https://cstwiki.wtb.tue.nl/api.php?action=feedcontributions&user=S146529&feedformat=atomControl Systems Technology Group - User contributions [en]2024-03-28T14:30:11ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.39.5https://cstwiki.wtb.tue.nl/index.php?title=PRE2015_4_Groep5&diff=28064PRE2015 4 Groep52016-06-09T14:05:24Z<p>S146529: /* Technical description */</p>
<hr />
<div>__FORCETOC__<br />
<br />
[[File:HASP_logo_v0.1.png|600px|right]]<br />
<br />
== Group members ==<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
==Introduction==<br />
<br />
===Abstract===<br />
<br />
===Problem statement===<br />
<br />
The world needs to produce at least 50% more food to feed 9 billion people by 2050. But climate change could cut crop yields by more than 25%.<ref name="Food security">[http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/foodsecurity Food security]</ref> With this in mind we need to look for novel solutions to the problem of insufficient food production. This solution will need to take the interests of users, society, and enterprise into account. Moreover, this solution needs to surpass the state of the art by employing cutting-edge technology.<br />
<br />
===Motivation===<br />
<br />
Nutrition is vital to sustaining life, and food security is important for political stability and human welfare. We want to address the problem of food availability due to its relevance: continuing population and consumption growth will mean that the global demand for food will increase for at least another 40 years.<ref name="Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People">[http://science.sciencemag.org/content/327/5967/812 Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People]</ref><br />
<br />
Agriculture is an integral part of the European economy and society. It provides the basis for food, feed and non-food products to meet the demands of consumers and a wide range of industries.<ref name="Horizon 2020: Agriculture & Forestry">[https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/en/area/agriculture-forestry Agriculture & Forestry]</ref> By designing a solution to the agricultural challenge we will need to take into account the needs of users: like consumers of food, society: the ecological impacts of our solution, and enterprise: the solution needs to be competitive in order to gain an economical advantage.<br />
<br />
The agricultural industry is ever advancing, not only is the biological aspect of farming being researched, there are also improvements in automation,<ref name="Agricultural Robotics and Automation">[http://www.ieee-ras.org/agricultural-robotics Agricultural Robotics and Automation]</ref> and we want to explore the automation of this industry. We want to develop a solution that allows for automation of food production beyond the state of the art, moreover the solution needs to be scalable.<br />
<br />
==Mariculture==<br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
Mariculture is a specialized branch of aquaculture involving the cultivation of marine organisms for food and other products in the open ocean, an enclosed section of the ocean, or in tanks, ponds or raceways which are filled with seawater. An example of the latter is the farming of marine fish, including finfish and shellfish like prawns, or oysters and seaweed in saltwater ponds.<ref name="Mariculture">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariculture Mariculture]</ref><br />
<br />
In this section we will explore mariculture, and explain why we chose it as a solution to the problem previously stated. Mariculture encompasses a wide range of organisms, from the cultivation of water-based plants to the breeding of aquatic animals. For this project we will focus on the cultivation of aquatic plants, and in particular types of seaweed.<br />
<br />
===Commonly cultivated seaweed species===<br />
<br />
*The total seaweed production features a lot of brown kelps. These weeds grow in cold water zones, they are long and have a leathery structure. They must be harvested before the water temperature rises to 21 degrees, otherwise the kelps will rot. Kombu (Laminaria Japonica) is used a lot in Japanese recipies for soups, as dried snacks, or in salads. Kombu is a dietary fiber and contains high levels of iodine. In China, 50% of the Laminaria production is meant for industrial purposes for its iodine, algin and mannitol. Due to this, laminaria are considered as one of the best renewable resources and it makes up for a major part of the maricultural sector. Japan has made effort to increase the production but due to its labour intensitive nature, the market is not expected to expand notably.<ref name="FAO Laminaria">[http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Laminaria_japonica/en FAO Laminaria]</ref> Wakame (Undaria) is the type of kelp you will find in your misosoup. With a subtle sweet flavour and satin-like texture it is most suitable for human consumption. The weed is a rich source of omega-3 and helps burn fatty tissue. However, it is also in the top 100 of worst invasive species in cold waters, which is partly caused by aquaculture.<ref name="Seaweed Site">[http://www.seaweed.ie/ Seaweed Site]</ref><br />
<br />
*Gelidium amansii and Pterocladia are valuable red algae that can be found at shallow coasts. They can be used in salads and to make agar, a jelly-like substance that can be used for microbiological research and various industrial purposes.<ref name="Gelidium Amansii">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelidium_amansii Gelidium Amansii]</ref> They have been cultured in Korea since the last century, but always on a small scale. There have been various attempts to farm the algae at sea, but the slow growth rate and required non-contaminated waters made it unattractive for commercial cultivation.<ref name="Nineteenth International Seaweed Symposium">[https://books.google.nl/books?id=19mM4xtgfOMC&pg=PA2&lpg=PA2&dq=Pterocladia+farm&source=bl&ots=MtH0LvASHr&sig=RXZNWMEOLnv1yS-WP2fWqv6SDpo&hl=nl&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwieqMmLnsrMAhXlAsAKHVoKDzwQ6AEIRTAF#v=onepage&q=Pterocladia%20farm&f=false Nineteenth International Seaweed Symposium]</ref><br />
<br />
*Nori or Zicai (Porphyra) are most famous for composing the sushi wraps. The red algae grow in cold and shallow waters in the intertidal zone. After growing in the sea for 50 days, the weeds can be harvested every 10-15 days. The Nori market is stable, the demand is not expected to grow or shrink in the coming years. In Japan, the annual production is valued at 1 billion US dollars.<ref name="FAO Porphyra">[http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Porphyra_spp/en#tcNA0112 FAO Porphyra]</ref><br />
<br />
===Environment===<br />
<br />
====Dead zones====<br />
<br />
[[File:Deadzones.jpg|thumb|250px|Dead zones in oceans around the world.]]<br />
<br />
Ocean dead zones are areas with low oxygen levels and hardly any marine life. These areas are caused by agriculture fertilizers that increase the level of nitrogen and phosphorus, also known as eutriphication. The result is a rapid increase in phytoplankton, because they are 'build' from phosphorus and nitrogen. These algal blooms cause deadzones. The number of deadzones is increasing.<br />
As a result, the fertility of the marine life drops dramatically, and in more extreme cases, fish fall unconcious and then suffocate. Slow moving creatures on the seafloor are unable to escape.<br />
Seaweed is capable of uptaking both nitrogen and phosphorus and replacing it with oxygen. In a study of the increase/decrease of nitrogen and phosphorus levels, where laminaria were cultivated, in is shown that in 24 hours, the levels of nitrogen decreased with up to 263 mg/m3 (at a water temperatur of 1.5 Celsius). In all cases, the levels of nitrogen ans phosporus decreases, albeit more effectively at lower temperatures. <ref name="Culture of Kelp(Laminaria japonica)in China (1989)"> [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab724e/AB724E11.htm] </ref> For this reason seaweed is also cultivated around fishfarms. Seaweed would be a cheap although perhaps slow solution in the reviving of dead zones.<ref name="Growth, nitrogen and phosphorous uptake rates and O2 production rate of seaweeds cultured on coastal fish farms"<ref>[https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf Growth, nitrogen and phosphorous uptake rates and O2 production rate of seaweeds cultured on coastal fish farms]</ref><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
====Climate====<br />
<br />
Seaweed can assimilate a lot of CO<sub>2</sub> about 30 to 60 times the rate of land plants. But this will not solve the CO<sub>2</sub>-problem, because the CO<sub>2</sub> will be released when the seaweed will be consumed. Seaweed only contributes indirectly to a better milieu. Because of the seaweed farms less forests will disappear for farmlands. This forest contributes to a net CO<sub>2</sub> storage. Seaweed can also be used for the production of biomethane and electricity. So the unsustainable fuels can be replaced, this results in less CO<sub>2</sub> pollution.<br />
<br />
====Locations====<br />
<br />
To determine the best location for a sea-farm we have to take into account several aspects. The temperature of the seawater should be the right temperature for seaweed. For example the best temperature for growing Eucheuma is 20-25 °Celsius, but there are also species that can grow in water of 10 °Celsius. So seaweed can grow in almost every ocean. The depth of the sea does not matter for the seaweed of farm, because we will only use species that grow from the surface downwards. But for the farm itself the depth does matter. Anchoring the farm is easier in a shallow area in the ocean. Commonly these areas are near the coast, an advantage of sea-farms which are near the costs is that the transport from farm to the secondary users is cheaper. Also building and maintaining the farm is easier if it is closer to the mainland. The dead zones are also located near the seashore, so the dead zones are an extra motivation of locating the sea-farms there. A disadvantage are the shipping routes that are located in these areas. Thankfully, these routes are taken by most commercial ships. This leaves open spots near the coast where there are no passing ships and where the seaweedfarms could be located. Important shipping routes at the Dutch coast.<ref name="Noordzee Scheepvaartroutes">[https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NoordzeeScheepvaartroutes.png Noordzee Scheepvaartroutes]</ref> With the sea levels rising due to climate change, and the seafarm's habit breaking waves, it would be beneficial to locate the farm nearby a shore that is threatened by rising sea levels.<br />
<br />
===Nutrition===<br />
<br />
From a nutritional standpoint, the main properties of seaweeds that distinguish them from higher plants are their high mineral and dietary fibre contents. The high iron and magnesium contents are of particular nutritional interest due to their metabolic or functional properties. In comparison with other sources of fibres, seaweeds contain a high proportion of soluble fibres, which exhibit original fermentation patterns in the large intestine. Red seaweeds have a high protein content, comparable to that of high-protein vegetables. Available data suggest that they have a unique amino acid pattern, complementary to that of most terrestrial vegetables.<ref name="Seaweed in food products: biochemical and nutritional aspects">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/092422449390091N Serge Mabeau, Joël Fleurence: Seaweed in food products: biochemical and nutritional aspects (1993)]</ref> Edible brown and red seaweeds could be used as a food supplement to help meet the recommended daily adult intakes of some macrominerals and trace elements.<ref name="P. Rupérez: Mineral content of edible marine seaweeds (2002)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814602001711 P. Rupérez: Mineral content of edible marine seaweeds (2002)]</ref><br />
<br />
There might be some hesitance in the use of seaweed for human nutrition, but the seaweeds which are used as biological filters and food material for farmed animals could easily be included in the human food value chain by this route.<ref name="What are the prospects for using seaweed in human nutrition and for marine animals raised through aquaculture?">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224412000544 Joël Fleurence, Michele Morançais, Justine Dumay, Priscilla Decottignies, Vincent Turpin, Mathilde Munier, Nuria Garcia-Bueno and Pascal Jaouen: What are the prospects for using seaweed in human nutrition and for marine animals raised through aquaculture? (2012)]</ref><ref name="Joël Fleurence: Seaweed proteins: biochemical, nutritional aspects and potential use (1999)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224499000151 Joël Fleurence: Seaweed proteins: biochemical, nutritional aspects and potential use (1999)]</ref><br />
<br />
As seaweed accumulates important substances from the surrounding water, it does not only accumulate the desired minerals and trace metals but it also accumulates undesirable metals and heavy metals from the surrounding environment.<ref name="Bioactive compounds in seaweed: functional food applications and legislation">[http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10811-010-9632-5 Holdt, Susan Løvstad, and Stefan Kraan. "Bioactive compounds in seaweed: functional food applications and legislation." Journal of Applied Phycology 23.3 (2011): 543-597.]</ref> This can be exploited, and seaweed can be used as a biofilter, but if the goal is nutrition it is important to not let seaweed grow in polluted water. <br />
<br />
Seaweeds are known for their richness in polysaccharides, minerals and certain vitamins,<ref name="Vegetables from the sea">[http://agris.fao.org/agris-search/search.do?recordID=XF2015021737 Arasaki, Seibun, and Teruko Arasaki. "Vegetables from the sea." Japan Publ. Inc., Tokyo 96 (1983): 251-223.]</ref> but they also contain bioactive substances like polysaccharides, proteins, lipids and polyphenols, with antibacterial, antiviral and anti-fungal properties, as well as many others.<ref name="Antioxidant potential of solvent extracts of Kappaphycus alvarezii (Doty) Doty – An edible seaweed">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814607008102 Kumar, K. Suresh, K. Ganesan, and PV Subba Rao. "Antioxidant potential of solvent extracts of Kappaphycus alvarezii (Doty) Doty–An edible seaweed." Food chemistry 107.1 (2008): 289-295.]</ref> This gives seaweed great potential as a supplement in functional food or for the extraction of compounds. Proteins, peptides and amino acids from seaweed have shown positive bioactive effects in the treatment of diabetes and cancer, and the prevention of vascular diseases. The amino acid profile of some seaweed species is similar to that of animal foods. Extracts of valuable amino acids for feed supplement could be of potential because essential amino acids cannot be replaced by other compounds.<ref name="Bioactive compounds in seaweed: functional food applications and legislation">[http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10811-010-9632-5 Holdt, Susan Løvstad, and Stefan Kraan. "Bioactive compounds in seaweed: functional food applications and legislation." Journal of Applied Phycology 23.3 (2011): 543-597.]</ref><br />
<br />
===State of the art===<br />
<br />
Currently, mariculture is not a high-tech affair. Most of mariculture involves manual labor, and in part mariculture is practiced in a non-industrial setting, however we want to focus on industrial mariculture. In shallow-water mariculture the lines to where the seaweed is attached are handled manually, and the shallow waters are traversed by foot. For mariculture out on open waters ships are used to get to the farms. For mariculture further off from the shore farmers might make use of cranes to pick up lines and gather crops, this however still involves direct human labor, and sometimes physical labor to pull in lines. For aquaculture — 'indoor' mariculture, in a controlled pond or other body of water — there exist technologies like smart sensors and smart filtration systems. These technologies however are not applicable to offshore mariculture, as it is a rather different environment from the controlled ponds for which these technologies are manufactured.<br />
<br />
Our solution to mariculture goes beyond the state of the art, and we envision it has benefits for user, society and enterprise compared to current technologies.<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
* Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
* Pond-farms can make use of otherwise infertile and underutilized land.<br />
* Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
* Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
* Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
* Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
* The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
* Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
* Seaweed farms are mostly submerged, except for some buoys, so they are not visually distracting.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
<br />
* Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
* Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
* Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
* Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
* Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
* Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
* Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
* Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
* Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
===Types of farms===<br />
<br />
====Anchored====<br />
<br />
Anchored farms are static to a certain extent, seeing as they only slightly deviate from their positions due to ocean waves and currents. These anchored farms can provide protection to coastal areas were they to be anchored close to the shore. This wave-breaking property is due to the seaweed absorbing part of the energy carried by ocean waves. If the farms were to be anchored furthered away from the shore one needs to take into account the depth of the seafloor. Moreover, anchoring could potentially disturb life on the seafloor. Anchored farms are universally employed in the maricultural industry.<br />
<br />
====Drifting====<br />
<br />
Drifting farms would constitute a more advanced technology. Free-drifting farms are a liability and potentially a hazard of not attended to. Despite the dangers drifting farms could still be used, and might have benefits over anchored farms. Drifting farms can move with the ocean currents, or make use of wind power to passively drift. However, a freely drifting farm would not have any benefit over an anchored one. The main focus of a drifting farm would be to make it drift smartly — that means that it should be aware of its environment and have actuators to be able to actively move. A smartly drifting farm would be able to autonomously traverse the ocean in order to find optimal spots, for instance a nutrient-rich patch of the ocean, or a location with optimal sunlight.<br />
<br />
The drifting farm is a design challenge that we will not take on in our design, however future farms might make use of migratory techniques.<br />
<br />
===Tasks to be carried out on farms===<br />
<br />
'''Primary tasks'''<br />
* Harvesting — this is the main focus of a farm, to bring in the crop<br />
* Seeding — after harvesting new plants need to be placed<br />
* Cleaning — plants need to be cleaned ever once in a while in order to remove barnacles and pathogens<br />
'''Secondary tasks'''<br />
* Checking the quality of the plants — regularly checking the quality of the plants will let you predict the quality and quantity of the total harvest<br />
* Removing corrupt plants — bad plants need to be removed, especially the sick plants before other plants get infected<br />
<br />
==Stakeholders==<br />
<br />
===User===<br />
<br />
'''Seaweed farmers'''<br />
<br />
Seaweed farmers are the primary users of this technology. Their main interest is related to livelihood. The farmers will use this technology to make a living, and produce seaweed to sell. The technology allows them to produce more seaweed than ever before due to its efficiency. Moreover there will be health benefits for the farmers, as the strenuous physical labor will be performed by machines. Due to the scalability of this technology farmers will be able to grow their farms, and with economies of scale keep increasing their profits. Not every seaweed farmer is the same, however, and farmers with a lot of capital available will be able to invest in the farms and outcompete their competitors with less capital. This inequality divides the group of seaweed farmers in two, and this might give rise to a conflict of interest. However, farmers with less capital available will still be able to sell their seaweed as being more <i>humane</i>, which might encourage certain groups of customers.<br />
For the seaweed farmers in general we foresee a net positive.<br />
<br />
<br />
'''Food industry'''<br />
<br />
Due to an increased production of seaweed there will be an increase of available seaweed protein and nutrients from seaweed. As outlined in the section on nutrition seaweed contains a lot of nutritional substances. Having more of these substances available from a sustainable source like seaweed farming will allow the food industry to source from a more diverse pool of nutrients. We especially foresee seaweed-based nutrients be cheap due to the economies of scale. The seaweed can be sold directly, or it can be processed. Seaweed can also be used as animal feed. <br />
<br />
<br />
'''Consumers'''<br />
<br />
Consumers will benefit from this technology for several reasons. Firstly the cost reduction will aid consumers as they will have more left to spend. Protein from animals requires more resources, and hence is more expensive than plant-based protein.<ref name="Sustainability of meat-based and plant-based diets and the environment">[http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/78/3/660S.full Sustainability of meat-based and plant-based diets and the environment]</ref> Secondly plant-based protein has health benefits compared to animal protein.<ref name="Carcinogenicity of consumption of red and processed meat">[http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS1470-2045%2815%2900444-1/fulltext Carcinogenicity of consumption of red and processed meat]</ref> This health benefit does not just depend on having consumers shifting their diet, but seaweed can act as a protein source in processed foods. Finally there is the introduction of seaweed protein and nutrients in general, as outlined in the section on nutrition seaweed contains a lot of nutritional substances. Having more of these substances available from a sustainable source like seaweed farming will give consumers more choice and empower them in following a diet of their choice.<br />
<br />
<br />
'''Seafarers'''<br />
<br />
Seafarers will have to navigate around the seaweed farms, and recreational boating will not be possible next to seaweed farms. The positions of the seaweed farms should be chosen such that they do not interfere with commercial shipping routes. If the positioning of the farms isn't handled correctly seafarers might be negatively effected by this technology.<br />
<br />
<br />
'''Inhabitants of coastal regions'''<br />
<br />
This technology would introduce more seaweed farms. These farms can provide protection to coastal areas were they to be anchored close to the shore. The seaweed absorbing part of the energy carried by ocean waves gives it a wave-breaking property. This would mean that inhabitants of coastal regions will be offered more protection than just using levees without these farms. So these inhabitants could indirectly profit from this technology.<br />
<br />
<br />
'''Scientists'''<br />
<br />
The farms will be equipped with an assortment of sensors. The sensors will be used to assess the quality of the water in order to make meaningful statements about the seaweed on the farm. The information gathered by the sensors can be used for more purposes than just those in the direct interest of the farm. The data gathered can be shared with scientists, or could be fully openly shared. These datasets can be valuable for science and oceanographic research.<br />
<br />
===Society===<br />
<br />
'''Environment'''<br />
<br />
As outlined in the section on environment above, this technology benefits the environment. Currently the production of food for animals that are raised for human consumption is very costly on the environment.<ref name="Sustainability of meat-based and plant-based diets and the environment">[http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/78/3/660S.full Sustainability of meat-based and plant-based diets and the environment]</ref> These environmental benefits have a positive impact on society in general. However, due to the robots on the farm wildlife might be disturbed,<ref name="Does Military Sonar Kill Marine Wildlife?">[http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/does-military-sonar-kill/ Does Military Sonar Kill Marine Wildlife]</ref> this introduces a trade-off, the farm has to forfeit some efficiency or speed in order to not harm the environment. If the technology is implemented without regard to the environment it could turn out to be a USE nightmare.<br />
<br />
<br />
'''Government'''<br />
<br />
Partly due to the environmental benefits, and the added economical value the government might be interested in this technology. The development and deployment of this technology could be supported by governmental agencies in the form of grants and subsidies. Supporting this technology could reinvigorate the dead zones as described in the applicable section on dead zones. Combating these dead zones could benefit the ecology and benefit the conventional fishing industry. The environmental benefits could also spur tourism owing to cleaner and safer oceans. This technology could (indirectly) positively impact a nation's (or region's) GDP, so governments will have interest in supporting this technology.<br />
<br />
===Enterprise===<br />
<br />
'''Seaweed farm owners'''<br />
<br />
Seaweed farm owners are one of the largest stakeholders as enterprise entities. This technology will enable seaweed farm owners to scale their business and improve profits. The automated nature of the technology allows for increased productivity and enhanced crop security, due to 24/7 availability of the robots and constant maintenance. There is a possibility of an 'inconsiderate' implementation of the seaweed farms, in this scenario a business would optimize for profit only and would not take other stakeholders into account, this mostly impacts the environment (as outlined in the Society section). While marine life would be disturbed, pollution wouldn't be much of a problem, because polluting the direct environment of the farm would negatively impact the quality of the seaweed.<br />
<br />
<br />
'''Food industry'''<br />
<br />
As outlined in the user subsection, the food industry will be able to source more diverse nutritional substances. This increase is supply will be a benefit for the food industry.<br />
<br />
<br />
'''Culinary industry'''<br />
<br />
The technology would lead to seaweed being more ubiquitously available. This, aside from being used for processed foods, might lead to a shift in dietary preferences. Even if the dietary shift does not take place, access to cheaper seaweed might be an incentive for the culinary industry to innovate. There are many dishes that include seaweed, and there are many left to be discovered. This is not so much a direct benefit, nor is it a contrapositive. This poses a possible challenge for gastronomical innovation.<br />
<br />
<br />
'''Subsidized environmental efforts'''<br />
<br />
With the evident environmental benefits of the technology in mind there might be subsidies available for those who implement it. This might be an incentive that could kick-start the automated seaweed industry. These subsidies could give enterprises an edge compared to conventional agriculture or otherwise low-tech aquaculture.<br />
<!--<br />
<br />
===Ethical analysis===<br />
<br />
'''Utilitarian analysis'''<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
! <br />
! style="text-align: center;" | Using the technology<br />
! style="text-align: center;" | Using the technology<br />
irresponsibly<br />
