Hacking Ecology: Open source and robust aquatic monitoring system

General
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Hello GOSHers,

Recently I’ve been at the GOSH community call to talk about Hacking Ecology and would like to share here further information about the project.
Since early 2019 we work on the development of new approach of aquatic probes for research and water quality monitoring. Although we have already had many important advances in environmental sensors, there is still a lack of real open and robust systems that cover this specific field.
Currently we are in the COACT Forest Innovation Sprint, a residence in open source technology with a strong socioenvironmental approach and soon we expect to release the code and start the tests together with external validators from a research lab from Brazil and a citizen science group from Spain.

Our objectives are:
1 - To offer a system with “real open source” sensors - it means that it’s not enough for us a sensor to be compatible with microcontrollers. It should be open and without any “behind the scene” processes. Because of this we rejected Atlas Scientific products as a viable alternative for Hacking Ecology system.
2- Security against data loss and scalable database - A distribute and redundant database that ensure data integrity and availability based on Node-red and Apache Kafka.
3- Connectivity and compatibility - Cross-platform, IoT compatible, remote monitoring, time series or single measurements.

We have a long January with a lot of work and exciting to update all community with the advances.

I would like to share our channels (still under construction) and invite everyone interested in joining forces and/or working on similar projects to get in touch.

https://twitter.com/hackingecology

https://hackingecology.gitlab.io/

1 Like
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Hi sjacques,

I have a deep interest in water quality monitoring, and one of the big issues is the high cost of sensors. I know many have turned to Atlas Scientific as a low cost source of sensors, but like you I am dissatisfied with their proprietary electronics hardware and closed software. I also think these are more expensive than they need to be.

However I would be willing to use their sensor probes with my own circuits, eg. their dissolved oxygen and pH sensors, as there aren’t many alternatives at their price point.

2 Likes
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I haven’t been able to make the community calls yet (hopefully in the new year!). However, I just wanted to add that I’m very interested in this use of hardware and I’m excited to hear about the project.

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Thanks @Zengirl2! Yes, we are keeping a more frequent update on social media and in the next weeks in our Gitlab repo!
Yesterday we had started the field test with new design and sensors. So there are good news to come soon… and well documented :slightly_smiling_face:

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Yes. One thing is to hack the electronics… right now we are trying other suppliers also as a way to not become dependent on one group.

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Saulo: Hi I am Chilean but since 5 years live in Israel. I’m determined to input into the commercial dynamics some transparent and collaborative mechanisms. At least in some sensitive areas.
Can this product generate a great social or ecological impact ?

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Sure. Actually this is what we’re doing in Hacking Ecology