found is generally within tens of meters of the depth at which the eDNA was originally shed from the organism. Thus, using information about representative vertical migration patterns, eDNA concentration variability can be used to answer ecological questions about migrating organisms such as what depths species can be found in the daytime and nighttime and what percentage of individuals within a species diurnally migrate. These findings are critical both to advance the understanding of the vertical distribution of eDNA in the water column and to link eDNA detection to organism presence in the mesopelagic ocean as well as other aquatic environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Andruszkiewicz Allan
- Department of Applied Ocean Physics and Engineering, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA.
- School of Marine and Environmental Affairs, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
| | - Michelle H DiBenedetto
- Department of Physical Oceanography, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Andone C Lavery
- Department of Applied Ocean Physics and Engineering, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA
| | | | - Weifeng G Zhang
- Department of Applied Ocean Physics and Engineering, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA
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12
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Lindsay DJ. Stealthy tracking of deep ocean organisms with Mesobot. Sci Robot 2021; 6:6/55/eabj3949. [PMID: 34135119 DOI: 10.1126/scirobotics.abj3949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Tracking deep ocean animals over their daily cycles will revolutionize our understanding of the largest biome on Earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dhugal John Lindsay
- Advanced Science-Technology Research (ASTER) Program, Institute for Extra-cutting-edge Science and Technology Avant-garde Research (X-STAR), Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), 2-15 Natsushima-cho, Yokosuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.
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