! style="text-align: center;" | Not using the technology<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: right;" | Environment and wildlife<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | + +<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | – –<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | ○<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: right;" | Farm owners<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | +<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | + +<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | ○<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: right;" | Manual labor jobs (non-technical)<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | –<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | –<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | +<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: right;" | Maintenance jobs (technical)<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | +<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | +<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | –<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: right;" | Commercial shipping & casual boating<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | ○<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | –<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | ○<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: right;" | Oceanography<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | +<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | ○<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | ○<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: right;" | Food industry<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | +<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | +<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | ○<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: right;" | Consumers<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | +<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | +<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | ○<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: right;" | Inhabitants of coastal areas<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | +<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | ○<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | –<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: right; font-weight: bold;" | Total:<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | 7+<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | 1+<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | 1–<br />
|}<br />
The aspects are rated from very positive (+ +) to very negative (– –).<br />
<br />
<br />
From the table we can see that using the technology has the most utility. This is because of its benefits described in the stakeholders section. Using the technology irresponsible — without regard for the environment or other stakeholders — has a bit of positive utility, but this mostly stems from the benefit the farm owner has. Not using the technology has some negative utility, this sis surprising since we would expect the utility to be neutral. The negative utility comes from the inhabitants of coastal regions being unprotected and thus being more susceptible to danger.<br />
<br />
--><br />
<br />
==Maritime robotics==<br />
<br />
In this section we will give an overview of maritime robots and their relevant technologies.<br />
<br />
===Types of robots===<br />
<br />
Maritime robots can be classified into several categories:<br />
*Buoy: this robot floats at one spot on the surface. It is mainly used for acquiring data by using sensors attach to the buoy. It can function as an energy generator by using solar panels, also, it can be used as a relay station for communications by attaching a satellite dish. <br />
*Traveler: this robot can actively move across the water's surface by using some way of propulsion. It can be similar to the sensor buoy in its functions.<br />
*Underwater Airplane: similar to an airplane, only instead of like flying through the air it moves through water according to the same principles of fluid dynamics. Can be tricky to maneuver because it cannot stop as quickly as other types of robots. This is one of the fastest underwater robots.<br />
*Diving Box: this robot can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient. Moves up and down based on the principles of buoyancy.<br />
*Etcetera: robots that don't belong to the other categories.<br />
<br />
===Locomotion===<br />
<br />
[[File:Drifterandjet.jpg|thumb|A passive ocean drifter and a high-speed jet-propelled vessel.]]<br />
<br />
There are several ways for maritime robots to traverse the oceans:<br />
<br />
*Jet propulsion — water is taken in and propelled out at high speed, using a directed nozzle makes this very maneuverable.<br />
*Ocean current — passively drifting along the ocean current.<br />
*Propeller — a classic ship's screw to propel forwards and backwards.<br />
*Undulation — moving the body like a fish does.<br />
*Wind — using the power of the wind to sail.<br />
<br />
Some types of propulsion are passive, such as using the ocean currents and moving by wind power; this is very energy efficient, however. For more speed one would use jet propulsion or propellers.<br />
<br />
===Sensing===<br />
<br />
[[File:bathymetry.jpg |thumb|Sonar can be used for bathymetry, measuring the depth of the ocean floor.]]<br />
<br />
There are many types of sensors and things to sense.<br />
<br />
*Acoustic Doppler current profiler — measures the speed and direction of ocean currents using the principle of “Doppler shift”.<br />
*Camera — for visual data, has a limited range.<br />
*Conductivity — together with temperature and depth information, a good estimate of the salinity may be determined.<br />
*GPS — find the position, only works above the surface of the water.<br />
*Hydrophone — listen for sounds in the water.<br />
*Oxygen — determine the oxygen levels of the water.<br />
*Pressure — determine the depth the robot is at.<br />
*Semipermeable membrane density — a passive sampling device used to monitor trace levels of organic contaminants. When placed in an aquatic environment, SPMDs accumulate hydrophobic organic compounds, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and organochlorine pesticides from the surrounding waters.<br />
*Sonar — is used to find and identify objects in water. It is also used to determine water depth (bathymetry. May disturb marine life.<br />
*Temperature — determine the temperature of the water.<br />
*pH — determine the acidity of the water.<br />
<br />
Some of these things are very important for positioning, such as GPS for above-water devices, and sonar for longer range object detection. Other types of sensors could be implemented to gather data on the quality of the water — for instance the pH levels of the water could tell whether the seaweed is growing in a favorable environment. The other sensors can also be used for gathering general long-term data for use in science.<br />
<br />
===Communication===<br />
<br />
To allow an offshore farm to communicate with a land-based control station (or transmit data between the users/administrators and the farm) there are numerous conventional methods to employ. For instance satellite communication can be used to transmit and receive data. So for our sea-based machines to communicate they would need to have a part that is not submerged, or they would be required to surface to transmit data. We want to employ machines that can communicate while submerged, therefore we need to find a way to transmit data underwater.<br />
<br />
There are two ways to transmit signals under water, using wired technology or wireless technology. A wired solution would require an <i>umbilical cord</i> or tether between two communicating nodes or hosts. This wired solution is quite reliable, and obvious if the device that needs to send or receive data needs to be tethered for other reasons such as the supply of power or for anchoring purposes. However, this wired solution has its drawbacks if a device does not need to be tethered — a tether could hinder its freedom of movement — or if the distance to communicate over is quite large. For our project, we want to make use of wireless communication.<br />
<br />
Radio waves travel poorly through water, also, the propagation of radio waves gets worse at higher frequencies. So wireless communication using the radio waves — the conventional method above water— is not feasible for our farm. Further down the EM spectrum we will find visible light that could be used for sending optical signals. Optical wireless underwater communication is being researched.<ref name="Building an Underwater Wireless Sensor Network based on Optical Communication: Research Challenges and Current Results.">[http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?arnumber=5210866 Davide Anguita, Davide Brizzolara, Giancarlo Parodi. Building an Underwater Wireless Sensor Network based on Optical Communication: Research Challenges and Current Results.]</ref> But optical waves are affected by scattering. Moreover, transmission of optical signals requires high precision in pointing the narrow laser beams. <br />
<br />
Conventionally underwater communications are realized by using acoustic waves. Acoustic wave technology has been in development since the end of World War II. Underwater networking, using a modern network protocol layer stack has also been researched.<ref name="Underwater acoustic sensor networks: research challenges">[http://www.ece.rutgers.edu/~pompili/paper/Akyildiz_AdHoc05.pdf Ian F. Akyildiz, Dario Pompili, Tommaso Melodia. Underwater acoustic sensor networks: research challenges]</ref> One aspect to keep in mind when using acoustic communications is that it could disturb marine life,<ref name="How do you determine if a sound affects a marine animal">[http://www.dosits.org/animals/effectsofsound/howdoyoudetermineifasoundaffectsamarineanimal/ How do you determine if a sound affects a marine animal]</ref> this is a drawback which should be taken into account when deploying an ocean farm.<br />
<br />
===Energy===<br />
<br />
The ocean offers several alternative options for energy generation.<ref name="Ocean Energy Europe">[http://www.oceanenergy-europe.eu/index.php/association/technologies Ocean Energy Europe]</ref> When a robot can use it's own energy on the sea, it is more autonomous.<br />
Options for Alternative ocean energy:<br />
*Tidal energy: generates energy from the currents caused by the tides. The flow makes a rotor or foil spin and the mechanical moition is then converted to electricity. Tidal energy is in development and taking steps to commercial viability.<br />
*Wave energy: generates electricity from the height difference in waves. Wave energy is well developped and applicable in many different settings.<br />
*Salinity gradient: fresh water and salt water mix at the mouts of rivers, where energy can be harnessed from the osmosis process. This technology is in an early development stage with small pilots taking place in Norway and the Netherlands. It is one of the largest renewable energy resources that has not yet been exploited.<br />
*Tidal Range: Uses the difference in sea level with the tides to generate electricity. Fills a barrier at high tide and discharges the water from one side to the other at low tide. It is essentially the same technology as with conventional hydropower.<br />
*Ocean thermal energy conversion:is a very consistent energy source and provides so called base-load power. The temperature differences between deep cold waters and shallow warm and tropical waters is exploited to run a heat engine.<br />
<br />
==Proposed design==<br />
<br />
===Description===<br />
<br />
[[File:Growout_syst-extra.gif|thumb|Standard Japanese Laminaria farm.]]<br />
*'''System Design''' The farm will be made up from a classic, vertical underwater seaweed farm, and a modern system at the surface for automation. At the surface, there are rails stretched between buoys over which a harvesting robot can move. In the middle of the farm, drifts a home base. This is where the monitoring sensors are located, and the data is communicated to the mainland. At the home base, the robot can recharge. At the sides of the surface system, there are harvest collection nets placed. With one for each individual farmer<br />
*'''Modular''' The entire farm will be modular. All modules will be square and have a surface area that the harvesting robot can cover in 3 hours, after that it will have to return to the base station, to recharge and to dispense of the harvested seaweed. This way it can move efficiently around the farm. The robot can walk a fast path and will have to cross the same paths as little as possible, which limits obstructions when something breaks. When one module need repairing, it can easily be removed and repaired without creating disadvantage for the other modules. Another benefit is that the farmers can try the HASP farm and start out small with one module, and then later expand. The modular construction makes our system flexible and adaptable<br />
*'''Location''' Our own Dutch North Sea might just be to place to be. With an average temperature of 12 degrees,<ref name="Gemiddelde Watertemperatuur Noordzee">[http://gemiddeldgezien.nl/gemiddelde-watertemperatuur-noordzeeGemiddelde Watertemperatuur Noordzee]</ref> a former deadzone that is struggling with pollution from the many estuaries, and with a country that has always struggled with living beneath a rising sealevel, the seaweed farm has a lot to offer. When we also consider the busy shipping routes in the North Sea, Zeeland would be the most suitable area.<br />
*'''Farmed type of seaweed''' The HASP will farm the Laminaria seaweed species. There is a high demand for this particlar species, which can not be fulfilled with the current techniques. Laminaria also has a low impact on the environment and grows well in our location's water temperatures. Therfore, laminaria is the most suitable seaweed to cultivate in our design.<br />
<br />
===Automation===<br />
<br />
====Seeding====<br />
<br />
Like at normal seafarming, the young seedlings will first be grown at land in a greenhouse in the summer, when the water is hot. Mid-November, when they have grown 10-15 cm, they need to be planted at the seafarm. The seedlings are attached to the vertical lines to grow out, with the upper plants receving more sunlight than the lower ones. Can one of our robots attcach the seeds to the ropes?<br />
<br />
====Control and hygiene====<br />
<br />
There are several diseases that could affect the seaweed, caused by bacteria or by the enviroment. These diseases can be recognized visually and envirmental factors can be measured. Sensors would be needed for: illumination (too much or too little light causes rot), fresh/salt water level and pollution. All diseases require different treatments. We could automate these treatments but the costs would not make up for the benefits. Therefore the system will alarm the farmer when the enviroment of the seaweed is turning hostile. This will be measured by light and osmotic sensors. When the recorded levels turn critical, the farmer is contacted so that he or she can check up on the seaweed.<br />
<br />
Harm done by water grazers like fish can be minimized by placing the farm in deep waters, away from the coastal fish and the creatures on the seafloor.<br />
<br />
====Harvesting====<br />
<br />
Harvesting can be started in April. The plant grows faster in winter and slower in summer, with a rate of 1.1 cm per day in May. Making up for 2.5 meters a year. The plant can regenerate when it's been trimmed, but will grow slower. The normal age with this practice does not exceed 4 years.<br />
When the robot cuts off the seaweed it has to despense it. Returning to the homebase would be too time consuming so the harvested seaweed will be collected in a small container at the surface where the robot is located. Another option is a net that stays behind the robot, underwater.<br />
<br />
====Drying====<br />
<br />
It seems very inefficient to dry the seaweed in the open sea, it takes a lot of space and when one wave flushes over it, all the drying will have been for nothing. For that reason, seaweed must be taken to the mainland to dry. After it has been harvested, it must be stored for a short period, before it is transported. The robot will collect the harvested crops in a net, at the edges of the farm. Here the seaweed is stored underwater, to prevent it from rotting. The farmer can then easily collect his harvest by simply emptying the net in his boat.<br />
<br />
====Transport====<br />
<br />
When the seaweed is harvested from the lines, it is collected at the base station, when the farmer comes to collect it, the harvest is transported from the center of the system to the edge, so that the farmer can easily reach the seaweed.<br />
<br />
====Communication to mainland====<br />
<br />
Sensor readings about the enviroment are daily communicated to the farmer and perhaps the agencies that make use of the data. In case of critical levels of salinity, light or pollution, a warning is send out to the farmer so that he or she can check the seaweed on diseases.<br />
<br />
====Mapping tasks to robots====<br />
<br />
====Energy====<br />
<br />
[[File:buoy.png|thumb|The PowerBuoy by OPT]]<br />
<br />
With the climate crisis that humanity is facing, it would be highly unwise to use fossil fuels, as to not contribute to global warming. Therefore, our farm will be powered on renewable energy sources. If system is capable of generating its own energy, it will be a lot more autonomous and low on maintenance. The most used renewable energy sources are wind and solar. However, the ocean offers many alternatives. Wave energy would be the most suitable for our design, because it does not require temperature differences, large surface areas, or specific locations. There are many different technologies for harnessing energy from the waves, ours must remain at one spot and be small. The powerbuoy developped by "Ocean power technologies" meets these requirements. The smallest version, the PB3, has a power capacity of 8400 Wh/Day at 80% availability. It has been proven to survive extreme weather conditions, such as hurricanes, and could dissipate the large surplus of energy it produced at waves of up to 15 meters. <ref name = "Businesswire: Ocean Power Technologies PowerBuoy Successfully Withstands Hurricane Irene (2011)">[http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20110831006979/en/Ocean-Power-Technologies-PowerBuoy-Successfully-Withstands-Hurricane]</ref><br />
<br />
<br />
'''Energy Requirements'''<br />
*The robot's motors use 27 kW/h, but only move seperately, the robot can run for 3 hours after fully charging.<br />
*Data collection and Communication:<br />
<br />
====Scalability====<br />
<br />
The farm will be expandable, consisting of square modules of ?*? meters for efficient charging and functioning of the robot. The seaweed will grow 2 meters beneath the surface to avoid over exposure to light. Vertical lines will be 5 meters long and 2 meters apart. To keep them straight, a weight of 400 grams will be attached to the ends of the lines. Young Laminaria seedings will be planted at 5 centimeters apart, making up for 100 plants per line.<ref name="Number of plants on a Chinese farm line">[http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/AB724E/AB724E02.htm Number of plants on a Chinese farm line]</ref><br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
<br />
The robots behaviour underwater would generate sound. Although the underwater world might seem silent to humans, fish experience sound intensly. The effects of human generated sounds on fish might therefore be harmful. Research results vary from little to no effect, to immediate death. Because the variety of sounds and fish is so large, we will try to minimize the sound level but not take extra measures to protect the fish from our robot's noises.<br />
<br />
===Big Data and IoT===<br />
<br />
The farm comes equipped with a lot of sensors to monitor its own condition and its environment. Using all of this data one can analyze it in real time, and after collecting more data extrapolate long-term trends. With all the robotic agents on the farm, combined with the data collected, the farm can be administrated remotely. The farm can be made smart to send out maintenance calls on its own accord. The big data opportunity empowers farmers to have a more clear oversight on their crops. Compared to conventional agriculture data collection is much easier on our farm — instead of taking soil samples a couple of sensors could constantly survey the water.<br />
<br />
====Science====<br />
<br />
The data collected by the farm and its robots can be shared with scientists and governments. More farms mean more sensors and thus a larger sensor size. This data would for example be very useful to The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) on which engineers and scientist can find all the data available about the european waters. The European Commission has started Marine Knowledge 2020 with the aim to bring to bring all of the marine data from different sources together. This initiative exemplifies the need for marine data.<br />
<br />
==Robot prototype==<br />
<br />
===Design process===<br />
<br />
The design for the prototype consists of three components, one for the movement, one for grabbing and cutting and one for the Arduino and battery. The robot moves along a cable, for our prototype we will use a bicycle chain. The robot has three gearing wheels for a stable movement along the cable. The gearing wheel in the middle is driven by an engine. The component with the Arduino and the battery is hanging below the movement-component, just like a chairlift. This component should be heavy enough to sink, this is necessary to keep the bicycle chain on tension. This is the only component that should be waterproof, because it contains the Arduino and the battery. Below this component is the cut-and-grab-component, and is joined to the mothership with rope or a telescoping arm. This rope or telescoping arm is needed for a vertical movement, the robot should be able to cut at different depths. The claw should be able to grab seaweed that might have flowed away a bit, so the claw should be able to move horizontal. This happens by a telescoping arm. The scissors should be placed above the claw, otherwise the robot would cut seaweed that is not hold by the claw.<br />
<br />
===Technical description===<br />
<br />
The telescoping arm move upwards and downwards by pulling the rope downward or upwards, respectively. The rope is winded on a spool which could be rotated by an engine. The figure below shows the telescoping arm at the right hand side and the frame of the robot at the left side. <br />
[[File:HASP_robot_sliding.png|center|thumb|260px|Sliding mechanism of the robot.]]<br />
The estimated maximum weight at the end of the pipe is 1kg that equals a force of 10N. The force at the left side is then 23N, computed with F<sub>1</sub>∙r<sub>1</sub>=F<sub>2</sub>∙r<sub>2</sub>. The Normal force in the middle, which should cancel the other two forces, is 33N. The friction force if given by F<sub>friction</sub>=μ<sub>s</sub>∙F<sub>n</sub>. The friction coefficient (μ<sub>s</sub>) and has a value of 0.3 for plastic on plastic. This results in a friction force of 7.0N and 10N for the left top side and bottom side of the pipe, respectively. This is showed in figure x.<br />
Thus the maximum friction force between the plastic pipes is 17 N. The figure below shows a schematic representation. <br />
<br />
<br />
[[File:HASP_robot_forces01.png|center|thumb|500px|Forces acting on the robot arm.]]<br />
The friction force that acts on the rope at the edge of the pipe depends on the applied forces on the rope. This applied force depends on the Fpull from figure 1 and the friction force. So the friction forces depends partly on itself, shown in figure 2. Euler’s method can be used to solve this problem. The friction coefficient in 0.4. Start with computing the friction if there is no friction, after that use that friction to compute the next friction. Keep going until the limit is reached. This gives 0.4∙34=13.6 →0.4∙(34+13.6)=19.6 →0.4∙(34+19.6)=21.44 →0.4∙(34+21.44)=22.18, this keeps going until F<sub>friction</sub>=22.67. <br />
So the total force is F<sub>tot</sub>=17+22.76≈40N. The engine has a torque of 4800 gram/cm, this is equal to 48 N/cm. So the maximum radius of the spool is r=1.2 cm. <br />
The figure below shows a schematic representation. <br />
<br />
[[File:HASP_robot_forces02.png|center|thumb|500px|Forces acting on the robot arm.]]<br />
<br />
===Demonstration===<br />
<br />
==Business and law==<br />
<br />
In 2014, the total annual value of produced seaweed was $6.4 billion. Worldwide, 93.8% of the global total production of aquatic plants came from aquaculture. Countries in East and Southeast Asia dominate seaweed culture production.<ref name="A guide to the seaweed industry">[http://www.fao.org/3/a-y4765e.pdf A guide to the seaweed industry]</ref> About 25 million tonnes of seaweeds and other algae are harvested annually for use as food, in cosmetics and fertilizers, and are processed to extract thickening agents or used as an additive to animal feed.<ref name="The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2014">[http://www.fao.org/3/a-i3720e.pdf The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2014]</ref> For the demand of food-grade seaweed to grow, there needs to be a dietary trend towards protein-rich vegetables, which seems to be the case. Growing the demand for seaweed requires a shift in the consumer's perception of seaweed as a food. Seaweed can be processed to be used as a source of nutrients for certain processed foods. There is increasing demand for seaweed as an agricultural supply, to use as animal food. It is also possible to use seaweed as a source for certain chemicals, for example for use in cosmetics.<br />
<br />
===Business case===<br />
<br />
Increasing demand for seaweed over the last fifty years outstripped the ability to supply requirements from natural (wild) stocks.<ref name="A guide to the seaweed industry">[http://www.fao.org/3/a-y4765e.pdf A guide to the seaweed industry]</ref> This increasing demand presents a fine opportunity for any entrepreneurs to enter the seaweed business. Currently most of the production is centered in Asia, with Europe representing only 0.01 percent of the total market. With Europe being such a small player on a global scale, and with demand outstripping supply, high-tech scalable automated seaweed farms could disrupt the global market and make Europe more competitive. This has domestic benefits, due to not having to import seaweed anymore. China, a huge market for seaweed, has been importing seaweed because it can't supply enough seaweed itself. <br />
<br />
===Business model===<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm will not be cheap, due to its advanced technologies and special location. In order to make the investment worth it for the farmer, the farm will have to produce a lot of seaweed, and therefore cover a large area. <br />
<br />
The seaweed market in the Netherlands is still relatively niche. The current producers are small. Therefore we do not expect them, or other future producers, to do a large investment in our farm, we need to find a way to offer our product on a small scale, that is still profitable. A lot of costs and resources would be saved if the seaweedfarm would be installed collectively, instead of scattered along the coastal areas. The energy generated by the energy buoy could be shared, the robot could be shared and the incoming environmental data too. In general, less material and surface area would be required, which would be beneficial for the environment and cause less nuisance to ships. If the farmer would have to learn as little as possible about the new system to use it, and just be concerned with the classic seaweedfarm that he is already using, we expect him to be more tempted to try the HASP. <br />
<br />
When we take all this into consideration, we have to take a look at the new business models that the upcoming circular economy – aimed at building an economy that does not produce waste - offers us. In our business model, our product is not just a product, and our customers are not just customers. The seaweed farm will be offered as a service, of which the farmers will be the users. We will lease acces to our system, and adjust it to make it as reusable, and regenerative as possible. <br />
The tasks left for the user would be: picking, growing and planting the seedlings, checking on the crops when the system sends out an alarm, and picking up the harvest. The user could start out with one module and expand in the years to come, or adjust their production to their personal situations. Meanwhile, the tasks of us, the producers, would be the installation and the maintenance of the system. <br />
<br />
