Summary of SMART BUOY RIDES THE CITIZEN SCIENCE WAVE
This article describes a low-cost smart buoy project by [t3chflicks] designed for citizen science wave research. The device collects real-time ocean data, including wave height and temperature, transmitting it to a base station for dashboard visualization. Despite challenges with measuring wave direction and SD card memory issues, the team successfully demonstrated an affordable alternative to expensive research methods using accessible hardware like Arduino and solar panels.
Parts used in the Smart Buoy:
- 18650 battery
- Four 5V solar panels
- 3D-printed hull (or sealed PVC)
- Arduino controller
- GY-86 10-DOF module
- Antenna
- Raspberry Pi Zero base station
- Vue JS dashboard software
Those beautiful and dangerous ocean waves that beckon us to the coast are more than just a pretty sight. They can tell us a lot about weather patterns and what the sea itself is doing. As vital as this information is, the existing methods of doing wave research are pretty expensive. The team at [t3chflicks] wanted to show it can be done fairly cheaply, to encourage more citizen scientists to contribute. More data means a better understanding, and open research benefits even those who don’t actively participate.
They have developed a smart buoy that collects wave data and transmits it back to a base station for real-time display. The buoy runs on an 18650 that gets recharged by four 5V solar panels situated around the top half of the 3D-printed hull. An Arduino inside the buoy controls the sensors, most of which are baked into the GY-86 10-DOF module. The antenna on top sends the data back to a Raspi Zero base station, which charts wave height, wave period, wave power, water and air temperature, and barometric pressure in real-time on a spiffy Vue JS dashboard.
The team had their ups and downs during this project. They wanted to measure wave direction, but it proved a bit too complicated. And memory issues prevented them from backing up the data to an on-buoy SD card. You can catch the more in-depth hardware and software videos on their YouTube channel. We’ve got the smart buoy summary video tied up and floating just after the break.
Want to help buoy wave research, but don’t have a 3D printer? Sealed PVC makes a fine flotation device, as we saw in this water quality-sensing buoy.
Source: SMART BUOY RIDES THE CITIZEN SCIENCE WAVE
- How does the buoy recharge its power?
The 18650 battery gets recharged by four 5V solar panels situated around the top half of the hull. - What data does the system collect in real-time?
The system charts wave height, wave period, wave power, water and air temperature, and barometric pressure. - Which microcontroller controls the sensors inside the buoy?
An Arduino inside the buoy controls the sensors. - Can I build this buoy without a 3D printer?
Yes, sealed PVC makes a fine flotation device as an alternative to the 3D-printed hull. - Why did the team decide to create this project?
The team wanted to show that wave research can be done fairly cheaply to encourage more citizen scientists to contribute. - Does the current design measure wave direction?
No, measuring wave direction proved too complicated for this version of the project. - Where is the collected data transmitted?
The antenna on top sends the data back to a Raspi Zero base station. - What issue prevented backing up data to the buoy?
Memory issues prevented the team from backing up the data to an on-buoy SD card.
