MANDALA

The MANDALA project is aimed at improving the management of water quality, a resource declared at risk of global crisis. Its objective is the development of a digital platform for the analysis, management and prediction of water quality, and to help decision-making in the efficiency of management processes in industrial, agricultural, aquaculture and human consumption areas. Specifically, it improves the quality of data in water quality monitoring through the design and development of Biomass sensors (based on the fusion of images from several perimeter RGB cameras and their analysis using AI techniques) and Ammonium (optofluidic  sensor that allows long-term measurement of ammonium in water, through a variation of the colorimetric reaction and an optical system).

It develops predictive algorithms based on convolutional neural networks for water quality and biomass growth prediction, on a software platform. It promotes the reduction of the environmental impact of aquaculture production, aligning with the European  objectives of measuring the environmental footprint, towards the ecological transition and incorporating the life cycle perspective (LCA) in the analysis of the aquaculture process.

The partners, Smartwater and Leitat, have extensive experience and proven capabilities in the development of technological and innovation projects. The project has the collaboration of real operators such as receivers of the technology, the Cantabrian Maritime Museum and JCH Aquaculture for the operational demonstration of the Mandala Predictive Platform in real environments, going from TRL5 to TRL7. The commercial objective is to launch the new predictive platform on the market within 2 years after the completion of the project.

It is a multidisciplinary transversal solution, closing technological gaps in the digitalization of water management processes. It is based on 4 axes:

• i) improving data quality (biomass and optofluidic sensors),
• ii) developing predictive analytical methods that improve animal welfare and reduce impacts,
• iii) ecological transition, improving the use of water resources,
• iv) putting humans at the center of the solution (giving them reliable predictive tools for decision-making, following the European Industry 5.0 strategy).

The main exploitable results of the project are:

• i) Cloud platform for monitoring and predicting water quality,
• ii) Optofluidic sensor for detection of ammonium in saline and fresh water,
• iii) and Biomass measurement
  system for aquatic species.

Thanks to the funding from the AEI, the new product will reach a TRL 7, and will be ready for the development of the final pre-commercial prototype and start the  validation of its functionality (TRL 8) prior to its registration and market launch (TRL 9).

MANDALA is a scientific breakthrough with a significant technological, environmental and socioeconomic impact. It will improve environmental monitoring, better understand the nitrogen cycle and develop new environmental management strategies. It is aligned with the 2030 Agenda and the
Sustainable Development Goals, the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan 2021-2026, the National Green Algorithms Plan 2023-2025, the Strategic Projects for Economic Recovery and Transformation (PERTE), the New European Innovation Agenda (2022-2027) and the Transfer and Collaboration Plan (2023-2025).

Smartwater and Leitat form a consortium with a demonstrated capacity towards the capitalization, dissemination and exploitation of results on a national and international scale, given their proven experience. Considering the current network of contacts, participation in platforms and fairs, and planned dissemination actions, both entities foresee the international visibility of the project’s activities, contributing to the international leadership of both in the digitalization of the aquaculture sector in Spain, Europe and internationally.

Leitat’s Role in the Project:

Leitat will act in the MANDALA project as beneficiary member.