We believe that by creating the opportunity to use HASP with low investments, flexibility, options for expansion and not requiring any new knowledge, we lower the threshold, and make our system as attractive and approachable as possible to the small seaweed producers that are active today in the Netherlands. <br />
The additional costs of using the system as a service, would be balanced out by the investment that would not have to be made, and the costs of maintenance and the education needed for that.<br />
<br />
====Cost vs. profit====<br />
''Coming up: cost/profit analyis based on an Irish project''<br />
Costs:<br />
*A seedling curtain, with 40.000 - 50.000 seedlings costs about 0.5-0.6 US Dollars.<ref name="FAO Laminaria">[http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Laminaria_japonica/en FAO Laminaria]</ref><br />
*Continuous rope seaweed system, an Irish seaweed farm, similar but more superficial than our system. For a 100 ton production, a surface area op 900 square meters, and 450 meter line, including buoys and anchors, the system costs 84,128 EUR. <ref name="The Economics of Seaweed Aquaculture in Ireland Laminaria digitata and Palmaria palmata (2012)"> [https://www.was.org/documents/MeetingPresentations/AQUA2012/AQUA2012_0540.pdf] </ref><br />
Profit:<br />
* 1 KG of Chinese dry Laminaria Japonica is sold at the Chinese market price of 0.5 Chinese Yen, or 0.07 Euros.<ref name="FAO Artificial Enhancement of Natural Laminaria Stocks">[http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab724e/AB724E10.htm FAO Artificial Enhancement of Natural Laminaria Stocks]</ref> However, Irish sources estimate the value of 1 KG laminaria on 1-2 euros. Because the Dutch market resembles the Irish market more, we will use the Irish estimation in our business model. <ref name="The Economics of Seaweed Aquaculture in Ireland Laminaria digitata and Palmaria palmata (2012)"> [https://www.was.org/documents/MeetingPresentations/AQUA2012/AQUA2012_0540.pdf] </ref><br />
<br />
*After how many years will the farm be profitable?<br />
<br />
===Laws===<br />
<br />
[[File:EEZ_worldmap.jpg|thumb|Exclusive Economic Zones of sovereign states.]]<br />
<br />
An exclusive economic zone is a sea zone prescribed by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea over which a state has special rights regarding the use of natural resources.<ref name="Exclusive Economic Zone">[https://www.un.org/depts/los/convention_agreements/texts/unclos/part5.htm Exclusive Economic Zone]</ref> So states could allow their citizens to maintain sea farms in these areas, and could set their own rules for the use of these waters.<br />
<br />
<br />
For international waters the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea also states that states have right for their nationals to engage in fishing. There are also obligations to adhere to the obligations of any treaties, take measures necessary for the conservation of living resources, this obligation to protect marine life also explicitly extends to the conservation and management of marine mammals in the high seas. The sea farms don't necessarily use up living resources, but could impact them. The sea farms also take up nutrients form the surrounding waters and release oxygen into the water. If a sea farm would be improperly implemented, for instance its sounds would harm marine mammals, then it would be a reason to block the use of the farms. However, for the proper use of these farms in international waters there would be a need to regulate the locations of the farms as to not block other seafarers.<br />
For the use of the sea farms in international waters the main points are: adhere to international treaties, don't harm marine life and don't obstruct marine traffic.<br />
<br />
==Looking ahead==<br />
<br />
===Room for improvement===<br />
<br />
The robot in our design will operate from 2 to 7 meters below the surface. Our current prototype would not be fit to stand the such pressures (0.7845 bar for eight meters, to be sure.) In a commercial design, the robot have to be constructed more robust.<br />
<br />
In the current design, the modules all have their own buoys and anchors. It would be far more efficient if the buoys and anchors could be placed strategically, so that the modules can share them whilst keeping the advantages of modularity.<br />
<br />
Many more activities of the user could be automated, like seeding and disease prevention. Especially seeding would be the first task to automate, if we had more time to work on the project. Seeding is a labour intesive task and can be problematic when the farmer has to directly access the growing lines, on a boat in the area where the navigation lines for the robot are drifting.<br />
<br />
===Future farms===<br />
<br />
The farm we have outlined only concerns the cultivation of seaweed. However, farms can be augmented by employing bivalves in order to filter the water of pollutants.<ref name="Biosorption and bioaccumulation of heavy metals by rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata in the Persian Gulf">[http://www.intelaquares.com/doc/7b.pdf Biosorption and bioaccumulation of heavy metals by rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata in the Persian Gulf]</ref><br />
<br />
Future farms should strive for maximum autonomy. Tasks that are carried out by people in the current prototype should be automated, for instance the planting of seedlings is to be replaced by on-site incubation of seedlings, and using a robot for putting them on a line.<br />
<br />
===Recommendations===<br />
<br />
===Horizon 2020===<br />
<br />
'''Applicable areas:'''<br />
<br />
*Agriculture & forestry<br />
*Aquatic resources<br />
*Bio-based industries<br />
*Environment & climate action<br />
*Food & healthy diet<br />
*Innovation<br />
*SME (small-medium enterprise)<br />
<br />
'''Relevant research calls:'''<br />
<br />
*High value-added specialized vessel concepts enabling more efficient servicing of emerging coastal and offshore activities.<ref name="Horizon 2020 (1)">[https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/5119-bg-02-2016-2017.html Horizon 2020 (1)]</ref> € 7 million<br />
*New sources of proteins for animal feed from co-products to address the EU protein gap.<ref name="Horizon 2020 (2)">[https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/17081-bbi-2016-d08.html Horizon 2020 (2)]</ref> € 15 million<br />
*Promoting and supporting the eco-intensification of aquaculture production systems: inland (including fresh water), coastal zone, and offshore.<ref name="Horizon 2020 (3)">[https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/6050-sfs-32-2017.html Horizon 2020 (3)]</ref> € 6 million<br />
<br />
'''Also'''<br />
Marine Knowledge 2020 with The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet), aims to collect a lot more data from the seas and oceans than we do at the moment.<ref name="EMODnet">[http://www.emodnet.eu EMODnet]</ref><br />
<br />
==Discussion==<br />
'''Ethical analysis'''<br />
*User:<br />
<br />
*Society<br />
<br />
*Enterprise<br />
<br />
==Conclusion==<br />
<br />
==Sources and references==<br />
<br />
===Sources===<br />
<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Climate council (2016) [https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/seaweed-climate-change How seaweed can help us tackle climate change ]<br />
*Doty, M.S. & Caddy, J.F. & Santelices, B. (1987), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Flannery, Tim (2015), [http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/nov/20/climate-crisis-future-brighter-tim-flannery Climate crisis: seaweed, coffee and cement could save the planet]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Juanich, Godardo L. (1988), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/ac416e00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE(1. EUCHEUMA SPP.)]<br />
*Kitadai, Yuuki & Kadowaki, Shusaki (2007), [https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf Growth, nitrogen and phosphorous uptake rates and O2 production rate of seaweeds cultured on coastal fish farms]<br />
*Kleis, Roelof (2010), [http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification]<br />
*Lacey, Stephen & Mellino, Cole (2011), [http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
* NOAA Ocean Explorer Webmaster (2013), [http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/technology/tools/tools.html NOAA Observing Systems and Sensors]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Popper, Arthur N. & Hastings, Mardi C. (2009), [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1749-4877.2008.00134.x/epdf The effects of human-generated sound on fish]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image]. <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
===References===<br />
<br />
{{reflist}}</div>S146529https://cstwiki.wtb.tue.nl/index.php?title=PRE2015_4_Groep5&diff=28058PRE2015 4 Groep52016-06-09T13:49:07Z<p>S146529: /* Technical description */</p>
<hr />
<div>__FORCETOC__<br />
<br />
[[File:HASP_logo_v0.1.png|600px|right]]<br />
<br />
== Group members ==<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
==Introduction==<br />
<br />
===Abstract===<br />
<br />
===Problem statement===<br />
<br />
The world needs to produce at least 50% more food to feed 9 billion people by 2050. But climate change could cut crop yields by more than 25%.<ref name="Food security">[http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/foodsecurity Food security]</ref> With this in mind we need to look for novel solutions to the problem of insufficient food production. This solution will need to take the interests of users, society, and enterprise into account. Moreover, this solution needs to surpass the state of the art by employing cutting-edge technology.<br />
<br />
===Motivation===<br />
<br />
Nutrition is vital to sustaining life, and food security is important for political stability and human welfare. We want to address the problem of food availability due to its relevance: continuing population and consumption growth will mean that the global demand for food will increase for at least another 40 years.<ref name="Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People">[http://science.sciencemag.org/content/327/5967/812 Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People]</ref><br />
<br />
Agriculture is an integral part of the European economy and society. It provides the basis for food, feed and non-food products to meet the demands of consumers and a wide range of industries.<ref name="Horizon 2020: Agriculture & Forestry">[https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/en/area/agriculture-forestry Agriculture & Forestry]</ref> By designing a solution to the agricultural challenge we will need to take into account the needs of users: like consumers of food, society: the ecological impacts of our solution, and enterprise: the solution needs to be competitive in order to gain an economical advantage.<br />
<br />
The agricultural industry is ever advancing, not only is the biological aspect of farming being researched, there are also improvements in automation,<ref name="Agricultural Robotics and Automation">[http://www.ieee-ras.org/agricultural-robotics Agricultural Robotics and Automation]</ref> and we want to explore the automation of this industry. We want to develop a solution that allows for automation of food production beyond the state of the art, moreover the solution needs to be scalable.<br />
<br />
==Mariculture==<br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
Mariculture is a specialized branch of aquaculture involving the cultivation of marine organisms for food and other products in the open ocean, an enclosed section of the ocean, or in tanks, ponds or raceways which are filled with seawater. An example of the latter is the farming of marine fish, including finfish and shellfish like prawns, or oysters and seaweed in saltwater ponds.<ref name="Mariculture">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariculture Mariculture]</ref><br />
<br />
In this section we will explore mariculture, and explain why we chose it as a solution to the problem previously stated. Mariculture encompasses a wide range of organisms, from the cultivation of water-based plants to the breeding of aquatic animals. For this project we will focus on the cultivation of aquatic plants, and in particular types of seaweed.<br />
<br />
===Commonly cultivated seaweed species===<br />
<br />
*The total seaweed production features a lot of brown kelps. These weeds grow in cold water zones, they are long and have a leathery structure. They must be harvested before the water temperature rises to 21 degrees, otherwise the kelps will rot. Kombu (Laminaria Japonica) is used a lot in Japanese recipies for soups, as dried snacks, or in salads. Kombu is a dietary fiber and contains high levels of iodine. In China, 50% of the Laminaria production is meant for industrial purposes for its iodine, algin and mannitol. Due to this, laminaria are considered as one of the best renewable resources and it makes up for a major part of the maricultural sector. Japan has made effort to increase the production but due to its labour intensitive nature, the market is not expected to expand notably.<ref name="FAO Laminaria">[http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Laminaria_japonica/en FAO Laminaria]</ref> Wakame (Undaria) is the type of kelp you will find in your misosoup. With a subtle sweet flavour and satin-like texture it is most suitable for human consumption. The weed is a rich source of omega-3 and helps burn fatty tissue. However, it is also in the top 100 of worst invasive species in cold waters, which is partly caused by aquaculture.<ref name="Seaweed Site">[http://www.seaweed.ie/ Seaweed Site]</ref><br />
<br />
*Gelidium amansii and Pterocladia are valuable red algae that can be found at shallow coasts. They can be used in salads and to make agar, a jelly-like substance that can be used for microbiological research and various industrial purposes.<ref name="Gelidium Amansii">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelidium_amansii Gelidium Amansii]</ref> They have been cultured in Korea since the last century, but always on a small scale. There have been various attempts to farm the algae at sea, but the slow growth rate and required non-contaminated waters made it unattractive for commercial cultivation.<ref name="Nineteenth International Seaweed Symposium">[https://books.google.nl/books?id=19mM4xtgfOMC&pg=PA2&lpg=PA2&dq=Pterocladia+farm&source=bl&ots=MtH0LvASHr&sig=RXZNWMEOLnv1yS-WP2fWqv6SDpo&hl=nl&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwieqMmLnsrMAhXlAsAKHVoKDzwQ6AEIRTAF#v=onepage&q=Pterocladia%20farm&f=false Nineteenth International Seaweed Symposium]</ref><br />
<br />
*Nori or Zicai (Porphyra) are most famous for composing the sushi wraps. The red algae grow in cold and shallow waters in the intertidal zone. After growing in the sea for 50 days, the weeds can be harvested every 10-15 days. The Nori market is stable, the demand is not expected to grow or shrink in the coming years. In Japan, the annual production is valued at 1 billion US dollars.<ref name="FAO Porphyra">[http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Porphyra_spp/en#tcNA0112 FAO Porphyra]</ref><br />
<br />
===Environment===<br />
<br />
====Dead zones====<br />
<br />
[[File:Deadzones.jpg|thumb|250px|Dead zones in oceans around the world.]]<br />
<br />
Ocean dead zones are areas with low oxygen levels and hardly any marine life. These areas are caused by agriculture fertilizers that increase the level of nitrogen and phosphorus, also known as eutriphication. The result is a rapid increase in phytoplankton, because they are 'build' from phosphorus and nitrogen. These algal blooms cause deadzones. The number of deadzones is increasing.<br />
As a result, the fertility of the marine life drops dramatically, and in more extreme cases, fish fall unconcious and then suffocate. Slow moving creatures on the seafloor are unable to escape.<br />
Seaweed is capable of uptaking both nitrogen and phosphorus and replacing it with oxygen. In a study of the increase/decrease of nitrogen and phosphorus levels, where laminaria were cultivated, in is shown that in 24 hours, the levels of nitrogen decreased with up to 263 mg/m3 (at a water temperatur of 1.5 Celsius). In all cases, the levels of nitrogen ans phosporus decreases, albeit more effectively at lower temperatures. <ref name="Culture of Kelp(Laminaria japonica)in China (1989)"> [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab724e/AB724E11.htm] </ref> For this reason seaweed is also cultivated around fishfarms. Seaweed would be a cheap although perhaps slow solution in the reviving of dead zones.<ref name="Growth, nitrogen and phosphorous uptake rates and O2 production rate of seaweeds cultured on coastal fish farms"<ref>[https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf Growth, nitrogen and phosphorous uptake rates and O2 production rate of seaweeds cultured on coastal fish farms]</ref><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
====Climate====<br />
<br />
Seaweed can assimilate a lot of CO<sub>2</sub> about 30 to 60 times the rate of land plants. But this will not solve the CO<sub>2</sub>-problem, because the CO<sub>2</sub> will be released when the seaweed will be consumed. Seaweed only contributes indirectly to a better milieu. Because of the seaweed farms less forests will disappear for farmlands. This forest contributes to a net CO<sub>2</sub> storage. Seaweed can also be used for the production of biomethane and electricity. So the unsustainable fuels can be replaced, this results in less CO<sub>2</sub> pollution.<br />
<br />
====Locations====<br />
<br />
To determine the best location for a sea-farm we have to take into account several aspects. The temperature of the seawater should be the right temperature for seaweed. For example the best temperature for growing Eucheuma is 20-25 °Celsius, but there are also species that can grow in water of 10 °Celsius. So seaweed can grow in almost every ocean. The depth of the sea does not matter for the seaweed of farm, because we will only use species that grow from the surface downwards. But for the farm itself the depth does matter. Anchoring the farm is easier in a shallow area in the ocean. Commonly these areas are near the coast, an advantage of sea-farms which are near the costs is that the transport from farm to the secondary users is cheaper. Also building and maintaining the farm is easier if it is closer to the mainland. The dead zones are also located near the seashore, so the dead zones are an extra motivation of locating the sea-farms there. A disadvantage are the shipping routes that are located in these areas. Thankfully, these routes are taken by most commercial ships. This leaves open spots near the coast where there are no passing ships and where the seaweedfarms could be located. Important shipping routes at the Dutch coast.<ref name="Noordzee Scheepvaartroutes">[https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NoordzeeScheepvaartroutes.png Noordzee Scheepvaartroutes]</ref> With the sea levels rising due to climate change, and the seafarm's habit breaking waves, it would be beneficial to locate the farm nearby a shore that is threatened by rising sea levels.<br />
<br />
===Nutrition===<br />
<br />
From a nutritional standpoint, the main properties of seaweeds that distinguish them from higher plants are their high mineral and dietary fibre contents. The high iron and magnesium contents are of particular nutritional interest due to their metabolic or functional properties. In comparison with other sources of fibres, seaweeds contain a high proportion of soluble fibres, which exhibit original fermentation patterns in the large intestine. Red seaweeds have a high protein content, comparable to that of high-protein vegetables. Available data suggest that they have a unique amino acid pattern, complementary to that of most terrestrial vegetables.<ref name="Seaweed in food products: biochemical and nutritional aspects">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/092422449390091N Serge Mabeau, Joël Fleurence: Seaweed in food products: biochemical and nutritional aspects (1993)]</ref> Edible brown and red seaweeds could be used as a food supplement to help meet the recommended daily adult intakes of some macrominerals and trace elements.<ref name="P. Rupérez: Mineral content of edible marine seaweeds (2002)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814602001711 P. Rupérez: Mineral content of edible marine seaweeds (2002)]</ref><br />
<br />
There might be some hesitance in the use of seaweed for human nutrition, but the seaweeds which are used as biological filters and food material for farmed animals could easily be included in the human food value chain by this route.<ref name="What are the prospects for using seaweed in human nutrition and for marine animals raised through aquaculture?">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224412000544 Joël Fleurence, Michele Morançais, Justine Dumay, Priscilla Decottignies, Vincent Turpin, Mathilde Munier, Nuria Garcia-Bueno and Pascal Jaouen: What are the prospects for using seaweed in human nutrition and for marine animals raised through aquaculture? (2012)]</ref><ref name="Joël Fleurence: Seaweed proteins: biochemical, nutritional aspects and potential use (1999)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224499000151 Joël Fleurence: Seaweed proteins: biochemical, nutritional aspects and potential use (1999)]</ref><br />
<br />
As seaweed accumulates important substances from the surrounding water, it does not only accumulate the desired minerals and trace metals but it also accumulates undesirable metals and heavy metals from the surrounding environment.<ref name="Bioactive compounds in seaweed: functional food applications and legislation">[http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10811-010-9632-5 Holdt, Susan Løvstad, and Stefan Kraan. "Bioactive compounds in seaweed: functional food applications and legislation." Journal of Applied Phycology 23.3 (2011): 543-597.]</ref> This can be exploited, and seaweed can be used as a biofilter, but if the goal is nutrition it is important to not let seaweed grow in polluted water. <br />
<br />
Seaweeds are known for their richness in polysaccharides, minerals and certain vitamins,<ref name="Vegetables from the sea">[http://agris.fao.org/agris-search/search.do?recordID=XF2015021737 Arasaki, Seibun, and Teruko Arasaki. "Vegetables from the sea." Japan Publ. Inc., Tokyo 96 (1983): 251-223.]</ref> but they also contain bioactive substances like polysaccharides, proteins, lipids and polyphenols, with antibacterial, antiviral and anti-fungal properties, as well as many others.<ref name="Antioxidant potential of solvent extracts of Kappaphycus alvarezii (Doty) Doty – An edible seaweed">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814607008102 Kumar, K. Suresh, K. Ganesan, and PV Subba Rao. "Antioxidant potential of solvent extracts of Kappaphycus alvarezii (Doty) Doty–An edible seaweed." Food chemistry 107.1 (2008): 289-295.]</ref> This gives seaweed great potential as a supplement in functional food or for the extraction of compounds. Proteins, peptides and amino acids from seaweed have shown positive bioactive effects in the treatment of diabetes and cancer, and the prevention of vascular diseases. The amino acid profile of some seaweed species is similar to that of animal foods. Extracts of valuable amino acids for feed supplement could be of potential because essential amino acids cannot be replaced by other compounds.<ref name="Bioactive compounds in seaweed: functional food applications and legislation">[http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10811-010-9632-5 Holdt, Susan Løvstad, and Stefan Kraan. "Bioactive compounds in seaweed: functional food applications and legislation." Journal of Applied Phycology 23.3 (2011): 543-597.]</ref><br />
<br />
===State of the art===<br />
<br />
Currently, mariculture is not a high-tech affair. Most of mariculture involves manual labor, and in part mariculture is practiced in a non-industrial setting, however we want to focus on industrial mariculture. In shallow-water mariculture the lines to where the seaweed is attached are handled manually, and the shallow waters are traversed by foot. For mariculture out on open waters ships are used to get to the farms. For mariculture further off from the shore farmers might make use of cranes to pick up lines and gather crops, this however still involves direct human labor, and sometimes physical labor to pull in lines. For aquaculture — 'indoor' mariculture, in a controlled pond or other body of water — there exist technologies like smart sensors and smart filtration systems. These technologies however are not applicable to offshore mariculture, as it is a rather different environment from the controlled ponds for which these technologies are manufactured.<br />
<br />
Our solution to mariculture goes beyond the state of the art, and we envision it has benefits for user, society and enterprise compared to current technologies.<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
* Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
* Pond-farms can make use of otherwise infertile and underutilized land.<br />
* Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
* Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
* Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
* Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
* The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
* Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
* Seaweed farms are mostly submerged, except for some buoys, so they are not visually distracting.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
<br />
* Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
* Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
* Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
* Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
* Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
* Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
* Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
* Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
* Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
===Types of farms===<br />
<br />
====Anchored====<br />
<br />
Anchored farms are static to a certain extent, seeing as they only slightly deviate from their positions due to ocean waves and currents. These anchored farms can provide protection to coastal areas were they to be anchored close to the shore. This wave-breaking property is due to the seaweed absorbing part of the energy carried by ocean waves. If the farms were to be anchored furthered away from the shore one needs to take into account the depth of the seafloor. Moreover, anchoring could potentially disturb life on the seafloor. Anchored farms are universally employed in the maricultural industry.<br />
<br />
====Drifting====<br />
<br />
Drifting farms would constitute a more advanced technology. Free-drifting farms are a liability and potentially a hazard of not attended to. Despite the dangers drifting farms could still be used, and might have benefits over anchored farms. Drifting farms can move with the ocean currents, or make use of wind power to passively drift. However, a freely drifting farm would not have any benefit over an anchored one. The main focus of a drifting farm would be to make it drift smartly — that means that it should be aware of its environment and have actuators to be able to actively move. A smartly drifting farm would be able to autonomously traverse the ocean in order to find optimal spots, for instance a nutrient-rich patch of the ocean, or a location with optimal sunlight.<br />
<br />
The drifting farm is a design challenge that we will not take on in our design, however future farms might make use of migratory techniques.<br />
<br />
===Tasks to be carried out on farms===<br />
<br />
'''Primary tasks'''<br />
* Harvesting — this is the main focus of a farm, to bring in the crop<br />
* Seeding — after harvesting new plants need to be placed<br />
* Cleaning — plants need to be cleaned ever once in a while in order to remove barnacles and pathogens<br />
'''Secondary tasks'''<br />
* Checking the quality of the plants — regularly checking the quality of the plants will let you predict the quality and quantity of the total harvest<br />
* Removing corrupt plants — bad plants need to be removed, especially the sick plants before other plants get infected<br />
<br />
==Stakeholders==<br />
<br />
===User===<br />
<br />
'''Seaweed farmers'''<br />
<br />
