Sonic Kayaks: Environmental monitoring and experimental music by citizens

Griffiths, Alistair; Kemp, Kirsty M.; Matthews, Kaffe; Garrett, Joanne K.; Griffiths, David J.

doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.2004044

Cited by 9 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…Huge stretches of the world's tropical and subtropical coastline are populated with surfing beaches [19], and although there are seasonal changes in the frequency of participation, surfing occurs all year around even in cold and dark winter months at high latitudes. There is a huge potential to use surfers to help increase the coverage of nearshore ocean observations like temperature, using the types of approaches tested here, which can be easily expanded to other aquatic recreational activities (e.g., diving, kayaking) and to other environmental indicators of aquatic health, such as ocean acidity and water quality [20][21][22][23][24][25][26].…”

Section: Future Recommendationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…New evidence has suggested that environmental monitoring in the nearshore could be drastically improved by harnessing vast numbers of citizens who partake in marine recreational sports [19]. To date, there have been studies looking at the use of divers [20][21][22], fishermen [23], stand-up paddle boarders [24], kayakers [25], sailors [26], and surfers [27,28]. Measurements of water temperature (both at the surface and subsurface) have been a target of many of these studies, for two reasons: (1) temperature sensors are relatively cheap, small, and accurate, and consequently fairly easy to integrate into watersports equipment; and (2) water temperature is considered by the Global Climate Observing System as an Essential Climate Variable (ECV) [29,30] and by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) as a key driver of climate change impacting coastal systems [31].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Comparison of Two Methods for Measuring Sea Surface Temperature When Surfing

Brewin

Cyronak

Bresnahan

et al. 2020

Oceans

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Nearshore coastal waters are among the most dynamic regions on the planet and difficult to sample from conventional oceanographic platforms. It has been suggested that environmental sampling of the nearshore could be improved by mobilising vast numbers of citizens who partake in marine recreational sports, like surfing. In this paper, we compared two approaches for measuring sea surface temperature (SST), an Essential Climate Variable, when surfing. One technique involved attaching a commercially-available miniature temperature logger (Onset UTBI-001 TidbiT v2) to the leash of the surfboard (tether connecting surfer and surfboard) and the second, attaching a surfboard fin (Smartfin) that contained an environmental sensor package. Between July 2017 and July 2018, 148 surfing sessions took place, 90 in the southwest UK and 58 in San Diego, California, USA. During these sessions, both Smartfin and leash sensors were deployed simultaneously. On the leash, two TidbiT v2 sensors were attached, one with (denoted LP) and one without (denoted LU) a protective boot, designed to shield the sensor from sunlight. The median temperature from each technique, during each surfing session, was extracted and compared along with independent water temperature data from a nearby pier and benthic logger, and matched with photosynthetically available radiation (PAR) data from satellite observations (used as a proxy for solar radiation during each surf). Results indicate a mean difference ( δ ) of 0.13 °C and mean absolute difference ( ϵ ) of 0.14 °C between Smartfin and LU, and a δ of 0.04 °C and an ϵ of 0.06 °C between Smartfin and LP. For UK measurements, we observed better agreement between methods ( δ = 0.07 °C and ϵ = 0.08 °C between Smartfin and LU, and δ = 0.00 °C and ϵ = 0.03 °C between Smartfin and LP) when compared with measurements in San Diego ( δ = 0.22 °C and ϵ = 0.23 °C between Smartfin and LU, and δ = 0.08 °C and ϵ = 0.11 °C between Smartfin and LP). Surfing SST data were found to agree well, in general, with independent temperature data from a nearby pier and benthic logger. Differences in SST between leash and Smartfin were found to correlate with PAR, both for the unprotected (LU) and protected (LP) TidbiT v2 sensors, explaining the regional differences in the comparison (PAR generally higher during US surfing sessions than UK sessions). Considering that the Smartfin is sheltered from ambient light by the surfboard, unlike the leash, results indicate the leash TidbiT v2 sensors warm with exposure to sunlight biasing the SST data positively, a result consistent with published tests on similar sensors in shallow waters. We matched all LU data collected prior to this study with satellite PAR products and corrected for solar heating. Results highlight the need to design temperature sensor packages that minimise exposure from solar heating when towed in the surface ocean.

