We are working in Professor Profiri’s Dynamical Systems Lab. Our research will add a module to the existing Brooklyn Atlantis project, in which an aquatic robot vehicle (ARV) designed to collect water quality data and take photos below and above water is deployed twice each week in the Gowanus Canal. Brooklyn Atlantis is a citizen science project in which anyone can create an account to help with tagging images collected by the ARV.

Our research will develop a sensory array to collect air quality data (Volatile Organic Compounds, Nitrogen Dioxide,Carbon Monoxide, and Carbon Dioxide) and associated weather data (humidity, temperature, etc.).

We have developed a timeline for our project, deployed the robot in the canal, and conducted research on sensors and methods for our project. We have selected the sensors needed to complete the project and are in the process of ordering the needed components to build the module.

Possible classroom applications for the project including having students complete a study of air and/or water quality during specific atmospheric conditions (i.e., low vs. high temperature) and having students build simple sensors to measure air and/or water quality.