Seaweed farmers are the primary users of this technology. Their main interest is related to livelihood. The farmers will use this technology to make a living, and produce seaweed to sell. The technology allows them to produce more seaweed than ever before due to its efficiency. Moreover there will be health benefits for the farmers, as the strenuous physical labor will be performed by machines. Due to the scalability of this technology farmers will be able to grow their farms, and with economies of scale keep increasing their profits. Not every seaweed farmer is the same, however, and farmers with a lot of capital available will be able to invest in the farms and outcompete their competitors with less capital. This inequality divides the group of seaweed farmers in two, and this might give rise to a conflict of interest. However, farmers with less capital available will still be able to sell their seaweed as being more <i>humane</i>, which might encourage certain groups of customers.<br />
For the seaweed farmers in general we foresee a net positive.<br />
<br />
<br />
'''Food industry'''<br />
<br />
Due to an increased production of seaweed there will be an increase of available seaweed protein and nutrients from seaweed. As outlined in the section on nutrition seaweed contains a lot of nutritional substances. Having more of these substances available from a sustainable source like seaweed farming will allow the food industry to source from a more diverse pool of nutrients. We especially foresee seaweed-based nutrients be cheap due to the economies of scale. The seaweed can be sold directly, or it can be processed. Seaweed can also be used as animal feed. <br />
<br />
<br />
'''Consumers'''<br />
<br />
Consumers will benefit from this technology for several reasons. Firstly the cost reduction will aid consumers as they will have more left to spend. Protein from animals requires more resources, and hence is more expensive than plant-based protein.<ref name="Sustainability of meat-based and plant-based diets and the environment">[http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/78/3/660S.full Sustainability of meat-based and plant-based diets and the environment]</ref> Secondly plant-based protein has health benefits compared to animal protein.<ref name="Carcinogenicity of consumption of red and processed meat">[http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS1470-2045%2815%2900444-1/fulltext Carcinogenicity of consumption of red and processed meat]</ref> This health benefit does not just depend on having consumers shifting their diet, but seaweed can act as a protein source in processed foods. Finally there is the introduction of seaweed protein and nutrients in general, as outlined in the section on nutrition seaweed contains a lot of nutritional substances. Having more of these substances available from a sustainable source like seaweed farming will give consumers more choice and empower them in following a diet of their choice.<br />
<br />
<br />
'''Seafarers'''<br />
<br />
Seafarers will have to navigate around the seaweed farms, and recreational boating will not be possible next to seaweed farms. The positions of the seaweed farms should be chosen such that they do not interfere with commercial shipping routes. If the positioning of the farms isn't handled correctly seafarers might be negatively effected by this technology.<br />
<br />
<br />
'''Inhabitants of coastal regions'''<br />
<br />
This technology would introduce more seaweed farms. These farms can provide protection to coastal areas were they to be anchored close to the shore. The seaweed absorbing part of the energy carried by ocean waves gives it a wave-breaking property. This would mean that inhabitants of coastal regions will be offered more protection than just using levees without these farms. So these inhabitants could indirectly profit from this technology.<br />
<br />
<br />
'''Scientists'''<br />
<br />
The farms will be equipped with an assortment of sensors. The sensors will be used to assess the quality of the water in order to make meaningful statements about the seaweed on the farm. The information gathered by the sensors can be used for more purposes than just those in the direct interest of the farm. The data gathered can be shared with scientists, or could be fully openly shared. These datasets can be valuable for science and oceanographic research.<br />
<br />
===Society===<br />
<br />
'''Environment'''<br />
<br />
As outlined in the section on environment above, this technology benefits the environment. Currently the production of food for animals that are raised for human consumption is very costly on the environment.<ref name="Sustainability of meat-based and plant-based diets and the environment">[http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/78/3/660S.full Sustainability of meat-based and plant-based diets and the environment]</ref> These environmental benefits have a positive impact on society in general. However, due to the robots on the farm wildlife might be disturbed,<ref name="Does Military Sonar Kill Marine Wildlife?">[http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/does-military-sonar-kill/ Does Military Sonar Kill Marine Wildlife]</ref> this introduces a trade-off, the farm has to forfeit some efficiency or speed in order to not harm the environment. If the technology is implemented without regard to the environment it could turn out to be a USE nightmare.<br />
<br />
<br />
'''Government'''<br />
<br />
Partly due to the environmental benefits, and the added economical value the government might be interested in this technology. The development and deployment of this technology could be supported by governmental agencies in the form of grants and subsidies. Supporting this technology could reinvigorate the dead zones as described in the applicable section on dead zones. Combating these dead zones could benefit the ecology and benefit the conventional fishing industry. The environmental benefits could also spur tourism owing to cleaner and safer oceans. This technology could (indirectly) positively impact a nation's (or region's) GDP, so governments will have interest in supporting this technology.<br />
<br />
===Enterprise===<br />
<br />
'''Seaweed farm owners'''<br />
<br />
Seaweed farm owners are one of the largest stakeholders as enterprise entities. This technology will enable seaweed farm owners to scale their business and improve profits. The automated nature of the technology allows for increased productivity and enhanced crop security, due to 24/7 availability of the robots and constant maintenance. There is a possibility of an 'inconsiderate' implementation of the seaweed farms, in this scenario a business would optimize for profit only and would not take other stakeholders into account, this mostly impacts the environment (as outlined in the Society section). While marine life would be disturbed, pollution wouldn't be much of a problem, because polluting the direct environment of the farm would negatively impact the quality of the seaweed.<br />
<br />
<br />
'''Food industry'''<br />
<br />
As outlined in the user subsection, the food industry will be able to source more diverse nutritional substances. This increase is supply will be a benefit for the food industry.<br />
<br />
<br />
'''Culinary industry'''<br />
<br />
The technology would lead to seaweed being more ubiquitously available. This, aside from being used for processed foods, might lead to a shift in dietary preferences. Even if the dietary shift does not take place, access to cheaper seaweed might be an incentive for the culinary industry to innovate. There are many dishes that include seaweed, and there are many left to be discovered. This is not so much a direct benefit, nor is it a contrapositive. This poses a possible challenge for gastronomical innovation.<br />
<br />
<br />
'''Subsidized environmental efforts'''<br />
<br />
With the evident environmental benefits of the technology in mind there might be subsidies available for those who implement it. This might be an incentive that could kick-start the automated seaweed industry. These subsidies could give enterprises an edge compared to conventional agriculture or otherwise low-tech aquaculture.<br />
<!--<br />
<br />
===Ethical analysis===<br />
<br />
'''Utilitarian analysis'''<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
! <br />
! style="text-align: center;" | Using the technology<br />
! style="text-align: center;" | Using the technology<br />
irresponsibly<br />
! style="text-align: center;" | Not using the technology<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: right;" | Environment and wildlife<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | + +<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | – –<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | ○<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: right;" | Farm owners<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | +<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | + +<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | ○<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: right;" | Manual labor jobs (non-technical)<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | –<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | –<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | +<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: right;" | Maintenance jobs (technical)<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | +<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | +<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | –<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: right;" | Commercial shipping & casual boating<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | ○<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | –<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | ○<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: right;" | Oceanography<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | +<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | ○<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | ○<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: right;" | Food industry<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | +<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | +<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | ○<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: right;" | Consumers<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | +<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | +<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | ○<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: right;" | Inhabitants of coastal areas<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | +<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | ○<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | –<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: right; font-weight: bold;" | Total:<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | 7+<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | 1+<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | 1–<br />
|}<br />
The aspects are rated from very positive (+ +) to very negative (– –).<br />
<br />
<br />
From the table we can see that using the technology has the most utility. This is because of its benefits described in the stakeholders section. Using the technology irresponsible — without regard for the environment or other stakeholders — has a bit of positive utility, but this mostly stems from the benefit the farm owner has. Not using the technology has some negative utility, this sis surprising since we would expect the utility to be neutral. The negative utility comes from the inhabitants of coastal regions being unprotected and thus being more susceptible to danger.<br />
<br />
--><br />
<br />
==Maritime robotics==<br />
<br />
In this section we will give an overview of maritime robots and their relevant technologies.<br />
<br />
===Types of robots===<br />
<br />
Maritime robots can be classified into several categories:<br />
*Buoy: this robot floats at one spot on the surface. It is mainly used for acquiring data by using sensors attach to the buoy. It can function as an energy generator by using solar panels, also, it can be used as a relay station for communications by attaching a satellite dish. <br />
*Traveler: this robot can actively move across the water's surface by using some way of propulsion. It can be similar to the sensor buoy in its functions.<br />
*Underwater Airplane: similar to an airplane, only instead of like flying through the air it moves through water according to the same principles of fluid dynamics. Can be tricky to maneuver because it cannot stop as quickly as other types of robots. This is one of the fastest underwater robots.<br />
*Diving Box: this robot can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient. Moves up and down based on the principles of buoyancy.<br />
*Etcetera: robots that don't belong to the other categories.<br />
<br />
===Locomotion===<br />
<br />
[[File:Drifterandjet.jpg|thumb|A passive ocean drifter and a high-speed jet-propelled vessel.]]<br />
<br />
There are several ways for maritime robots to traverse the oceans:<br />
<br />
*Jet propulsion — water is taken in and propelled out at high speed, using a directed nozzle makes this very maneuverable.<br />
*Ocean current — passively drifting along the ocean current.<br />
*Propeller — a classic ship's screw to propel forwards and backwards.<br />
*Undulation — moving the body like a fish does.<br />
*Wind — using the power of the wind to sail.<br />
<br />
Some types of propulsion are passive, such as using the ocean currents and moving by wind power; this is very energy efficient, however. For more speed one would use jet propulsion or propellers.<br />
<br />
===Sensing===<br />
<br />
[[File:bathymetry.jpg |thumb|Sonar can be used for bathymetry, measuring the depth of the ocean floor.]]<br />
<br />
There are many types of sensors and things to sense.<br />
<br />
*Acoustic Doppler current profiler — measures the speed and direction of ocean currents using the principle of “Doppler shift”.<br />
*Camera — for visual data, has a limited range.<br />
*Conductivity — together with temperature and depth information, a good estimate of the salinity may be determined.<br />
*GPS — find the position, only works above the surface of the water.<br />
*Hydrophone — listen for sounds in the water.<br />
*Oxygen — determine the oxygen levels of the water.<br />
*Pressure — determine the depth the robot is at.<br />
*Semipermeable membrane density — a passive sampling device used to monitor trace levels of organic contaminants. When placed in an aquatic environment, SPMDs accumulate hydrophobic organic compounds, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and organochlorine pesticides from the surrounding waters.<br />
*Sonar — is used to find and identify objects in water. It is also used to determine water depth (bathymetry. May disturb marine life.<br />
*Temperature — determine the temperature of the water.<br />
*pH — determine the acidity of the water.<br />
<br />
Some of these things are very important for positioning, such as GPS for above-water devices, and sonar for longer range object detection. Other types of sensors could be implemented to gather data on the quality of the water — for instance the pH levels of the water could tell whether the seaweed is growing in a favorable environment. The other sensors can also be used for gathering general long-term data for use in science.<br />
<br />
===Communication===<br />
<br />
To allow an offshore farm to communicate with a land-based control station (or transmit data between the users/administrators and the farm) there are numerous conventional methods to employ. For instance satellite communication can be used to transmit and receive data. So for our sea-based machines to communicate they would need to have a part that is not submerged, or they would be required to surface to transmit data. We want to employ machines that can communicate while submerged, therefore we need to find a way to transmit data underwater.<br />
<br />
There are two ways to transmit signals under water, using wired technology or wireless technology. A wired solution would require an <i>umbilical cord</i> or tether between two communicating nodes or hosts. This wired solution is quite reliable, and obvious if the device that needs to send or receive data needs to be tethered for other reasons such as the supply of power or for anchoring purposes. However, this wired solution has its drawbacks if a device does not need to be tethered — a tether could hinder its freedom of movement — or if the distance to communicate over is quite large. For our project, we want to make use of wireless communication.<br />
<br />
Radio waves travel poorly through water, also, the propagation of radio waves gets worse at higher frequencies. So wireless communication using the radio waves — the conventional method above water— is not feasible for our farm. Further down the EM spectrum we will find visible light that could be used for sending optical signals. Optical wireless underwater communication is being researched.<ref name="Building an Underwater Wireless Sensor Network based on Optical Communication: Research Challenges and Current Results.">[http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?arnumber=5210866 Davide Anguita, Davide Brizzolara, Giancarlo Parodi. Building an Underwater Wireless Sensor Network based on Optical Communication: Research Challenges and Current Results.]</ref> But optical waves are affected by scattering. Moreover, transmission of optical signals requires high precision in pointing the narrow laser beams. <br />
<br />
Conventionally underwater communications are realized by using acoustic waves. Acoustic wave technology has been in development since the end of World War II. Underwater networking, using a modern network protocol layer stack has also been researched.<ref name="Underwater acoustic sensor networks: research challenges">[http://www.ece.rutgers.edu/~pompili/paper/Akyildiz_AdHoc05.pdf Ian F. Akyildiz, Dario Pompili, Tommaso Melodia. Underwater acoustic sensor networks: research challenges]</ref> One aspect to keep in mind when using acoustic communications is that it could disturb marine life,<ref name="How do you determine if a sound affects a marine animal">[http://www.dosits.org/animals/effectsofsound/howdoyoudetermineifasoundaffectsamarineanimal/ How do you determine if a sound affects a marine animal]</ref> this is a drawback which should be taken into account when deploying an ocean farm.<br />
<br />
===Energy===<br />
<br />
The ocean offers several alternative options for energy generation.<ref name="Ocean Energy Europe">[http://www.oceanenergy-europe.eu/index.php/association/technologies Ocean Energy Europe]</ref> When a robot can use it's own energy on the sea, it is more autonomous.<br />
Options for Alternative ocean energy:<br />
*Tidal energy: generates energy from the currents caused by the tides. The flow makes a rotor or foil spin and the mechanical moition is then converted to electricity. Tidal energy is in development and taking steps to commercial viability.<br />
*Wave energy: generates electricity from the height difference in waves. Wave energy is well developped and applicable in many different settings.<br />
*Salinity gradient: fresh water and salt water mix at the mouts of rivers, where energy can be harnessed from the osmosis process. This technology is in an early development stage with small pilots taking place in Norway and the Netherlands. It is one of the largest renewable energy resources that has not yet been exploited.<br />
*Tidal Range: Uses the difference in sea level with the tides to generate electricity. Fills a barrier at high tide and discharges the water from one side to the other at low tide. It is essentially the same technology as with conventional hydropower.<br />
*Ocean thermal energy conversion:is a very consistent energy source and provides so called base-load power. The temperature differences between deep cold waters and shallow warm and tropical waters is exploited to run a heat engine.<br />
<br />
==Proposed design==<br />
<br />
===Description===<br />
<br />
[[File:Growout_syst-extra.gif|thumb|Standard Japanese Laminaria farm.]]<br />
*'''System Design''' The farm will be made up from a classic, vertical underwater seaweed farm, and a modern system at the surface for automation. At the surface, there are rails stretched between buoys over which a harvesting robot can move. In the middle of the farm, drifts a home base. This is where the monitoring sensors are located, and the data is communicated to the mainland. At the home base, the robot can recharge. At the sides of the surface system, there are harvest collection nets placed. With one for each individual farmer<br />
*'''Modular''' The entire farm will be modular. All modules will be square and have a surface area that the harvesting robot can cover in 3 hours, after that it will have to return to the base station, to recharge and to dispense of the harvested seaweed. This way it can move efficiently around the farm. The robot can walk a fast path and will have to cross the same paths as little as possible, which limits obstructions when something breaks. When one module need repairing, it can easily be removed and repaired without creating disadvantage for the other modules. Another benefit is that the farmers can try the HASP farm and start out small with one module, and then later expand. The modular construction makes our system flexible and adaptable<br />
*'''Location''' Our own Dutch North Sea might just be to place to be. With an average temperature of 12 degrees,<ref name="Gemiddelde Watertemperatuur Noordzee">[http://gemiddeldgezien.nl/gemiddelde-watertemperatuur-noordzeeGemiddelde Watertemperatuur Noordzee]</ref> a former deadzone that is struggling with pollution from the many estuaries, and with a country that has always struggled with living beneath a rising sealevel, the seaweed farm has a lot to offer. When we also consider the busy shipping routes in the North Sea, Zeeland would be the most suitable area.<br />
*'''Farmed type of seaweed''' The HASP will farm the Laminaria seaweed species. There is a high demand for this particlar species, which can not be fulfilled with the current techniques. Laminaria also has a low impact on the environment and grows well in our location's water temperatures. Therfore, laminaria is the most suitable seaweed to cultivate in our design.<br />
<br />
===Automation===<br />
<br />
====Seeding====<br />
<br />
Like at normal seafarming, the young seedlings will first be grown at land in a greenhouse in the summer, when the water is hot. Mid-November, when they have grown 10-15 cm, they need to be planted at the seafarm. The seedlings are attached to the vertical lines to grow out, with the upper plants receving more sunlight than the lower ones. Can one of our robots attcach the seeds to the ropes?<br />
<br />
====Control and hygiene====<br />
<br />
There are several diseases that could affect the seaweed, caused by bacteria or by the enviroment. These diseases can be recognized visually and envirmental factors can be measured. Sensors would be needed for: illumination (too much or too little light causes rot), fresh/salt water level and pollution. All diseases require different treatments. We could automate these treatments but the costs would not make up for the benefits. Therefore the system will alarm the farmer when the enviroment of the seaweed is turning hostile. This will be measured by light and osmotic sensors. When the recorded levels turn critical, the farmer is contacted so that he or she can check up on the seaweed.<br />
<br />
Harm done by water grazers like fish can be minimized by placing the farm in deep waters, away from the coastal fish and the creatures on the seafloor.<br />
<br />
====Harvesting====<br />
<br />
Harvesting can be started in April. The plant grows faster in winter and slower in summer, with a rate of 1.1 cm per day in May. Making up for 2.5 meters a year. The plant can regenerate when it's been trimmed, but will grow slower. The normal age with this practice does not exceed 4 years.<br />
When the robot cuts off the seaweed it has to despense it. Returning to the homebase would be too time consuming so the harvested seaweed will be collected in a small container at the surface where the robot is located. Another option is a net that stays behind the robot, underwater.<br />
<br />
====Drying====<br />
<br />
It seems very inefficient to dry the seaweed in the open sea, it takes a lot of space and when one wave flushes over it, all the drying will have been for nothing. For that reason, seaweed must be taken to the mainland to dry. After it has been harvested, it must be stored for a short period, before it is transported. The robot will collect the harvested crops in a net, at the edges of the farm. Here the seaweed is stored underwater, to prevent it from rotting. The farmer can then easily collect his harvest by simply emptying the net in his boat.<br />
<br />
====Transport====<br />
<br />
When the seaweed is harvested from the lines, it is collected at the base station, when the farmer comes to collect it, the harvest is transported from the center of the system to the edge, so that the farmer can easily reach the seaweed.<br />
<br />
====Communication to mainland====<br />
<br />
Sensor readings about the enviroment are daily communicated to the farmer and perhaps the agencies that make use of the data. In case of critical levels of salinity, light or pollution, a warning is send out to the farmer so that he or she can check the seaweed on diseases.<br />
<br />
====Mapping tasks to robots====<br />
<br />
====Energy====<br />
<br />
[[File:buoy.png|thumb|The PowerBuoy by OPT]]<br />
<br />
With the climate crisis that humanity is facing, it would be highly unwise to use fossil fuels, as to not contribute to global warming. Therefore, our farm will be powered on renewable energy sources. If system is capable of generating its own energy, it will be a lot more autonomous and low on maintenance. The most used renewable energy sources are wind and solar. However, the ocean offers many alternatives. Wave energy would be the most suitable for our design, because it does not require temperature differences, large surface areas, or specific locations. There are many different technologies for harnessing energy from the waves, ours must remain at one spot and be small. The powerbuoy developped by "Ocean power technologies" meets these requirements. The smallest version, the PB3, has a power capacity of 8400 Wh/Day at 80% availability. It has been proven to survive extreme weather conditions, such as hurricanes, and could dissipate the large surplus of energy it produced at waves of up to 15 meters. <ref name = "Businesswire: Ocean Power Technologies PowerBuoy Successfully Withstands Hurricane Irene (2011)">[http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20110831006979/en/Ocean-Power-Technologies-PowerBuoy-Successfully-Withstands-Hurricane]</ref><br />
<br />
<br />
'''Energy Requirements'''<br />
*The robot's motors use 27 kW/h, but only move seperately, the robot can run for 3 hours after fully charging.<br />
*Data collection and Communication:<br />
<br />
====Scalability====<br />
<br />
The farm will be expandable, consisting of square modules of ?*? meters for efficient charging and functioning of the robot. The seaweed will grow 2 meters beneath the surface to avoid over exposure to light. Vertical lines will be 5 meters long and 2 meters apart. To keep them straight, a weight of 400 grams will be attached to the ends of the lines. Young Laminaria seedings will be planted at 5 centimeters apart, making up for 100 plants per line.<ref name="Number of plants on a Chinese farm line">[http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/AB724E/AB724E02.htm Number of plants on a Chinese farm line]</ref><br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
<br />
The robots behaviour underwater would generate sound. Although the underwater world might seem silent to humans, fish experience sound intensly. The effects of human generated sounds on fish might therefore be harmful. Research results vary from little to no effect, to immediate death. Because the variety of sounds and fish is so large, we will try to minimize the sound level but not take extra measures to protect the fish from our robot's noises.<br />
<br />
===Big Data and IoT===<br />
<br />
The farm comes equipped with a lot of sensors to monitor its own condition and its environment. Using all of this data one can analyze it in real time, and after collecting more data extrapolate long-term trends. With all the robotic agents on the farm, combined with the data collected, the farm can be administrated remotely. The farm can be made smart to send out maintenance calls on its own accord. The big data opportunity empowers farmers to have a more clear oversight on their crops. Compared to conventional agriculture data collection is much easier on our farm — instead of taking soil samples a couple of sensors could constantly survey the water.<br />