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Section: Future Recommendationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparison of Two Methods for Measuring Sea Surface Temperature When Surfing

Brewin

Cyronak

Bresnahan

et al. 2020

Oceans

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“…Fine-scale mapping of underwater sound is particularly novel. Underwater sound is usually collected using sensors attached to the seabed, drifting devices, or towed sensors on motored research vessels (Griffiths et al 2017). The seas around Cornwall have been modelled to have high levels of underwater noise (Farcas et al, 2020).…”

Section: Data Interpretationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The equipment is designed to fit onto any model of kayak. The Sonic Kayak Version 1 (Griffiths et al 2017) was equipped with temperature sensors and a hydrophone, recording the water temperature every second and underwater sound continuously, together with the GPS coordinates, time and date. The data is also sonified in real-time through an on-board speaker, allowing the paddler to hear the data as it comes in and to follow interesting occurrences, for example temperature gradients (sonification the process of conveying information by using non-speech sounds; Dubus & Bresin 2013, Hermann et al 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Version 1 of the Sonic Kayak (Griffiths et al 2017) was designed with the electronics, sensors, and two speakers located at the front of the kayak. Since then, we worked with an accessible kayak club (Access Lizard Adventure https://www.lizardadventure.co.uk/category/access-lizard-adventure/) to redesign the Sonic Kayak system for people with visual impairments, to enable greater independence on the water.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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New water and air pollution sensors added to the Sonic Kayak citizen science system for low cost environmental mapping

Griffiths

Garrett

Duffy

et al. 2020

Preprint

Self Cite

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Sonic Kayaks are low-cost open-source systems for gathering fine-scale environmental data. The system is designed to be simple to fit on to standard kayaks or canoes, and full instructions have been made available for anyone wishing to build their own. The first version included temperature sensors and a hydrophone for recording underwater sound. Here we outline the design and integration of two new sensors, for underwater turbidity and above water air particulate pollution. All sensors record continually, and the GPS location, time and date are also stored for every data point, allowing fine-scale environmental data mapping. The data being collected by the sensors is sonified (turned into sound) in real-time, allowing the paddler to hear the data as they are collecting it, making it possible to locate and follow interesting occurrences. We present proof-of principle data for the first time for all the sensors, demonstrating how the system can be used for environmental mapping, and discuss potential future applications and adaptations. We believe the Sonic Kayak system offers particular promise for citizen science and environmental activism, as well as allowing professional researchers to gather data that was previously difficult or impossible to obtain.

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Open Hardware in Science: The Benefits of Open Electronics

Oellermann

Jolles

Ortiz

et al. 2022

Integrative and Comparative Biology

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Openly shared low-cost electronic hardware applications, known as open electronics, have sparked a new open-source movement, with much untapped potential to advance scientific research. Initially designed to appeal to electronic hobbyists, open electronics have formed a global “maker” community and are increasingly used in science and industry. In this perspective article we review the current costs and benefits of open electronics for use in scientific research ranging from the experimental to the theoretical sciences. We discuss how user-made electronic applications can help (I) individual researchers, by increasing the customization, efficiency, and scalability of experiments, while improving data quantity and quality; (II) scientific institutions, by improving access to customizable high-end technologies, sustainability, visibility, and interdisciplinary collaboration potential; and (III) the scientific community, by improving transparency and reproducibility, helping decouple research capacity from funding, increasing innovation, and improving collaboration potential among researchers and the public. We further discuss how current barriers like poor awareness, knowledge access and time investments can be resolved by increased documentation and collaboration and provide guidelines for academics to enter this emerging field. We highlight that open electronics are a promising and powerful tool to help scientific research to become more innovative and reproducible and offers a key practical solution to improve democratic access to science.

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Sonic Kayaks: Environmental monitoring and experimental music by citizens

Cited by 9 publications

References 19 publications

Comparison of Two Methods for Measuring Sea Surface Temperature When Surfing

Comparison of Two Methods for Measuring Sea Surface Temperature When Surfing

New water and air pollution sensors added to the Sonic Kayak citizen science system for low cost environmental mapping

Open Hardware in Science: The Benefits of Open Electronics

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