Multi-environment robot for temperature profiling in lakes

• Grant number: 16/21220-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: March 01, 2017
• End date: February 28, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Mechanical Engineering
• Principal Investigator: André Carmona Hernandes
• Grantee: Victor Tamassia Noppeney
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Exatas e de Tecnologia (CCET). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

One of planet Earth's most important natural resources is water, and Brazil finds itself in a priviledged position regarding this aspect, as it owns 12% of all world's surface freshwater. In Brazil, as well as on the rest of the world, the totality of available water is constantly under transformation, and one of the most expressive sources of such transformations are antropic actions, such as water reservoirs and hydropower dams. Nowadays, given the importance of the water resources, there is a necessity of measuring parameters directly related to their quality. Among them, temperature is considered the most important abiotic factor for lakes. The measurements previously cited are commonly made using methods regarding sample collection and posterior laboratory analysis, or using anchored buoys or fixed stations, what leads to sparse points. One possible solution to boost spatial resolution of the measured parameters is to use a mobile robot. On the literature, there are works involving platforms that aim to solve this problem. One of them is H2Omni, developed in the Department of Mechanical Engineering of São Carlos School of Engineering (SEM-EESC/USP).This Scientific Initiation aims to project a multi-environment robot, based on H2Omni, focusing on studying the motion modalities and energy efficiency analysis. The project aims, on the 3 first quarters, to develop, helped by simulation softwares, studies about the platform, and, on the last quarter, with it fully adapted, perform field tests measuring surface temperature, as a way to prove the concept of this platform as an alternative for measuring water parameters. Due to the availability of comparative data, the Broa lake (Itirapina - SP) was chosen as the place to hold the tests involving measurements. Points up that there is a good support involving infrastructure and human resources on the two institutions readily available, what makes the execution of this project possible. (AU)