<br />
====Science====<br />
<br />
The data collected by the farm and its robots can be shared with scientists and governments. More farms mean more sensors and thus a larger sensor size. This data would for example be very useful to The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) on which engineers and scientist can find all the data available about the european waters. The European Commission has started Marine Knowledge 2020 with the aim to bring to bring all of the marine data from different sources together. This initiative exemplifies the need for marine data.<br />
<br />
==Robot prototype==<br />
<br />
===Design process===<br />
<br />
The design for the prototype consists of three components, one for the movement, one for grabbing and cutting and one for the Arduino and battery. The robot moves along a cable, for our prototype we will use a bicycle chain. The robot has three gearing wheels for a stable movement along the cable. The gearing wheel in the middle is driven by an engine. The component with the Arduino and the battery is hanging below the movement-component, just like a chairlift. This component should be heavy enough to sink, this is necessary to keep the bicycle chain on tension. This is the only component that should be waterproof, because it contains the Arduino and the battery. Below this component is the cut-and-grab-component, and is joined to the mothership with rope or a telescoping arm. This rope or telescoping arm is needed for a vertical movement, the robot should be able to cut at different depths. The claw should be able to grab seaweed that might have flowed away a bit, so the claw should be able to move horizontal. This happens by a telescoping arm. The scissors should be placed above the claw, otherwise the robot would cut seaweed that is not hold by the claw.<br />
<br />
===Technical description===<br />
<br />
<br />
[[File:HASP_robot_sliding.png|center|thumb|260px|Sliding mechanism of the robot.]]<br />
The estimated maximum weight at the end of the pipe is 1kg that equals a force of 10N. The force at the left side is then 23N, computed with F<sub>1</sub>∙r<sub>1</sub>=F<sub>2</sub>∙r<sub>2</sub>. The Normal force in the middle, which should cancel the other two forces, is 33N. The friction force if given by F<sub>friction</sub>=μ<sub>s</sub>∙F<sub>n</sub>. The friction coefficient (μ¬s) and has a value of 0.3 for plastic on plastic. This results in a friction force of 7.0N and 10N for the left top side and bottom side of the pipe, respectively. This is showed in figure x.<br />
Thus the maximum friction force between the plastic pipes is 17 N. The figure below shows a schematic representation. <br />
<br />
<br />
[[File:HASP_robot_forces01.png|center|thumb|500px|Forces acting on the robot arm.]]<br />
The friction force that acts on the rope at the edge of the pipe depends on the applied forces on the rope. This applied force depends on the Fpull from figure 1 and the friction force. So the friction forces depends partly on itself, shown in figure 2. Euler’s method can be used to solve this problem. The friction coefficient in 0.4. Start with computing the friction if there is no friction, after that use that friction to compute the next friction. Keep going until the limit is reached. This gives 0.4∙34=13.6 →0.4∙(34+13.6)=19.6 →0.4∙(34+19.6)=21.44 →0.4∙(34+21.44)=22.18, this keeps going until F<sub>friction</sub>=22.67. <br />
So the total force is F<sub>tot</sub>=17+22.76≈40N. The engine has a torque of 4800 gram/cm, this is equal to 48 N/cm. So the maximum radius of the spool is r=1.2 cm. <br />
The figure below shows a schematic representation. <br />
<br />
[[File:HASP_robot_forces02.png|center|thumb|500px|Forces acting on the robot arm.]]<br />
<br />
===Demonstration===<br />
<br />
==Business and law==<br />
<br />
In 2014, the total annual value of produced seaweed was $6.4 billion. Worldwide, 93.8% of the global total production of aquatic plants came from aquaculture. Countries in East and Southeast Asia dominate seaweed culture production.<ref name="A guide to the seaweed industry">[http://www.fao.org/3/a-y4765e.pdf A guide to the seaweed industry]</ref> About 25 million tonnes of seaweeds and other algae are harvested annually for use as food, in cosmetics and fertilizers, and are processed to extract thickening agents or used as an additive to animal feed.<ref name="The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2014">[http://www.fao.org/3/a-i3720e.pdf The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2014]</ref> For the demand of food-grade seaweed to grow, there needs to be a dietary trend towards protein-rich vegetables, which seems to be the case. Growing the demand for seaweed requires a shift in the consumer's perception of seaweed as a food. Seaweed can be processed to be used as a source of nutrients for certain processed foods. There is increasing demand for seaweed as an agricultural supply, to use as animal food. It is also possible to use seaweed as a source for certain chemicals, for example for use in cosmetics.<br />
<br />
===Business case===<br />
<br />
Increasing demand for seaweed over the last fifty years outstripped the ability to supply requirements from natural (wild) stocks.<ref name="A guide to the seaweed industry">[http://www.fao.org/3/a-y4765e.pdf A guide to the seaweed industry]</ref> This increasing demand presents a fine opportunity for any entrepreneurs to enter the seaweed business. Currently most of the production is centered in Asia, with Europe representing only 0.01 percent of the total market. With Europe being such a small player on a global scale, and with demand outstripping supply, high-tech scalable automated seaweed farms could disrupt the global market and make Europe more competitive. This has domestic benefits, due to not having to import seaweed anymore. China, a huge market for seaweed, has been importing seaweed because it can't supply enough seaweed itself. <br />
<br />
===Business model===<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm will not be cheap, due to its advanced technologies and special location. In order to make the investment worth it for the farmer, the farm will have to produce a lot of seaweed, and therefore cover a large area. <br />
<br />
The seaweed market in the Netherlands is still relatively niche. The current producers are small. Therefore we do not expect them, or other future producers, to do a large investment in our farm, we need to find a way to offer our product on a small scale, that is still profitable. A lot of costs and resources would be saved if the seaweedfarm would be installed collectively, instead of scattered along the coastal areas. The energy generated by the energy buoy could be shared, the robot could be shared and the incoming environmental data too. In general, less material and surface area would be required, which would be beneficial for the environment and cause less nuisance to ships. If the farmer would have to learn as little as possible about the new system to use it, and just be concerned with the classic seaweedfarm that he is already using, we expect him to be more tempted to try the HASP. <br />
<br />
When we take all this into consideration, we have to take a look at the new business models that the upcoming circular economy – aimed at building an economy that does not produce waste - offers us. In our business model, our product is not just a product, and our customers are not just customers. The seaweed farm will be offered as a service, of which the farmers will be the users. We will lease acces to our system, and adjust it to make it as reusable, and regenerative as possible. <br />
The tasks left for the user would be: picking, growing and planting the seedlings, checking on the crops when the system sends out an alarm, and picking up the harvest. The user could start out with one module and expand in the years to come, or adjust their production to their personal situations. Meanwhile, the tasks of us, the producers, would be the installation and the maintenance of the system. <br />
<br />
We believe that by creating the opportunity to use HASP with low investments, flexibility, options for expansion and not requiring any new knowledge, we lower the threshold, and make our system as attractive and approachable as possible to the small seaweed producers that are active today in the Netherlands. <br />
The additional costs of using the system as a service, would be balanced out by the investment that would not have to be made, and the costs of maintenance and the education needed for that.<br />
<br />
====Cost vs. profit====<br />
''Coming up: cost/profit analyis based on an Irish project''<br />
Costs:<br />
*A seedling curtain, with 40.000 - 50.000 seedlings costs about 0.5-0.6 US Dollars.<ref name="FAO Laminaria">[http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Laminaria_japonica/en FAO Laminaria]</ref><br />
*Continuous rope seaweed system, an Irish seaweed farm, similar but more superficial than our system. For a 100 ton production, a surface area op 900 square meters, and 450 meter line, including buoys and anchors, the system costs 84,128 EUR. <ref name="The Economics of Seaweed Aquaculture in Ireland Laminaria digitata and Palmaria palmata (2012)"> [https://www.was.org/documents/MeetingPresentations/AQUA2012/AQUA2012_0540.pdf] </ref><br />
Profit:<br />
* 1 KG of Chinese dry Laminaria Japonica is sold at the Chinese market price of 0.5 Chinese Yen, or 0.07 Euros.<ref name="FAO Artificial Enhancement of Natural Laminaria Stocks">[http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab724e/AB724E10.htm FAO Artificial Enhancement of Natural Laminaria Stocks]</ref> However, Irish sources estimate the value of 1 KG laminaria on 1-2 euros. Because the Dutch market resembles the Irish market more, we will use the Irish estimation in our business model. <ref name="The Economics of Seaweed Aquaculture in Ireland Laminaria digitata and Palmaria palmata (2012)"> [https://www.was.org/documents/MeetingPresentations/AQUA2012/AQUA2012_0540.pdf] </ref><br />
<br />
*After how many years will the farm be profitable?<br />
<br />
===Laws===<br />
<br />
[[File:EEZ_worldmap.jpg|thumb|Exclusive Economic Zones of sovereign states.]]<br />
<br />
An exclusive economic zone is a sea zone prescribed by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea over which a state has special rights regarding the use of natural resources.<ref name="Exclusive Economic Zone">[https://www.un.org/depts/los/convention_agreements/texts/unclos/part5.htm Exclusive Economic Zone]</ref> So states could allow their citizens to maintain sea farms in these areas, and could set their own rules for the use of these waters.<br />
<br />
<br />
For international waters the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea also states that states have right for their nationals to engage in fishing. There are also obligations to adhere to the obligations of any treaties, take measures necessary for the conservation of living resources, this obligation to protect marine life also explicitly extends to the conservation and management of marine mammals in the high seas. The sea farms don't necessarily use up living resources, but could impact them. The sea farms also take up nutrients form the surrounding waters and release oxygen into the water. If a sea farm would be improperly implemented, for instance its sounds would harm marine mammals, then it would be a reason to block the use of the farms. However, for the proper use of these farms in international waters there would be a need to regulate the locations of the farms as to not block other seafarers.<br />
For the use of the sea farms in international waters the main points are: adhere to international treaties, don't harm marine life and don't obstruct marine traffic.<br />
<br />
==Looking ahead==<br />
<br />
===Room for improvement===<br />
<br />
The robot in our design will operate from 2 to 7 meters below the surface. Our current prototype would not be fit to stand the such pressures (0.7845 bar for eight meters, to be sure.) In a commercial design, the robot have to be constructed more robust.<br />
<br />
In the current design, the modules all have their own buoys and anchors. It would be far more efficient if the buoys and anchors could be placed strategically, so that the modules can share them whilst keeping the advantages of modularity.<br />
<br />
Many more activities of the user could be automated, like seeding and disease prevention. Especially seeding would be the first task to automate, if we had more time to work on the project. Seeding is a labour intesive task and can be problematic when the farmer has to directly access the growing lines, on a boat in the area where the navigation lines for the robot are drifting.<br />
<br />
===Future farms===<br />
<br />
The farm we have outlined only concerns the cultivation of seaweed. However, farms can be augmented by employing bivalves in order to filter the water of pollutants.<ref name="Biosorption and bioaccumulation of heavy metals by rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata in the Persian Gulf">[http://www.intelaquares.com/doc/7b.pdf Biosorption and bioaccumulation of heavy metals by rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata in the Persian Gulf]</ref><br />
<br />
Future farms should strive for maximum autonomy. Tasks that are carried out by people in the current prototype should be automated, for instance the planting of seedlings is to be replaced by on-site incubation of seedlings, and using a robot for putting them on a line.<br />
<br />
===Recommendations===<br />
<br />
===Horizon 2020===<br />
<br />
'''Applicable areas:'''<br />
<br />
*Agriculture & forestry<br />
*Aquatic resources<br />
*Bio-based industries<br />
*Environment & climate action<br />
*Food & healthy diet<br />
*Innovation<br />
*SME (small-medium enterprise)<br />
<br />
'''Relevant research calls:'''<br />
<br />
*High value-added specialized vessel concepts enabling more efficient servicing of emerging coastal and offshore activities.<ref name="Horizon 2020 (1)">[https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/5119-bg-02-2016-2017.html Horizon 2020 (1)]</ref> € 7 million<br />
*New sources of proteins for animal feed from co-products to address the EU protein gap.<ref name="Horizon 2020 (2)">[https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/17081-bbi-2016-d08.html Horizon 2020 (2)]</ref> € 15 million<br />
*Promoting and supporting the eco-intensification of aquaculture production systems: inland (including fresh water), coastal zone, and offshore.<ref name="Horizon 2020 (3)">[https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/6050-sfs-32-2017.html Horizon 2020 (3)]</ref> € 6 million<br />
<br />
'''Also'''<br />
Marine Knowledge 2020 with The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet), aims to collect a lot more data from the seas and oceans than we do at the moment.<ref name="EMODnet">[http://www.emodnet.eu EMODnet]</ref><br />
<br />
==Discussion==<br />
'''Ethical analysis'''<br />
*User:<br />
<br />
*Society<br />
<br />
*Enterprise<br />
<br />
==Conclusion==<br />
<br />
==Sources and references==<br />
<br />
===Sources===<br />
<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Climate council (2016) [https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/seaweed-climate-change How seaweed can help us tackle climate change ]<br />
*Doty, M.S. & Caddy, J.F. & Santelices, B. (1987), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Flannery, Tim (2015), [http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/nov/20/climate-crisis-future-brighter-tim-flannery Climate crisis: seaweed, coffee and cement could save the planet]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Juanich, Godardo L. (1988), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/ac416e00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE(1. EUCHEUMA SPP.)]<br />
*Kitadai, Yuuki & Kadowaki, Shusaki (2007), [https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf Growth, nitrogen and phosphorous uptake rates and O2 production rate of seaweeds cultured on coastal fish farms]<br />
*Kleis, Roelof (2010), [http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification]<br />
*Lacey, Stephen & Mellino, Cole (2011), [http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
* NOAA Ocean Explorer Webmaster (2013), [http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/technology/tools/tools.html NOAA Observing Systems and Sensors]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Popper, Arthur N. & Hastings, Mardi C. (2009), [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1749-4877.2008.00134.x/epdf The effects of human-generated sound on fish]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image]. <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
===References===<br />
<br />
{{reflist}}</div>S146529https://cstwiki.wtb.tue.nl/index.php?title=PRE2015_4_Groep5&diff=28051PRE2015 4 Groep52016-06-09T13:37:15Z<p>S146529: /* Technical description */</p>
<hr />
<div>__FORCETOC__<br />
<br />
[[File:HASP_logo_v0.1.png|600px|right]]<br />
<br />
== Group members ==<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
==Introduction==<br />
<br />
===Abstract===<br />
<br />
===Problem statement===<br />
<br />
The world needs to produce at least 50% more food to feed 9 billion people by 2050. But climate change could cut crop yields by more than 25%.<ref name="Food security">[http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/foodsecurity Food security]</ref> With this in mind we need to look for novel solutions to the problem of insufficient food production. This solution will need to take the interests of users, society, and enterprise into account. Moreover, this solution needs to surpass the state of the art by employing cutting-edge technology.<br />
<br />
===Motivation===<br />
<br />
Nutrition is vital to sustaining life, and food security is important for political stability and human welfare. We want to address the problem of food availability due to its relevance: continuing population and consumption growth will mean that the global demand for food will increase for at least another 40 years.<ref name="Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People">[http://science.sciencemag.org/content/327/5967/812 Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People]</ref><br />
<br />
Agriculture is an integral part of the European economy and society. It provides the basis for food, feed and non-food products to meet the demands of consumers and a wide range of industries.<ref name="Horizon 2020: Agriculture & Forestry">[https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/en/area/agriculture-forestry Agriculture & Forestry]</ref> By designing a solution to the agricultural challenge we will need to take into account the needs of users: like consumers of food, society: the ecological impacts of our solution, and enterprise: the solution needs to be competitive in order to gain an economical advantage.<br />
<br />
The agricultural industry is ever advancing, not only is the biological aspect of farming being researched, there are also improvements in automation,<ref name="Agricultural Robotics and Automation">[http://www.ieee-ras.org/agricultural-robotics Agricultural Robotics and Automation]</ref> and we want to explore the automation of this industry. We want to develop a solution that allows for automation of food production beyond the state of the art, moreover the solution needs to be scalable.<br />
<br />
==Mariculture==<br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
Mariculture is a specialized branch of aquaculture involving the cultivation of marine organisms for food and other products in the open ocean, an enclosed section of the ocean, or in tanks, ponds or raceways which are filled with seawater. An example of the latter is the farming of marine fish, including finfish and shellfish like prawns, or oysters and seaweed in saltwater ponds.<ref name="Mariculture">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariculture Mariculture]</ref><br />
<br />
In this section we will explore mariculture, and explain why we chose it as a solution to the problem previously stated. Mariculture encompasses a wide range of organisms, from the cultivation of water-based plants to the breeding of aquatic animals. For this project we will focus on the cultivation of aquatic plants, and in particular types of seaweed.<br />
<br />
===Commonly cultivated seaweed species===<br />
<br />
*The total seaweed production features a lot of brown kelps. These weeds grow in cold water zones, they are long and have a leathery structure. They must be harvested before the water temperature rises to 21 degrees, otherwise the kelps will rot. Kombu (Laminaria Japonica) is used a lot in Japanese recipies for soups, as dried snacks, or in salads. Kombu is a dietary fiber and contains high levels of iodine. In China, 50% of the Laminaria production is meant for industrial purposes for its iodine, algin and mannitol. Due to this, laminaria are considered as one of the best renewable resources and it makes up for a major part of the maricultural sector. Japan has made effort to increase the production but due to its labour intensitive nature, the market is not expected to expand notably.<ref name="FAO Laminaria">[http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Laminaria_japonica/en FAO Laminaria]</ref> Wakame (Undaria) is the type of kelp you will find in your misosoup. With a subtle sweet flavour and satin-like texture it is most suitable for human consumption. The weed is a rich source of omega-3 and helps burn fatty tissue. However, it is also in the top 100 of worst invasive species in cold waters, which is partly caused by aquaculture.<ref name="Seaweed Site">[http://www.seaweed.ie/ Seaweed Site]</ref><br />
<br />
*Gelidium amansii and Pterocladia are valuable red algae that can be found at shallow coasts. They can be used in salads and to make agar, a jelly-like substance that can be used for microbiological research and various industrial purposes.<ref name="Gelidium Amansii">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelidium_amansii Gelidium Amansii]</ref> They have been cultured in Korea since the last century, but always on a small scale. There have been various attempts to farm the algae at sea, but the slow growth rate and required non-contaminated waters made it unattractive for commercial cultivation.<ref name="Nineteenth International Seaweed Symposium">[https://books.google.nl/books?id=19mM4xtgfOMC&pg=PA2&lpg=PA2&dq=Pterocladia+farm&source=bl&ots=MtH0LvASHr&sig=RXZNWMEOLnv1yS-WP2fWqv6SDpo&hl=nl&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwieqMmLnsrMAhXlAsAKHVoKDzwQ6AEIRTAF#v=onepage&q=Pterocladia%20farm&f=false Nineteenth International Seaweed Symposium]</ref><br />
<br />
*Nori or Zicai (Porphyra) are most famous for composing the sushi wraps. The red algae grow in cold and shallow waters in the intertidal zone. After growing in the sea for 50 days, the weeds can be harvested every 10-15 days. The Nori market is stable, the demand is not expected to grow or shrink in the coming years. In Japan, the annual production is valued at 1 billion US dollars.<ref name="FAO Porphyra">[http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Porphyra_spp/en#tcNA0112 FAO Porphyra]</ref><br />
<br />
===Environment===<br />
<br />
====Dead zones====<br />
<br />
[[File:Deadzones.jpg|thumb|250px|Dead zones in oceans around the world.]]<br />
<br />
Ocean dead zones are areas with low oxygen levels and hardly any marine life. These areas are caused by agriculture fertilizers that increase the level of nitrogen and phosphorus, also known as eutriphication. The result is a rapid increase in phytoplankton, because they are 'build' from phosphorus and nitrogen. These algal blooms cause deadzones. The number of deadzones is increasing.<br />
As a result, the fertility of the marine life drops dramatically, and in more extreme cases, fish fall unconcious and then suffocate. Slow moving creatures on the seafloor are unable to escape.<br />
Seaweed is capable of uptaking both nitrogen and phosphorus and replacing it with oxygen. In a study of the increase/decrease of nitrogen and phosphorus levels, where laminaria were cultivated, in is shown that in 24 hours, the levels of nitrogen decreased with up to 263 mg/m3 (at a water temperatur of 1.5 Celsius). In all cases, the levels of nitrogen ans phosporus decreases, albeit more effectively at lower temperatures. <ref name="Culture of Kelp(Laminaria japonica)in China (1989)"> [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab724e/AB724E11.htm] </ref> For this reason seaweed is also cultivated around fishfarms. Seaweed would be a cheap although perhaps slow solution in the reviving of dead zones.<ref name="Growth, nitrogen and phosphorous uptake rates and O2 production rate of seaweeds cultured on coastal fish farms"<ref>[https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf Growth, nitrogen and phosphorous uptake rates and O2 production rate of seaweeds cultured on coastal fish farms]</ref><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
====Climate====<br />
<br />
Seaweed can assimilate a lot of CO<sub>2</sub> about 30 to 60 times the rate of land plants. But this will not solve the CO<sub>2</sub>-problem, because the CO<sub>2</sub> will be released when the seaweed will be consumed. Seaweed only contributes indirectly to a better milieu. Because of the seaweed farms less forests will disappear for farmlands. This forest contributes to a net CO<sub>2</sub> storage. Seaweed can also be used for the production of biomethane and electricity. So the unsustainable fuels can be replaced, this results in less CO<sub>2</sub> pollution.<br />
<br />
====Locations====<br />
<br />
To determine the best location for a sea-farm we have to take into account several aspects. The temperature of the seawater should be the right temperature for seaweed. For example the best temperature for growing Eucheuma is 20-25 °Celsius, but there are also species that can grow in water of 10 °Celsius. So seaweed can grow in almost every ocean. The depth of the sea does not matter for the seaweed of farm, because we will only use species that grow from the surface downwards. But for the farm itself the depth does matter. Anchoring the farm is easier in a shallow area in the ocean. Commonly these areas are near the coast, an advantage of sea-farms which are near the costs is that the transport from farm to the secondary users is cheaper. Also building and maintaining the farm is easier if it is closer to the mainland. The dead zones are also located near the seashore, so the dead zones are an extra motivation of locating the sea-farms there. A disadvantage are the shipping routes that are located in these areas. Thankfully, these routes are taken by most commercial ships. This leaves open spots near the coast where there are no passing ships and where the seaweedfarms could be located. Important shipping routes at the Dutch coast.<ref name="Noordzee Scheepvaartroutes">[https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NoordzeeScheepvaartroutes.png Noordzee Scheepvaartroutes]</ref> With the sea levels rising due to climate change, and the seafarm's habit breaking waves, it would be beneficial to locate the farm nearby a shore that is threatened by rising sea levels.<br />
<br />
===Nutrition===<br />
<br />
From a nutritional standpoint, the main properties of seaweeds that distinguish them from higher plants are their high mineral and dietary fibre contents. The high iron and magnesium contents are of particular nutritional interest due to their metabolic or functional properties. In comparison with other sources of fibres, seaweeds contain a high proportion of soluble fibres, which exhibit original fermentation patterns in the large intestine. Red seaweeds have a high protein content, comparable to that of high-protein vegetables. Available data suggest that they have a unique amino acid pattern, complementary to that of most terrestrial vegetables.<ref name="Seaweed in food products: biochemical and nutritional aspects">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/092422449390091N Serge Mabeau, Joël Fleurence: Seaweed in food products: biochemical and nutritional aspects (1993)]</ref> Edible brown and red seaweeds could be used as a food supplement to help meet the recommended daily adult intakes of some macrominerals and trace elements.<ref name="P. Rupérez: Mineral content of edible marine seaweeds (2002)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814602001711 P. Rupérez: Mineral content of edible marine seaweeds (2002)]</ref><br />
