Ontario teen Evan Budz has developed an underwater bionic monitor that looks and moves like a turtle.
The Grade 10 student was soon racking up a number of accolades, including first prize in the European Union Young Scientists competition, CBC reports.
“Aquatic habitats are vital to humans, and routine surveys of these environments have become critical,” Baz said in a YouTube video.
Traditional monitoring often involves machines that generate strong currents and noise, which can damage ecosystems and stress marine life.
Baz’s innovation is modeled after green sea turtles, taking advantage of their natural ability to move easily and harmlessly through water, according to the Canadian Association for Young Scientists.
While the released images show a creation that resembles a real sea turtle, it is equipped with artificial intelligence that allows it to move autonomously at depth along a predetermined route to monitor coral health and other important underwater indicators.
YSC executive director Reni Barlow told CBC, “Evan’s success… shows that his project is truly world-class, a remarkable innovation that demonstrates the ability of young Canadians to tackle complex technical and environmental challenges.”
Earth’s overheating is a particularly troublesome problem for our oceans, which absorb about 91% of the planet’s excess heat. Warming ocean waters are causing coral bleaching, melting glaciers and other problems, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The deterioration of coral health has led some experts to protect as much coral as possible as part of the Noah’s Ark project targeting important marine species. Meanwhile, on land, trail cameras serve a similar purpose to Buzz’s artificial turtles, recording often-unseen footage of rare species and providing evidence of their health.
This turtle-like creature required all sorts of unique knowledge to create. Experts from Ripley’s Aquarium were consulted to help better understand the animals’ movements. YSC said high-tech ballast systems, waterproof cameras and special servos help underwater spies continue to carry out their missions.
Buzz said in the video that he was inspired to build the device while observing a real sea turtle on a camping trip.
The system will now be tested under more stringent conditions, with an ever-increasing list of tasks such as collecting water samples according to the YSC
“I demonstrated the viability of my robot in helping protect sensitive marine ecosystems,” the 15-year-old added in the video.
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