The COMMON SENSE project developed next-generation sensors to learn more about what occurs in the bowels of our oceans, which are seriously threatened. On board the One Planet One Ocean boat, Didac Costa tested a prototype around the world. His experience is very valuable for the development of the project on ocean racing yachts.
The COMMON SENSE project, coordinated by LEITAT, aimed to develop low-cost sensors to be integrated/installed in a variety of vessels and platforms in order to obtain real-time data.
On January 27, the 15 companies and institutions that collaborated in the project presented their conclusions at the headquarters of the FNOB. During 40 months, partners worked hard to present their final devices in Barcelona.
The project’s main challenge is to achieve low-cost sensors that allow the automation of measurement operations and real-time data comparison on an easily accessible platform. This minimizes the costs of installation, personal operation, and data processing, which allows the sensors to adapt to a wide range of vessels and platforms.
What do the COMMON SENSE sensors measure?
The sensors measure eutrophication (nutrient enrichment of an ecosystem), concentration of heavy metals and microplastics, noise pollution, and other parameters such as temperature and pressure. All these data are invaluable for understanding more about what is happening in the ocean and for designing solutions to protect this fundamental element for life on Earth. The ocean is a vital organ that not only accumulates a vast range of life forms essential for us, but also acts as a second great lung for the planet by absorbing much of the CO2 we emit.
Didac Costa recently participated in the Vendée Globe, carrying the microplastic sensor onboard. As stated by Sergio Martínez, coordinator of the COMMON SENSE project, “The work that Didac Costa is doing shows us that sensors can resist extreme conditions.»
The experience with the COMMON SENSE sensor confirms the achievement of several project objectives. The device is easy to install and maintain, and it does not require any inputs from the skipper.
The COMMON SENSE project is coordinated by LEITAT and includes a consortium of 15 partners from seven different countries, offering extensive knowledge and technical expertise in the area of marine monitoring. In addition to the FNOB, the partners include:
Aquatt UETP Ltd (Ireland), the State Agency for Scientific Research – CSIC (Spain), Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche – CNR (Italy), Dropsens S.L. (Spain), Dublin City University (Ireland), Cyril And Methodius University In Skopje (North Macedonia), Idronaut (Italy), Instytut Oceanologii Polskiej Akademii Nauk – IO PAN (Poland), National University of Ireland, Simulacions Optiques Sl – SNELLOPTICS (Spain), Subctech Gmbh (Germany), TE Laboratories Limited (Ireland), and the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs – CEFAS (United Kingdom).
Source: FNOB.org