<br />
There might be some hesitance in the use of seaweed for human nutrition, but the seaweeds which are used as biological filters and food material for farmed animals could easily be included in the human food value chain by this route.<ref name="What are the prospects for using seaweed in human nutrition and for marine animals raised through aquaculture?">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224412000544 Joël Fleurence, Michele Morançais, Justine Dumay, Priscilla Decottignies, Vincent Turpin, Mathilde Munier, Nuria Garcia-Bueno and Pascal Jaouen: What are the prospects for using seaweed in human nutrition and for marine animals raised through aquaculture? (2012)]</ref><ref name="Joël Fleurence: Seaweed proteins: biochemical, nutritional aspects and potential use (1999)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224499000151 Joël Fleurence: Seaweed proteins: biochemical, nutritional aspects and potential use (1999)]</ref><br />
<br />
As seaweed accumulates important substances from the surrounding water, it does not only accumulate the desired minerals and trace metals but it also accumulates undesirable metals and heavy metals from the surrounding environment.<ref name="Bioactive compounds in seaweed: functional food applications and legislation">[http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10811-010-9632-5 Holdt, Susan Løvstad, and Stefan Kraan. "Bioactive compounds in seaweed: functional food applications and legislation." Journal of Applied Phycology 23.3 (2011): 543-597.]</ref> This can be exploited, and seaweed can be used as a biofilter, but if the goal is nutrition it is important to not let seaweed grow in polluted water. <br />
<br />
Seaweeds are known for their richness in polysaccharides, minerals and certain vitamins,<ref name="Vegetables from the sea">[http://agris.fao.org/agris-search/search.do?recordID=XF2015021737 Arasaki, Seibun, and Teruko Arasaki. "Vegetables from the sea." Japan Publ. Inc., Tokyo 96 (1983): 251-223.]</ref> but they also contain bioactive substances like polysaccharides, proteins, lipids and polyphenols, with antibacterial, antiviral and anti-fungal properties, as well as many others.<ref name="Antioxidant potential of solvent extracts of Kappaphycus alvarezii (Doty) Doty – An edible seaweed">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814607008102 Kumar, K. Suresh, K. Ganesan, and PV Subba Rao. "Antioxidant potential of solvent extracts of Kappaphycus alvarezii (Doty) Doty–An edible seaweed." Food chemistry 107.1 (2008): 289-295.]</ref> This gives seaweed great potential as a supplement in functional food or for the extraction of compounds. Proteins, peptides and amino acids from seaweed have shown positive bioactive effects in the treatment of diabetes and cancer, and the prevention of vascular diseases. The amino acid profile of some seaweed species is similar to that of animal foods. Extracts of valuable amino acids for feed supplement could be of potential because essential amino acids cannot be replaced by other compounds.<ref name="Bioactive compounds in seaweed: functional food applications and legislation">[http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10811-010-9632-5 Holdt, Susan Løvstad, and Stefan Kraan. "Bioactive compounds in seaweed: functional food applications and legislation." Journal of Applied Phycology 23.3 (2011): 543-597.]</ref><br />
<br />
===State of the art===<br />
<br />
Currently, mariculture is not a high-tech affair. Most of mariculture involves manual labor, and in part mariculture is practiced in a non-industrial setting, however we want to focus on industrial mariculture. In shallow-water mariculture the lines to where the seaweed is attached are handled manually, and the shallow waters are traversed by foot. For mariculture out on open waters ships are used to get to the farms. For mariculture further off from the shore farmers might make use of cranes to pick up lines and gather crops, this however still involves direct human labor, and sometimes physical labor to pull in lines. For aquaculture — 'indoor' mariculture, in a controlled pond or other body of water — there exist technologies like smart sensors and smart filtration systems. These technologies however are not applicable to offshore mariculture, as it is a rather different environment from the controlled ponds for which these technologies are manufactured.<br />
<br />
Our solution to mariculture goes beyond the state of the art, and we envision it has benefits for user, society and enterprise compared to current technologies.<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
* Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
* Pond-farms can make use of otherwise infertile and underutilized land.<br />
* Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
* Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
* Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
* Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
* The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
* Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
* Seaweed farms are mostly submerged, except for some buoys, so they are not visually distracting.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
<br />
* Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
* Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
* Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
* Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
* Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
* Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
* Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
* Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
* Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
===Types of farms===<br />
<br />
====Anchored====<br />
<br />
Anchored farms are static to a certain extent, seeing as they only slightly deviate from their positions due to ocean waves and currents. These anchored farms can provide protection to coastal areas were they to be anchored close to the shore. This wave-breaking property is due to the seaweed absorbing part of the energy carried by ocean waves. If the farms were to be anchored furthered away from the shore one needs to take into account the depth of the seafloor. Moreover, anchoring could potentially disturb life on the seafloor. Anchored farms are universally employed in the maricultural industry.<br />
<br />
====Drifting====<br />
<br />
Drifting farms would constitute a more advanced technology. Free-drifting farms are a liability and potentially a hazard of not attended to. Despite the dangers drifting farms could still be used, and might have benefits over anchored farms. Drifting farms can move with the ocean currents, or make use of wind power to passively drift. However, a freely drifting farm would not have any benefit over an anchored one. The main focus of a drifting farm would be to make it drift smartly — that means that it should be aware of its environment and have actuators to be able to actively move. A smartly drifting farm would be able to autonomously traverse the ocean in order to find optimal spots, for instance a nutrient-rich patch of the ocean, or a location with optimal sunlight.<br />
<br />
The drifting farm is a design challenge that we will not take on in our design, however future farms might make use of migratory techniques.<br />
<br />
===Tasks to be carried out on farms===<br />
<br />
'''Primary tasks'''<br />
* Harvesting — this is the main focus of a farm, to bring in the crop<br />
* Seeding — after harvesting new plants need to be placed<br />
* Cleaning — plants need to be cleaned ever once in a while in order to remove barnacles and pathogens<br />
'''Secondary tasks'''<br />
* Checking the quality of the plants — regularly checking the quality of the plants will let you predict the quality and quantity of the total harvest<br />
* Removing corrupt plants — bad plants need to be removed, especially the sick plants before other plants get infected<br />
<br />
==Stakeholders==<br />
<br />
===User===<br />
<br />
'''Seaweed farmers'''<br />
<br />
Seaweed farmers are the primary users of this technology. Their main interest is related to livelihood. The farmers will use this technology to make a living, and produce seaweed to sell. The technology allows them to produce more seaweed than ever before due to its efficiency. Moreover there will be health benefits for the farmers, as the strenuous physical labor will be performed by machines. Due to the scalability of this technology farmers will be able to grow their farms, and with economies of scale keep increasing their profits. Not every seaweed farmer is the same, however, and farmers with a lot of capital available will be able to invest in the farms and outcompete their competitors with less capital. This inequality divides the group of seaweed farmers in two, and this might give rise to a conflict of interest. However, farmers with less capital available will still be able to sell their seaweed as being more <i>humane</i>, which might encourage certain groups of customers.<br />
For the seaweed farmers in general we foresee a net positive.<br />
<br />
<br />
'''Food industry'''<br />
<br />
Due to an increased production of seaweed there will be an increase of available seaweed protein and nutrients from seaweed. As outlined in the section on nutrition seaweed contains a lot of nutritional substances. Having more of these substances available from a sustainable source like seaweed farming will allow the food industry to source from a more diverse pool of nutrients. We especially foresee seaweed-based nutrients be cheap due to the economies of scale. The seaweed can be sold directly, or it can be processed. Seaweed can also be used as animal feed. <br />
<br />
<br />
'''Consumers'''<br />
<br />
Consumers will benefit from this technology for several reasons. Firstly the cost reduction will aid consumers as they will have more left to spend. Protein from animals requires more resources, and hence is more expensive than plant-based protein.<ref name="Sustainability of meat-based and plant-based diets and the environment">[http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/78/3/660S.full Sustainability of meat-based and plant-based diets and the environment]</ref> Secondly plant-based protein has health benefits compared to animal protein.<ref name="Carcinogenicity of consumption of red and processed meat">[http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS1470-2045%2815%2900444-1/fulltext Carcinogenicity of consumption of red and processed meat]</ref> This health benefit does not just depend on having consumers shifting their diet, but seaweed can act as a protein source in processed foods. Finally there is the introduction of seaweed protein and nutrients in general, as outlined in the section on nutrition seaweed contains a lot of nutritional substances. Having more of these substances available from a sustainable source like seaweed farming will give consumers more choice and empower them in following a diet of their choice.<br />
<br />
<br />
'''Seafarers'''<br />
<br />
Seafarers will have to navigate around the seaweed farms, and recreational boating will not be possible next to seaweed farms. The positions of the seaweed farms should be chosen such that they do not interfere with commercial shipping routes. If the positioning of the farms isn't handled correctly seafarers might be negatively effected by this technology.<br />
<br />
<br />
'''Inhabitants of coastal regions'''<br />
<br />
This technology would introduce more seaweed farms. These farms can provide protection to coastal areas were they to be anchored close to the shore. The seaweed absorbing part of the energy carried by ocean waves gives it a wave-breaking property. This would mean that inhabitants of coastal regions will be offered more protection than just using levees without these farms. So these inhabitants could indirectly profit from this technology.<br />
<br />
<br />
'''Scientists'''<br />
<br />
The farms will be equipped with an assortment of sensors. The sensors will be used to assess the quality of the water in order to make meaningful statements about the seaweed on the farm. The information gathered by the sensors can be used for more purposes than just those in the direct interest of the farm. The data gathered can be shared with scientists, or could be fully openly shared. These datasets can be valuable for science and oceanographic research.<br />
<br />
===Society===<br />
<br />
'''Environment'''<br />
<br />
As outlined in the section on environment above, this technology benefits the environment. Currently the production of food for animals that are raised for human consumption is very costly on the environment.<ref name="Sustainability of meat-based and plant-based diets and the environment">[http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/78/3/660S.full Sustainability of meat-based and plant-based diets and the environment]</ref> These environmental benefits have a positive impact on society in general. However, due to the robots on the farm wildlife might be disturbed,<ref name="Does Military Sonar Kill Marine Wildlife?">[http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/does-military-sonar-kill/ Does Military Sonar Kill Marine Wildlife]</ref> this introduces a trade-off, the farm has to forfeit some efficiency or speed in order to not harm the environment. If the technology is implemented without regard to the environment it could turn out to be a USE nightmare.<br />
<br />
<br />
'''Government'''<br />
<br />
Partly due to the environmental benefits, and the added economical value the government might be interested in this technology. The development and deployment of this technology could be supported by governmental agencies in the form of grants and subsidies. Supporting this technology could reinvigorate the dead zones as described in the applicable section on dead zones. Combating these dead zones could benefit the ecology and benefit the conventional fishing industry. The environmental benefits could also spur tourism owing to cleaner and safer oceans. This technology could (indirectly) positively impact a nation's (or region's) GDP, so governments will have interest in supporting this technology.<br />
<br />
===Enterprise===<br />
<br />
'''Seaweed farm owners'''<br />
<br />
Seaweed farm owners are one of the largest stakeholders as enterprise entities. This technology will enable seaweed farm owners to scale their business and improve profits. The automated nature of the technology allows for increased productivity and enhanced crop security, due to 24/7 availability of the robots and constant maintenance. There is a possibility of an 'inconsiderate' implementation of the seaweed farms, in this scenario a business would optimize for profit only and would not take other stakeholders into account, this mostly impacts the environment (as outlined in the Society section). While marine life would be disturbed, pollution wouldn't be much of a problem, because polluting the direct environment of the farm would negatively impact the quality of the seaweed.<br />
<br />
<br />
'''Food industry'''<br />
<br />
As outlined in the user subsection, the food industry will be able to source more diverse nutritional substances. This increase is supply will be a benefit for the food industry.<br />
<br />
<br />
'''Culinary industry'''<br />
<br />
The technology would lead to seaweed being more ubiquitously available. This, aside from being used for processed foods, might lead to a shift in dietary preferences. Even if the dietary shift does not take place, access to cheaper seaweed might be an incentive for the culinary industry to innovate. There are many dishes that include seaweed, and there are many left to be discovered. This is not so much a direct benefit, nor is it a contrapositive. This poses a possible challenge for gastronomical innovation.<br />
<br />
<br />
'''Subsidized environmental efforts'''<br />
<br />
With the evident environmental benefits of the technology in mind there might be subsidies available for those who implement it. This might be an incentive that could kick-start the automated seaweed industry. These subsidies could give enterprises an edge compared to conventional agriculture or otherwise low-tech aquaculture.<br />
<!--<br />
<br />
===Ethical analysis===<br />
<br />
'''Utilitarian analysis'''<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
! <br />
! style="text-align: center;" | Using the technology<br />
! style="text-align: center;" | Using the technology<br />
irresponsibly<br />
! style="text-align: center;" | Not using the technology<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: right;" | Environment and wildlife<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | + +<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | – –<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | ○<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: right;" | Farm owners<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | +<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | + +<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | ○<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: right;" | Manual labor jobs (non-technical)<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | –<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | –<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | +<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: right;" | Maintenance jobs (technical)<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | +<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | +<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | –<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: right;" | Commercial shipping & casual boating<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | ○<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | –<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | ○<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: right;" | Oceanography<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | +<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | ○<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | ○<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: right;" | Food industry<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | +<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | +<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | ○<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: right;" | Consumers<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | +<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | +<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | ○<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: right;" | Inhabitants of coastal areas<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | +<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | ○<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | –<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: right; font-weight: bold;" | Total:<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | 7+<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | 1+<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | 1–<br />
|}<br />
The aspects are rated from very positive (+ +) to very negative (– –).<br />
<br />
<br />
From the table we can see that using the technology has the most utility. This is because of its benefits described in the stakeholders section. Using the technology irresponsible — without regard for the environment or other stakeholders — has a bit of positive utility, but this mostly stems from the benefit the farm owner has. Not using the technology has some negative utility, this sis surprising since we would expect the utility to be neutral. The negative utility comes from the inhabitants of coastal regions being unprotected and thus being more susceptible to danger.<br />
<br />
--><br />
<br />
==Maritime robotics==<br />
<br />
In this section we will give an overview of maritime robots and their relevant technologies.<br />
<br />
===Types of robots===<br />
<br />
Maritime robots can be classified into several categories:<br />
*Buoy: this robot floats at one spot on the surface. It is mainly used for acquiring data by using sensors attach to the buoy. It can function as an energy generator by using solar panels, also, it can be used as a relay station for communications by attaching a satellite dish. <br />
*Traveler: this robot can actively move across the water's surface by using some way of propulsion. It can be similar to the sensor buoy in its functions.<br />
*Underwater Airplane: similar to an airplane, only instead of like flying through the air it moves through water according to the same principles of fluid dynamics. Can be tricky to maneuver because it cannot stop as quickly as other types of robots. This is one of the fastest underwater robots.<br />
*Diving Box: this robot can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient. Moves up and down based on the principles of buoyancy.<br />
*Etcetera: robots that don't belong to the other categories.<br />
<br />
===Locomotion===<br />
<br />
[[File:Drifterandjet.jpg|thumb|A passive ocean drifter and a high-speed jet-propelled vessel.]]<br />
<br />
There are several ways for maritime robots to traverse the oceans:<br />
<br />
*Jet propulsion — water is taken in and propelled out at high speed, using a directed nozzle makes this very maneuverable.<br />
*Ocean current — passively drifting along the ocean current.<br />
*Propeller — a classic ship's screw to propel forwards and backwards.<br />
*Undulation — moving the body like a fish does.<br />
*Wind — using the power of the wind to sail.<br />
<br />
Some types of propulsion are passive, such as using the ocean currents and moving by wind power; this is very energy efficient, however. For more speed one would use jet propulsion or propellers.<br />
<br />
===Sensing===<br />
<br />
[[File:bathymetry.jpg |thumb|Sonar can be used for bathymetry, measuring the depth of the ocean floor.]]<br />
<br />
There are many types of sensors and things to sense.<br />
<br />
*Acoustic Doppler current profiler — measures the speed and direction of ocean currents using the principle of “Doppler shift”.<br />
*Camera — for visual data, has a limited range.<br />
*Conductivity — together with temperature and depth information, a good estimate of the salinity may be determined.<br />
*GPS — find the position, only works above the surface of the water.<br />
*Hydrophone — listen for sounds in the water.<br />
*Oxygen — determine the oxygen levels of the water.<br />
*Pressure — determine the depth the robot is at.<br />
*Semipermeable membrane density — a passive sampling device used to monitor trace levels of organic contaminants. When placed in an aquatic environment, SPMDs accumulate hydrophobic organic compounds, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and organochlorine pesticides from the surrounding waters.<br />
*Sonar — is used to find and identify objects in water. It is also used to determine water depth (bathymetry. May disturb marine life.<br />
*Temperature — determine the temperature of the water.<br />
*pH — determine the acidity of the water.<br />
<br />
Some of these things are very important for positioning, such as GPS for above-water devices, and sonar for longer range object detection. Other types of sensors could be implemented to gather data on the quality of the water — for instance the pH levels of the water could tell whether the seaweed is growing in a favorable environment. The other sensors can also be used for gathering general long-term data for use in science.<br />
<br />
===Communication===<br />
<br />
To allow an offshore farm to communicate with a land-based control station (or transmit data between the users/administrators and the farm) there are numerous conventional methods to employ. For instance satellite communication can be used to transmit and receive data. So for our sea-based machines to communicate they would need to have a part that is not submerged, or they would be required to surface to transmit data. We want to employ machines that can communicate while submerged, therefore we need to find a way to transmit data underwater.<br />
<br />
There are two ways to transmit signals under water, using wired technology or wireless technology. A wired solution would require an <i>umbilical cord</i> or tether between two communicating nodes or hosts. This wired solution is quite reliable, and obvious if the device that needs to send or receive data needs to be tethered for other reasons such as the supply of power or for anchoring purposes. However, this wired solution has its drawbacks if a device does not need to be tethered — a tether could hinder its freedom of movement — or if the distance to communicate over is quite large. For our project, we want to make use of wireless communication.<br />
<br />
Radio waves travel poorly through water, also, the propagation of radio waves gets worse at higher frequencies. So wireless communication using the radio waves — the conventional method above water— is not feasible for our farm. Further down the EM spectrum we will find visible light that could be used for sending optical signals. Optical wireless underwater communication is being researched.<ref name="Building an Underwater Wireless Sensor Network based on Optical Communication: Research Challenges and Current Results.">[http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?arnumber=5210866 Davide Anguita, Davide Brizzolara, Giancarlo Parodi. Building an Underwater Wireless Sensor Network based on Optical Communication: Research Challenges and Current Results.]</ref> But optical waves are affected by scattering. Moreover, transmission of optical signals requires high precision in pointing the narrow laser beams. <br />
<br />
Conventionally underwater communications are realized by using acoustic waves. Acoustic wave technology has been in development since the end of World War II. Underwater networking, using a modern network protocol layer stack has also been researched.<ref name="Underwater acoustic sensor networks: research challenges">[http://www.ece.rutgers.edu/~pompili/paper/Akyildiz_AdHoc05.pdf Ian F. Akyildiz, Dario Pompili, Tommaso Melodia. Underwater acoustic sensor networks: research challenges]</ref> One aspect to keep in mind when using acoustic communications is that it could disturb marine life,<ref name="How do you determine if a sound affects a marine animal">[http://www.dosits.org/animals/effectsofsound/howdoyoudetermineifasoundaffectsamarineanimal/ How do you determine if a sound affects a marine animal]</ref> this is a drawback which should be taken into account when deploying an ocean farm.<br />
<br />
===Energy===<br />
<br />
The ocean offers several alternative options for energy generation.<ref name="Ocean Energy Europe">[http://www.oceanenergy-europe.eu/index.php/association/technologies Ocean Energy Europe]</ref> When a robot can use it's own energy on the sea, it is more autonomous.<br />
Options for Alternative ocean energy:<br />
*Tidal energy: generates energy from the currents caused by the tides. The flow makes a rotor or foil spin and the mechanical moition is then converted to electricity. Tidal energy is in development and taking steps to commercial viability.<br />
*Wave energy: generates electricity from the height difference in waves. Wave energy is well developped and applicable in many different settings.<br />
*Salinity gradient: fresh water and salt water mix at the mouts of rivers, where energy can be harnessed from the osmosis process. This technology is in an early development stage with small pilots taking place in Norway and the Netherlands. It is one of the largest renewable energy resources that has not yet been exploited.<br />
*Tidal Range: Uses the difference in sea level with the tides to generate electricity. Fills a barrier at high tide and discharges the water from one side to the other at low tide. It is essentially the same technology as with conventional hydropower.<br />
*Ocean thermal energy conversion:is a very consistent energy source and provides so called base-load power. The temperature differences between deep cold waters and shallow warm and tropical waters is exploited to run a heat engine.<br />
<br />
==Proposed design==<br />
<br />
===Description===<br />
<br />
[[File:Growout_syst-extra.gif|thumb|Standard Japanese Laminaria farm.]]<br />
*'''System Design''' The farm will be made up from a classic, vertical underwater seaweed farm, and a modern system at the surface for automation. At the surface, there are rails stretched between buoys over which a harvesting robot can move. In the middle of the farm, drifts a home base. This is where the monitoring sensors are located, and the data is communicated to the mainland. At the home base, the robot can recharge. At the sides of the surface system, there are harvest collection nets placed. With one for each individual farmer<br />
*'''Modular''' The entire farm will be modular. All modules will be square and have a surface area that the harvesting robot can cover in 3 hours, after that it will have to return to the base station, to recharge and to dispense of the harvested seaweed. This way it can move efficiently around the farm. The robot can walk a fast path and will have to cross the same paths as little as possible, which limits obstructions when something breaks. When one module need repairing, it can easily be removed and repaired without creating disadvantage for the other modules. Another benefit is that the farmers can try the HASP farm and start out small with one module, and then later expand. The modular construction makes our system flexible and adaptable<br />
*'''Location''' Our own Dutch North Sea might just be to place to be. With an average temperature of 12 degrees,<ref name="Gemiddelde Watertemperatuur Noordzee">[http://gemiddeldgezien.nl/gemiddelde-watertemperatuur-noordzeeGemiddelde Watertemperatuur Noordzee]</ref> a former deadzone that is struggling with pollution from the many estuaries, and with a country that has always struggled with living beneath a rising sealevel, the seaweed farm has a lot to offer. When we also consider the busy shipping routes in the North Sea, Zeeland would be the most suitable area.<br />
*'''Farmed type of seaweed''' The HASP will farm the Laminaria seaweed species. There is a high demand for this particlar species, which can not be fulfilled with the current techniques. Laminaria also has a low impact on the environment and grows well in our location's water temperatures. Therfore, laminaria is the most suitable seaweed to cultivate in our design.<br />
<br />
===Automation===<br />
<br />
====Seeding====<br />
<br />
Like at normal seafarming, the young seedlings will first be grown at land in a greenhouse in the summer, when the water is hot. Mid-November, when they have grown 10-15 cm, they need to be planted at the seafarm. The seedlings are attached to the vertical lines to grow out, with the upper plants receving more sunlight than the lower ones. Can one of our robots attcach the seeds to the ropes?<br />
<br />
====Control and hygiene====<br />
<br />
There are several diseases that could affect the seaweed, caused by bacteria or by the enviroment. These diseases can be recognized visually and envirmental factors can be measured. Sensors would be needed for: illumination (too much or too little light causes rot), fresh/salt water level and pollution. All diseases require different treatments. We could automate these treatments but the costs would not make up for the benefits. Therefore the system will alarm the farmer when the enviroment of the seaweed is turning hostile. This will be measured by light and osmotic sensors. When the recorded levels turn critical, the farmer is contacted so that he or she can check up on the seaweed.<br />
<br />
Harm done by water grazers like fish can be minimized by placing the farm in deep waters, away from the coastal fish and the creatures on the seafloor.<br />
<br />
====Harvesting====<br />
<br />
Harvesting can be started in April. The plant grows faster in winter and slower in summer, with a rate of 1.1 cm per day in May. Making up for 2.5 meters a year. The plant can regenerate when it's been trimmed, but will grow slower. The normal age with this practice does not exceed 4 years.<br />
When the robot cuts off the seaweed it has to despense it. Returning to the homebase would be too time consuming so the harvested seaweed will be collected in a small container at the surface where the robot is located. Another option is a net that stays behind the robot, underwater.<br />
<br />
====Drying====<br />
<br />
It seems very inefficient to dry the seaweed in the open sea, it takes a lot of space and when one wave flushes over it, all the drying will have been for nothing. For that reason, seaweed must be taken to the mainland to dry. After it has been harvested, it must be stored for a short period, before it is transported. The robot will collect the harvested crops in a net, at the edges of the farm. Here the seaweed is stored underwater, to prevent it from rotting. The farmer can then easily collect his harvest by simply emptying the net in his boat.<br />
<br />
====Transport====<br />
<br />
When the seaweed is harvested from the lines, it is collected at the base station, when the farmer comes to collect it, the harvest is transported from the center of the system to the edge, so that the farmer can easily reach the seaweed.<br />
<br />
====Communication to mainland====<br />
<br />
Sensor readings about the enviroment are daily communicated to the farmer and perhaps the agencies that make use of the data. In case of critical levels of salinity, light or pollution, a warning is send out to the farmer so that he or she can check the seaweed on diseases.<br />
<br />
====Mapping tasks to robots====<br />
<br />
====Energy====<br />
<br />
[[File:buoy.png|thumb|The PowerBuoy by OPT]]<br />
<br />
With the climate crisis that humanity is facing, it would be highly unwise to use fossil fuels, as to not contribute to global warming. Therefore, our farm will be powered on renewable energy sources. If system is capable of generating its own energy, it will be a lot more autonomous and low on maintenance. The most used renewable energy sources are wind and solar. However, the ocean offers many alternatives. Wave energy would be the most suitable for our design, because it does not require temperature differences, large surface areas, or specific locations. There are many different technologies for harnessing energy from the waves, ours must remain at one spot and be small. The powerbuoy developped by "Ocean power technologies" meets these requirements. The smallest version, the PB3, has a power capacity of 8400 Wh/Day at 80% availability. It has been proven to survive extreme weather conditions, such as hurricanes, and could dissipate the large surplus of energy it produced at waves of up to 15 meters. <ref name = "Businesswire: Ocean Power Technologies PowerBuoy Successfully Withstands Hurricane Irene (2011)">[http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20110831006979/en/Ocean-Power-Technologies-PowerBuoy-Successfully-Withstands-Hurricane]</ref><br />
<br />
<br />
'''Energy Requirements'''<br />
*The robot's motors use 27 kW/h, but only move seperately, the robot can run for 3 hours after fully charging.<br />
*Data collection and Communication:<br />
<br />
====Scalability====<br />
<br />
The farm will be expandable, consisting of square modules of ?*? meters for efficient charging and functioning of the robot. The seaweed will grow 2 meters beneath the surface to avoid over exposure to light. Vertical lines will be 5 meters long and 2 meters apart. To keep them straight, a weight of 400 grams will be attached to the ends of the lines. Young Laminaria seedings will be planted at 5 centimeters apart, making up for 100 plants per line.<ref name="Number of plants on a Chinese farm line">[http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/AB724E/AB724E02.htm Number of plants on a Chinese farm line]</ref><br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
<br />
The robots behaviour underwater would generate sound. Although the underwater world might seem silent to humans, fish experience sound intensly. The effects of human generated sounds on fish might therefore be harmful. Research results vary from little to no effect, to immediate death. Because the variety of sounds and fish is so large, we will try to minimize the sound level but not take extra measures to protect the fish from our robot's noises.<br />
<br />
===Big Data and IoT===<br />
<br />
The farm comes equipped with a lot of sensors to monitor its own condition and its environment. Using all of this data one can analyze it in real time, and after collecting more data extrapolate long-term trends. With all the robotic agents on the farm, combined with the data collected, the farm can be administrated remotely. The farm can be made smart to send out maintenance calls on its own accord. The big data opportunity empowers farmers to have a more clear oversight on their crops. Compared to conventional agriculture data collection is much easier on our farm — instead of taking soil samples a couple of sensors could constantly survey the water.<br />
<br />
====Science====<br />
<br />
The data collected by the farm and its robots can be shared with scientists and governments. More farms mean more sensors and thus a larger sensor size. This data would for example be very useful to The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) on which engineers and scientist can find all the data available about the european waters. The European Commission has started Marine Knowledge 2020 with the aim to bring to bring all of the marine data from different sources together. This initiative exemplifies the need for marine data.<br />
<br />
==Robot prototype==<br />
<br />
===Design process===<br />
<br />
The design for the prototype consists of three components, one for the movement, one for grabbing and cutting and one for the Arduino and battery. The robot moves along a cable, for our prototype we will use a bicycle chain. The robot has three gearing wheels for a stable movement along the cable. The gearing wheel in the middle is driven by an engine. The component with the Arduino and the battery is hanging below the movement-component, just like a chairlift. This component should be heavy enough to sink, this is necessary to keep the bicycle chain on tension. This is the only component that should be waterproof, because it contains the Arduino and the battery. Below this component is the cut-and-grab-component, and is joined to the mothership with rope or a telescoping arm. This rope or telescoping arm is needed for a vertical movement, the robot should be able to cut at different depths. The claw should be able to grab seaweed that might have flowed away a bit, so the claw should be able to move horizontal. This happens by a telescoping arm. The scissors should be placed above the claw, otherwise the robot would cut seaweed that is not hold by the claw.<br />
<br />
===Technical description===<br />
<br />
<br />
[[File:HASP_robot_sliding.png|border|right|400px|Sliding mechanism of the robot.]]<br />
The estimated maximum weight at the end of the pipe is 1kg that equals a force of 10N. The force at the left side is then 23N, computed with F_1∙r_1=F_2∙r_2. The Normal force in the middle, which should cancel the other two forces, is 33N. The friction force if given by F_friction=μ_s∙F_n. The friction coefficient (μ¬s) and has a value of 0.3 for plastic on plastic. This results in a friction force of 7.0N and 10N for the left top side and bottom side of the pipe, respectively. This is showed in figure x.<br />
Thus the maximum friction force between the plastic pipes is 17 N. <br />
<br />
<br />
[[File:HASP_robot_forces01.png|border|right|400px|Forces acting on the robot arm.]]<br />
The friction force that acts on the rope at the edge of the pipe depends on the applied forces on the rope. This applied force depends on the Fpull from figure 1 and the friction force. So the friction forces depends partly on itself, shown in figure 2. Euler’s method can be used to solve this problem. The friction coefficient in 0.4. Start with computing the friction if there is no friction, after that use that friction to compute the next friction. Keep going until the limit is reached. This gives 0.4∙34=13.6 →0.4∙(34+13.6)=19.6 →0.4∙(34+19.6)=21.44 →0.4∙(34+21.44)=22.18, this keeps going until F¬-_friction=22.67. <br />
So the total force is F_tot=17+22.76≈40N. The engine has a torque of 4800 gram/cm, this is equal to 48 N/cm. So the maximum radius of the spool is r=1.2 cm. <br />
<br />
<br />
[[File:HASP_robot_forces02.png|border|right|400px|Forces acting on the robot arm.]]<br />
<br />
===Demonstration===<br />
<br />
==Business and law==<br />
<br />
In 2014, the total annual value of produced seaweed was $6.4 billion. Worldwide, 93.8% of the global total production of aquatic plants came from aquaculture. Countries in East and Southeast Asia dominate seaweed culture production.<ref name="A guide to the seaweed industry">[http://www.fao.org/3/a-y4765e.pdf A guide to the seaweed industry]</ref> About 25 million tonnes of seaweeds and other algae are harvested annually for use as food, in cosmetics and fertilizers, and are processed to extract thickening agents or used as an additive to animal feed.<ref name="The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2014">[http://www.fao.org/3/a-i3720e.pdf The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2014]</ref> For the demand of food-grade seaweed to grow, there needs to be a dietary trend towards protein-rich vegetables, which seems to be the case. Growing the demand for seaweed requires a shift in the consumer's perception of seaweed as a food. Seaweed can be processed to be used as a source of nutrients for certain processed foods. There is increasing demand for seaweed as an agricultural supply, to use as animal food. It is also possible to use seaweed as a source for certain chemicals, for example for use in cosmetics.<br />
<br />
===Business case===<br />
<br />
Increasing demand for seaweed over the last fifty years outstripped the ability to supply requirements from natural (wild) stocks.<ref name="A guide to the seaweed industry">[http://www.fao.org/3/a-y4765e.pdf A guide to the seaweed industry]</ref> This increasing demand presents a fine opportunity for any entrepreneurs to enter the seaweed business. Currently most of the production is centered in Asia, with Europe representing only 0.01 percent of the total market. With Europe being such a small player on a global scale, and with demand outstripping supply, high-tech scalable automated seaweed farms could disrupt the global market and make Europe more competitive. This has domestic benefits, due to not having to import seaweed anymore. China, a huge market for seaweed, has been importing seaweed because it can't supply enough seaweed itself. <br />
<br />
===Business model===<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm will not be cheap, due to its advanced technologies and special location. In order to make the investment worth it for the farmer, the farm will have to produce a lot of seaweed, and therefore cover a large area. <br />
<br />
The seaweed market in the Netherlands is still relatively niche. The current producers are small. Therefore we do not expect them, or other future producers, to do a large investment in our farm, we need to find a way to offer our product on a small scale, that is still profitable. A lot of costs and resources would be saved if the seaweedfarm would be installed collectively, instead of scattered along the coastal areas. The energy generated by the energy buoy could be shared, the robot could be shared and the incoming environmental data too. In general, less material and surface area would be required, which would be beneficial for the environment and cause less nuisance to ships. If the farmer would have to learn as little as possible about the new system to use it, and just be concerned with the classic seaweedfarm that he is already using, we expect him to be more tempted to try the HASP. <br />
<br />
When we take all this into consideration, we have to take a look at the new business models that the upcoming circular economy – aimed at building an economy that does not produce waste - offers us. In our business model, our product is not just a product, and our customers are not just customers. The seaweed farm will be offered as a service, of which the farmers will be the users. We will lease acces to our system, and adjust it to make it as reusable, and regenerative as possible. <br />
The tasks left for the user would be: picking, growing and planting the seedlings, checking on the crops when the system sends out an alarm, and picking up the harvest. The user could start out with one module and expand in the years to come, or adjust their production to their personal situations. Meanwhile, the tasks of us, the producers, would be the installation and the maintenance of the system. <br />
<br />
We believe that by creating the opportunity to use HASP with low investments, flexibility, options for expansion and not requiring any new knowledge, we lower the threshold, and make our system as attractive and approachable as possible to the small seaweed producers that are active today in the Netherlands. <br />
The additional costs of using the system as a service, would be balanced out by the investment that would not have to be made, and the costs of maintenance and the education needed for that.<br />
<br />
====Cost vs. profit====<br />
''Coming up: cost/profit analyis based on an Irish project''<br />
Costs:<br />
*A seedling curtain, with 40.000 - 50.000 seedlings costs about 0.5-0.6 US Dollars.<ref name="FAO Laminaria">[http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Laminaria_japonica/en FAO Laminaria]</ref><br />
*Continuous rope seaweed system, an Irish seaweed farm, similar but more superficial than our system. For a 100 ton production, a surface area op 900 square meters, and 450 meter line, including buoys and anchors, the system costs 84,128 EUR. <ref name="The Economics of Seaweed Aquaculture in Ireland Laminaria digitata and Palmaria palmata (2012)"> [https://www.was.org/documents/MeetingPresentations/AQUA2012/AQUA2012_0540.pdf] </ref><br />
Profit:<br />
* 1 KG of Chinese dry Laminaria Japonica is sold at the Chinese market price of 0.5 Chinese Yen, or 0.07 Euros.<ref name="FAO Artificial Enhancement of Natural Laminaria Stocks">[http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab724e/AB724E10.htm FAO Artificial Enhancement of Natural Laminaria Stocks]</ref> However, Irish sources estimate the value of 1 KG laminaria on 1-2 euros. Because the Dutch market resembles the Irish market more, we will use the Irish estimation in our business model. <ref name="The Economics of Seaweed Aquaculture in Ireland Laminaria digitata and Palmaria palmata (2012)"> [https://www.was.org/documents/MeetingPresentations/AQUA2012/AQUA2012_0540.pdf] </ref><br />
<br />
*After how many years will the farm be profitable?<br />
<br />
===Laws===<br />
<br />
[[File:EEZ_worldmap.jpg|thumb|Exclusive Economic Zones of sovereign states.]]<br />
<br />
An exclusive economic zone is a sea zone prescribed by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea over which a state has special rights regarding the use of natural resources.<ref name="Exclusive Economic Zone">[https://www.un.org/depts/los/convention_agreements/texts/unclos/part5.htm Exclusive Economic Zone]</ref> So states could allow their citizens to maintain sea farms in these areas, and could set their own rules for the use of these waters.<br />
<br />
<br />
For international waters the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea also states that states have right for their nationals to engage in fishing. There are also obligations to adhere to the obligations of any treaties, take measures necessary for the conservation of living resources, this obligation to protect marine life also explicitly extends to the conservation and management of marine mammals in the high seas. The sea farms don't necessarily use up living resources, but could impact them. The sea farms also take up nutrients form the surrounding waters and release oxygen into the water. If a sea farm would be improperly implemented, for instance its sounds would harm marine mammals, then it would be a reason to block the use of the farms. However, for the proper use of these farms in international waters there would be a need to regulate the locations of the farms as to not block other seafarers.<br />
For the use of the sea farms in international waters the main points are: adhere to international treaties, don't harm marine life and don't obstruct marine traffic.<br />
<br />
==Looking ahead==<br />
<br />
===Room for improvement===<br />
<br />
The robot in our design will operate from 2 to 7 meters below the surface. Our current prototype would not be fit to stand the such pressures (0.7845 bar for eight meters, to be sure.) In a commercial design, the robot have to be constructed more robust.<br />
<br />
In the current design, the modules all have their own buoys and anchors. It would be far more efficient if the buoys and anchors could be placed strategically, so that the modules can share them whilst keeping the advantages of modularity.<br />
<br />
Many more activities of the user could be automated, like seeding and disease prevention. Especially seeding would be the first task to automate, if we had more time to work on the project. Seeding is a labour intesive task and can be problematic when the farmer has to directly access the growing lines, on a boat in the area where the navigation lines for the robot are drifting.<br />
<br />
===Future farms===<br />
<br />
The farm we have outlined only concerns the cultivation of seaweed. However, farms can be augmented by employing bivalves in order to filter the water of pollutants.<ref name="Biosorption and bioaccumulation of heavy metals by rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata in the Persian Gulf">[http://www.intelaquares.com/doc/7b.pdf Biosorption and bioaccumulation of heavy metals by rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata in the Persian Gulf]</ref><br />
<br />
Future farms should strive for maximum autonomy. Tasks that are carried out by people in the current prototype should be automated, for instance the planting of seedlings is to be replaced by on-site incubation of seedlings, and using a robot for putting them on a line.<br />
<br />
===Recommendations===<br />
<br />
===Horizon 2020===<br />
<br />
'''Applicable areas:'''<br />
<br />
*Agriculture & forestry<br />
*Aquatic resources<br />
*Bio-based industries<br />
*Environment & climate action<br />
*Food & healthy diet<br />
*Innovation<br />
*SME (small-medium enterprise)<br />
<br />
'''Relevant research calls:'''<br />
<br />
*High value-added specialized vessel concepts enabling more efficient servicing of emerging coastal and offshore activities.<ref name="Horizon 2020 (1)">[https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/5119-bg-02-2016-2017.html Horizon 2020 (1)]</ref> € 7 million<br />
*New sources of proteins for animal feed from co-products to address the EU protein gap.<ref name="Horizon 2020 (2)">[https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/17081-bbi-2016-d08.html Horizon 2020 (2)]</ref> € 15 million<br />
*Promoting and supporting the eco-intensification of aquaculture production systems: inland (including fresh water), coastal zone, and offshore.<ref name="Horizon 2020 (3)">[https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/6050-sfs-32-2017.html Horizon 2020 (3)]</ref> € 6 million<br />
<br />
'''Also'''<br />
Marine Knowledge 2020 with The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet), aims to collect a lot more data from the seas and oceans than we do at the moment.<ref name="EMODnet">[http://www.emodnet.eu EMODnet]</ref><br />
<br />
==Discussion==<br />
'''Ethical analysis'''<br />
*User:<br />
<br />
*Society<br />
<br />
*Enterprise<br />
<br />
==Conclusion==<br />
<br />
==Sources and references==<br />
<br />
===Sources===<br />
<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Climate council (2016) [https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/seaweed-climate-change How seaweed can help us tackle climate change ]<br />
*Doty, M.S. & Caddy, J.F. & Santelices, B. (1987), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Flannery, Tim (2015), [http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/nov/20/climate-crisis-future-brighter-tim-flannery Climate crisis: seaweed, coffee and cement could save the planet]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Juanich, Godardo L. (1988), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/ac416e00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE(1. EUCHEUMA SPP.)]<br />
*Kitadai, Yuuki & Kadowaki, Shusaki (2007), [https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf Growth, nitrogen and phosphorous uptake rates and O2 production rate of seaweeds cultured on coastal fish farms]<br />
*Kleis, Roelof (2010), [http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification]<br />
*Lacey, Stephen & Mellino, Cole (2011), [http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
* NOAA Ocean Explorer Webmaster (2013), [http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/technology/tools/tools.html NOAA Observing Systems and Sensors]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Popper, Arthur N. & Hastings, Mardi C. (2009), [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1749-4877.2008.00134.x/epdf The effects of human-generated sound on fish]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image]. <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
===References===<br />
<br />
{{reflist}}</div>S146529https://cstwiki.wtb.tue.nl/index.php?title=PRE2015_4_Groep5&diff=28048PRE2015 4 Groep52016-06-09T13:35:56Z<p>S146529: /* Technical description */</p>
<hr />
<div>__FORCETOC__<br />
<br />
[[File:HASP_logo_v0.1.png|600px|right]]<br />
<br />
== Group members ==<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
==Introduction==<br />
<br />
===Abstract===<br />
<br />
===Problem statement===<br />
<br />
The world needs to produce at least 50% more food to feed 9 billion people by 2050. But climate change could cut crop yields by more than 25%.<ref name="Food security">[http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/foodsecurity Food security]</ref> With this in mind we need to look for novel solutions to the problem of insufficient food production. This solution will need to take the interests of users, society, and enterprise into account. Moreover, this solution needs to surpass the state of the art by employing cutting-edge technology.<br />
<br />
===Motivation===<br />
<br />
Nutrition is vital to sustaining life, and food security is important for political stability and human welfare. We want to address the problem of food availability due to its relevance: continuing population and consumption growth will mean that the global demand for food will increase for at least another 40 years.<ref name="Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People">[http://science.sciencemag.org/content/327/5967/812 Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People]</ref><br />
<br />
Agriculture is an integral part of the European economy and society. It provides the basis for food, feed and non-food products to meet the demands of consumers and a wide range of industries.<ref name="Horizon 2020: Agriculture & Forestry">[https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/en/area/agriculture-forestry Agriculture & Forestry]</ref> By designing a solution to the agricultural challenge we will need to take into account the needs of users: like consumers of food, society: the ecological impacts of our solution, and enterprise: the solution needs to be competitive in order to gain an economical advantage.<br />
<br />
The agricultural industry is ever advancing, not only is the biological aspect of farming being researched, there are also improvements in automation,<ref name="Agricultural Robotics and Automation">[http://www.ieee-ras.org/agricultural-robotics Agricultural Robotics and Automation]</ref> and we want to explore the automation of this industry. We want to develop a solution that allows for automation of food production beyond the state of the art, moreover the solution needs to be scalable.<br />
<br />
==Mariculture==<br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
Mariculture is a specialized branch of aquaculture involving the cultivation of marine organisms for food and other products in the open ocean, an enclosed section of the ocean, or in tanks, ponds or raceways which are filled with seawater. An example of the latter is the farming of marine fish, including finfish and shellfish like prawns, or oysters and seaweed in saltwater ponds.<ref name="Mariculture">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariculture Mariculture]</ref><br />
<br />
In this section we will explore mariculture, and explain why we chose it as a solution to the problem previously stated. Mariculture encompasses a wide range of organisms, from the cultivation of water-based plants to the breeding of aquatic animals. For this project we will focus on the cultivation of aquatic plants, and in particular types of seaweed.<br />
<br />
===Commonly cultivated seaweed species===<br />
<br />
*The total seaweed production features a lot of brown kelps. These weeds grow in cold water zones, they are long and have a leathery structure. They must be harvested before the water temperature rises to 21 degrees, otherwise the kelps will rot. Kombu (Laminaria Japonica) is used a lot in Japanese recipies for soups, as dried snacks, or in salads. Kombu is a dietary fiber and contains high levels of iodine. In China, 50% of the Laminaria production is meant for industrial purposes for its iodine, algin and mannitol. Due to this, laminaria are considered as one of the best renewable resources and it makes up for a major part of the maricultural sector. Japan has made effort to increase the production but due to its labour intensitive nature, the market is not expected to expand notably.<ref name="FAO Laminaria">[http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Laminaria_japonica/en FAO Laminaria]</ref> Wakame (Undaria) is the type of kelp you will find in your misosoup. With a subtle sweet flavour and satin-like texture it is most suitable for human consumption. The weed is a rich source of omega-3 and helps burn fatty tissue. However, it is also in the top 100 of worst invasive species in cold waters, which is partly caused by aquaculture.<ref name="Seaweed Site">[http://www.seaweed.ie/ Seaweed Site]</ref><br />
<br />
*Gelidium amansii and Pterocladia are valuable red algae that can be found at shallow coasts. They can be used in salads and to make agar, a jelly-like substance that can be used for microbiological research and various industrial purposes.<ref name="Gelidium Amansii">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelidium_amansii Gelidium Amansii]</ref> They have been cultured in Korea since the last century, but always on a small scale. There have been various attempts to farm the algae at sea, but the slow growth rate and required non-contaminated waters made it unattractive for commercial cultivation.<ref name="Nineteenth International Seaweed Symposium">[https://books.google.nl/books?id=19mM4xtgfOMC&pg=PA2&lpg=PA2&dq=Pterocladia+farm&source=bl&ots=MtH0LvASHr&sig=RXZNWMEOLnv1yS-WP2fWqv6SDpo&hl=nl&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwieqMmLnsrMAhXlAsAKHVoKDzwQ6AEIRTAF#v=onepage&q=Pterocladia%20farm&f=false Nineteenth International Seaweed Symposium]</ref><br />
<br />
*Nori or Zicai (Porphyra) are most famous for composing the sushi wraps. The red algae grow in cold and shallow waters in the intertidal zone. After growing in the sea for 50 days, the weeds can be harvested every 10-15 days. The Nori market is stable, the demand is not expected to grow or shrink in the coming years. In Japan, the annual production is valued at 1 billion US dollars.<ref name="FAO Porphyra">[http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Porphyra_spp/en#tcNA0112 FAO Porphyra]</ref><br />
<br />
===Environment===<br />
<br />
====Dead zones====<br />
<br />
[[File:Deadzones.jpg|thumb|250px|Dead zones in oceans around the world.]]<br />
<br />
Ocean dead zones are areas with low oxygen levels and hardly any marine life. These areas are caused by agriculture fertilizers that increase the level of nitrogen and phosphorus, also known as eutriphication. The result is a rapid increase in phytoplankton, because they are 'build' from phosphorus and nitrogen. These algal blooms cause deadzones. The number of deadzones is increasing.<br />
As a result, the fertility of the marine life drops dramatically, and in more extreme cases, fish fall unconcious and then suffocate. Slow moving creatures on the seafloor are unable to escape.<br />
Seaweed is capable of uptaking both nitrogen and phosphorus and replacing it with oxygen. In a study of the increase/decrease of nitrogen and phosphorus levels, where laminaria were cultivated, in is shown that in 24 hours, the levels of nitrogen decreased with up to 263 mg/m3 (at a water temperatur of 1.5 Celsius). In all cases, the levels of nitrogen ans phosporus decreases, albeit more effectively at lower temperatures. <ref name="Culture of Kelp(Laminaria japonica)in China (1989)"> [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab724e/AB724E11.htm] </ref> For this reason seaweed is also cultivated around fishfarms. Seaweed would be a cheap although perhaps slow solution in the reviving of dead zones.<ref name="Growth, nitrogen and phosphorous uptake rates and O2 production rate of seaweeds cultured on coastal fish farms"<ref>[https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf Growth, nitrogen and phosphorous uptake rates and O2 production rate of seaweeds cultured on coastal fish farms]</ref><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
====Climate====<br />
<br />
Seaweed can assimilate a lot of CO<sub>2</sub> about 30 to 60 times the rate of land plants. But this will not solve the CO<sub>2</sub>-problem, because the CO<sub>2</sub> will be released when the seaweed will be consumed. Seaweed only contributes indirectly to a better milieu. Because of the seaweed farms less forests will disappear for farmlands. This forest contributes to a net CO<sub>2</sub> storage. Seaweed can also be used for the production of biomethane and electricity. So the unsustainable fuels can be replaced, this results in less CO<sub>2</sub> pollution.<br />
<br />
====Locations====<br />
<br />
To determine the best location for a sea-farm we have to take into account several aspects. The temperature of the seawater should be the right temperature for seaweed. For example the best temperature for growing Eucheuma is 20-25 °Celsius, but there are also species that can grow in water of 10 °Celsius. So seaweed can grow in almost every ocean. The depth of the sea does not matter for the seaweed of farm, because we will only use species that grow from the surface downwards. But for the farm itself the depth does matter. Anchoring the farm is easier in a shallow area in the ocean. Commonly these areas are near the coast, an advantage of sea-farms which are near the costs is that the transport from farm to the secondary users is cheaper. Also building and maintaining the farm is easier if it is closer to the mainland. The dead zones are also located near the seashore, so the dead zones are an extra motivation of locating the sea-farms there. A disadvantage are the shipping routes that are located in these areas. Thankfully, these routes are taken by most commercial ships. This leaves open spots near the coast where there are no passing ships and where the seaweedfarms could be located. Important shipping routes at the Dutch coast.<ref name="Noordzee Scheepvaartroutes">[https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NoordzeeScheepvaartroutes.png Noordzee Scheepvaartroutes]</ref> With the sea levels rising due to climate change, and the seafarm's habit breaking waves, it would be beneficial to locate the farm nearby a shore that is threatened by rising sea levels.<br />
<br />
===Nutrition===<br />
<br />
From a nutritional standpoint, the main properties of seaweeds that distinguish them from higher plants are their high mineral and dietary fibre contents. The high iron and magnesium contents are of particular nutritional interest due to their metabolic or functional properties. In comparison with other sources of fibres, seaweeds contain a high proportion of soluble fibres, which exhibit original fermentation patterns in the large intestine. Red seaweeds have a high protein content, comparable to that of high-protein vegetables. Available data suggest that they have a unique amino acid pattern, complementary to that of most terrestrial vegetables.<ref name="Seaweed in food products: biochemical and nutritional aspects">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/092422449390091N Serge Mabeau, Joël Fleurence: Seaweed in food products: biochemical and nutritional aspects (1993)]</ref> Edible brown and red seaweeds could be used as a food supplement to help meet the recommended daily adult intakes of some macrominerals and trace elements.<ref name="P. Rupérez: Mineral content of edible marine seaweeds (2002)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814602001711 P. Rupérez: Mineral content of edible marine seaweeds (2002)]</ref><br />
<br />
There might be some hesitance in the use of seaweed for human nutrition, but the seaweeds which are used as biological filters and food material for farmed animals could easily be included in the human food value chain by this route.<ref name="What are the prospects for using seaweed in human nutrition and for marine animals raised through aquaculture?">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224412000544 Joël Fleurence, Michele Morançais, Justine Dumay, Priscilla Decottignies, Vincent Turpin, Mathilde Munier, Nuria Garcia-Bueno and Pascal Jaouen: What are the prospects for using seaweed in human nutrition and for marine animals raised through aquaculture? (2012)]</ref><ref name="Joël Fleurence: Seaweed proteins: biochemical, nutritional aspects and potential use (1999)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224499000151 Joël Fleurence: Seaweed proteins: biochemical, nutritional aspects and potential use (1999)]</ref><br />
<br />
As seaweed accumulates important substances from the surrounding water, it does not only accumulate the desired minerals and trace metals but it also accumulates undesirable metals and heavy metals from the surrounding environment.<ref name="Bioactive compounds in seaweed: functional food applications and legislation">[http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10811-010-9632-5 Holdt, Susan Løvstad, and Stefan Kraan. "Bioactive compounds in seaweed: functional food applications and legislation." Journal of Applied Phycology 23.3 (2011): 543-597.]</ref> This can be exploited, and seaweed can be used as a biofilter, but if the goal is nutrition it is important to not let seaweed grow in polluted water. <br />
<br />
Seaweeds are known for their richness in polysaccharides, minerals and certain vitamins,<ref name="Vegetables from the sea">[http://agris.fao.org/agris-search/search.do?recordID=XF2015021737 Arasaki, Seibun, and Teruko Arasaki. "Vegetables from the sea." Japan Publ. Inc., Tokyo 96 (1983): 251-223.]</ref> but they also contain bioactive substances like polysaccharides, proteins, lipids and polyphenols, with antibacterial, antiviral and anti-fungal properties, as well as many others.<ref name="Antioxidant potential of solvent extracts of Kappaphycus alvarezii (Doty) Doty – An edible seaweed">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814607008102 Kumar, K. Suresh, K. Ganesan, and PV Subba Rao. "Antioxidant potential of solvent extracts of Kappaphycus alvarezii (Doty) Doty–An edible seaweed." Food chemistry 107.1 (2008): 289-295.]</ref> This gives seaweed great potential as a supplement in functional food or for the extraction of compounds. Proteins, peptides and amino acids from seaweed have shown positive bioactive effects in the treatment of diabetes and cancer, and the prevention of vascular diseases. The amino acid profile of some seaweed species is similar to that of animal foods. Extracts of valuable amino acids for feed supplement could be of potential because essential amino acids cannot be replaced by other compounds.<ref name="Bioactive compounds in seaweed: functional food applications and legislation">[http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10811-010-9632-5 Holdt, Susan Løvstad, and Stefan Kraan. "Bioactive compounds in seaweed: functional food applications and legislation." Journal of Applied Phycology 23.3 (2011): 543-597.]</ref><br />
<br />
===State of the art===<br />
<br />
Currently, mariculture is not a high-tech affair. Most of mariculture involves manual labor, and in part mariculture is practiced in a non-industrial setting, however we want to focus on industrial mariculture. In shallow-water mariculture the lines to where the seaweed is attached are handled manually, and the shallow waters are traversed by foot. For mariculture out on open waters ships are used to get to the farms. For mariculture further off from the shore farmers might make use of cranes to pick up lines and gather crops, this however still involves direct human labor, and sometimes physical labor to pull in lines. For aquaculture — 'indoor' mariculture, in a controlled pond or other body of water — there exist technologies like smart sensors and smart filtration systems. These technologies however are not applicable to offshore mariculture, as it is a rather different environment from the controlled ponds for which these technologies are manufactured.<br />
<br />
Our solution to mariculture goes beyond the state of the art, and we envision it has benefits for user, society and enterprise compared to current technologies.<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
* Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
* Pond-farms can make use of otherwise infertile and underutilized land.<br />
* Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
* Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
* Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
* Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
* The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
* Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
* Seaweed farms are mostly submerged, except for some buoys, so they are not visually distracting.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
<br />
* Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
* Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
* Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
* Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
* Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
* Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
* Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
* Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
* Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
===Types of farms===<br />
<br />
====Anchored====<br />
<br />
Anchored farms are static to a certain extent, seeing as they only slightly deviate from their positions due to ocean waves and currents. These anchored farms can provide protection to coastal areas were they to be anchored close to the shore. This wave-breaking property is due to the seaweed absorbing part of the energy carried by ocean waves. If the farms were to be anchored furthered away from the shore one needs to take into account the depth of the seafloor. Moreover, anchoring could potentially disturb life on the seafloor. Anchored farms are universally employed in the maricultural industry.<br />
<br />
====Drifting====<br />
<br />
Drifting farms would constitute a more advanced technology. Free-drifting farms are a liability and potentially a hazard of not attended to. Despite the dangers drifting farms could still be used, and might have benefits over anchored farms. Drifting farms can move with the ocean currents, or make use of wind power to passively drift. However, a freely drifting farm would not have any benefit over an anchored one. The main focus of a drifting farm would be to make it drift smartly — that means that it should be aware of its environment and have actuators to be able to actively move. A smartly drifting farm would be able to autonomously traverse the ocean in order to find optimal spots, for instance a nutrient-rich patch of the ocean, or a location with optimal sunlight.<br />
<br />
The drifting farm is a design challenge that we will not take on in our design, however future farms might make use of migratory techniques.<br />
<br />
===Tasks to be carried out on farms===<br />
<br />
'''Primary tasks'''<br />
* Harvesting — this is the main focus of a farm, to bring in the crop<br />
* Seeding — after harvesting new plants need to be placed<br />
* Cleaning — plants need to be cleaned ever once in a while in order to remove barnacles and pathogens<br />
'''Secondary tasks'''<br />
* Checking the quality of the plants — regularly checking the quality of the plants will let you predict the quality and quantity of the total harvest<br />
* Removing corrupt plants — bad plants need to be removed, especially the sick plants before other plants get infected<br />
<br />
==Stakeholders==<br />
<br />
===User===<br />
<br />
'''Seaweed farmers'''<br />
<br />
Seaweed farmers are the primary users of this technology. Their main interest is related to livelihood. The farmers will use this technology to make a living, and produce seaweed to sell. The technology allows them to produce more seaweed than ever before due to its efficiency. Moreover there will be health benefits for the farmers, as the strenuous physical labor will be performed by machines. Due to the scalability of this technology farmers will be able to grow their farms, and with economies of scale keep increasing their profits. Not every seaweed farmer is the same, however, and farmers with a lot of capital available will be able to invest in the farms and outcompete their competitors with less capital. This inequality divides the group of seaweed farmers in two, and this might give rise to a conflict of interest. However, farmers with less capital available will still be able to sell their seaweed as being more <i>humane</i>, which might encourage certain groups of customers.<br />
For the seaweed farmers in general we foresee a net positive.<br />
<br />
<br />
'''Food industry'''<br />
<br />
Due to an increased production of seaweed there will be an increase of available seaweed protein and nutrients from seaweed. As outlined in the section on nutrition seaweed contains a lot of nutritional substances. Having more of these substances available from a sustainable source like seaweed farming will allow the food industry to source from a more diverse pool of nutrients. We especially foresee seaweed-based nutrients be cheap due to the economies of scale. The seaweed can be sold directly, or it can be processed. Seaweed can also be used as animal feed. <br />
<br />
<br />
'''Consumers'''<br />
<br />
Consumers will benefit from this technology for several reasons. Firstly the cost reduction will aid consumers as they will have more left to spend. Protein from animals requires more resources, and hence is more expensive than plant-based protein.<ref name="Sustainability of meat-based and plant-based diets and the environment">[http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/78/3/660S.full Sustainability of meat-based and plant-based diets and the environment]</ref> Secondly plant-based protein has health benefits compared to animal protein.<ref name="Carcinogenicity of consumption of red and processed meat">[http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS1470-2045%2815%2900444-1/fulltext Carcinogenicity of consumption of red and processed meat]</ref> This health benefit does not just depend on having consumers shifting their diet, but seaweed can act as a protein source in processed foods. Finally there is the introduction of seaweed protein and nutrients in general, as outlined in the section on nutrition seaweed contains a lot of nutritional substances. Having more of these substances available from a sustainable source like seaweed farming will give consumers more choice and empower them in following a diet of their choice.<br />
<br />
<br />
'''Seafarers'''<br />
<br />
Seafarers will have to navigate around the seaweed farms, and recreational boating will not be possible next to seaweed farms. The positions of the seaweed farms should be chosen such that they do not interfere with commercial shipping routes. If the positioning of the farms isn't handled correctly seafarers might be negatively effected by this technology.<br />
<br />
<br />
'''Inhabitants of coastal regions'''<br />
<br />
This technology would introduce more seaweed farms. These farms can provide protection to coastal areas were they to be anchored close to the shore. The seaweed absorbing part of the energy carried by ocean waves gives it a wave-breaking property. This would mean that inhabitants of coastal regions will be offered more protection than just using levees without these farms. So these inhabitants could indirectly profit from this technology.<br />
<br />
<br />
'''Scientists'''<br />
<br />
The farms will be equipped with an assortment of sensors. The sensors will be used to assess the quality of the water in order to make meaningful statements about the seaweed on the farm. The information gathered by the sensors can be used for more purposes than just those in the direct interest of the farm. The data gathered can be shared with scientists, or could be fully openly shared. These datasets can be valuable for science and oceanographic research.<br />
<br />
===Society===<br />
<br />
'''Environment'''<br />
<br />
As outlined in the section on environment above, this technology benefits the environment. Currently the production of food for animals that are raised for human consumption is very costly on the environment.<ref name="Sustainability of meat-based and plant-based diets and the environment">[http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/78/3/660S.full Sustainability of meat-based and plant-based diets and the environment]</ref> These environmental benefits have a positive impact on society in general. However, due to the robots on the farm wildlife might be disturbed,<ref name="Does Military Sonar Kill Marine Wildlife?">[http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/does-military-sonar-kill/ Does Military Sonar Kill Marine Wildlife]</ref> this introduces a trade-off, the farm has to forfeit some efficiency or speed in order to not harm the environment. If the technology is implemented without regard to the environment it could turn out to be a USE nightmare.<br />
<br />
<br />
'''Government'''<br />
<br />
Partly due to the environmental benefits, and the added economical value the government might be interested in this technology. The development and deployment of this technology could be supported by governmental agencies in the form of grants and subsidies. Supporting this technology could reinvigorate the dead zones as described in the applicable section on dead zones. Combating these dead zones could benefit the ecology and benefit the conventional fishing industry. The environmental benefits could also spur tourism owing to cleaner and safer oceans. This technology could (indirectly) positively impact a nation's (or region's) GDP, so governments will have interest in supporting this technology.<br />
<br />
===Enterprise===<br />
<br />
'''Seaweed farm owners'''<br />
<br />
Seaweed farm owners are one of the largest stakeholders as enterprise entities. This technology will enable seaweed farm owners to scale their business and improve profits. The automated nature of the technology allows for increased productivity and enhanced crop security, due to 24/7 availability of the robots and constant maintenance. There is a possibility of an 'inconsiderate' implementation of the seaweed farms, in this scenario a business would optimize for profit only and would not take other stakeholders into account, this mostly impacts the environment (as outlined in the Society section). While marine life would be disturbed, pollution wouldn't be much of a problem, because polluting the direct environment of the farm would negatively impact the quality of the seaweed.<br />
<br />
<br />
'''Food industry'''<br />
<br />
As outlined in the user subsection, the food industry will be able to source more diverse nutritional substances. This increase is supply will be a benefit for the food industry.<br />
<br />
<br />
'''Culinary industry'''<br />
<br />
The technology would lead to seaweed being more ubiquitously available. This, aside from being used for processed foods, might lead to a shift in dietary preferences. Even if the dietary shift does not take place, access to cheaper seaweed might be an incentive for the culinary industry to innovate. There are many dishes that include seaweed, and there are many left to be discovered. This is not so much a direct benefit, nor is it a contrapositive. This poses a possible challenge for gastronomical innovation.<br />
<br />
<br />
'''Subsidized environmental efforts'''<br />
<br />
With the evident environmental benefits of the technology in mind there might be subsidies available for those who implement it. This might be an incentive that could kick-start the automated seaweed industry. These subsidies could give enterprises an edge compared to conventional agriculture or otherwise low-tech aquaculture.<br />
<!--<br />
<br />
===Ethical analysis===<br />
<br />
'''Utilitarian analysis'''<br />
<br />
{| class="wikitable"<br />
! <br />
! style="text-align: center;" | Using the technology<br />
! style="text-align: center;" | Using the technology<br />
irresponsibly<br />
! style="text-align: center;" | Not using the technology<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: right;" | Environment and wildlife<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | + +<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | – –<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | ○<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: right;" | Farm owners<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | +<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | + +<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | ○<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: right;" | Manual labor jobs (non-technical)<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | –<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | –<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | +<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: right;" | Maintenance jobs (technical)<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | +<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | +<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | –<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: right;" | Commercial shipping & casual boating<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | ○<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | –<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | ○<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: right;" | Oceanography<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | +<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | ○<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | ○<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: right;" | Food industry<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | +<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | +<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | ○<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: right;" | Consumers<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | +<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | +<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | ○<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: right;" | Inhabitants of coastal areas<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | +<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | ○<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | –<br />
|-<br />
| style="text-align: right; font-weight: bold;" | Total:<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | 7+<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | 1+<br />
| style="text-align: center;" | 1–<br />
|}<br />
The aspects are rated from very positive (+ +) to very negative (– –).<br />
<br />
<br />
From the table we can see that using the technology has the most utility. This is because of its benefits described in the stakeholders section. Using the technology irresponsible — without regard for the environment or other stakeholders — has a bit of positive utility, but this mostly stems from the benefit the farm owner has. Not using the technology has some negative utility, this sis surprising since we would expect the utility to be neutral. The negative utility comes from the inhabitants of coastal regions being unprotected and thus being more susceptible to danger.<br />
<br />
--><br />
<br />
==Maritime robotics==<br />
<br />
In this section we will give an overview of maritime robots and their relevant technologies.<br />
<br />
===Types of robots===<br />
<br />
Maritime robots can be classified into several categories:<br />
*Buoy: this robot floats at one spot on the surface. It is mainly used for acquiring data by using sensors attach to the buoy. It can function as an energy generator by using solar panels, also, it can be used as a relay station for communications by attaching a satellite dish. <br />
*Traveler: this robot can actively move across the water's surface by using some way of propulsion. It can be similar to the sensor buoy in its functions.<br />
*Underwater Airplane: similar to an airplane, only instead of like flying through the air it moves through water according to the same principles of fluid dynamics. Can be tricky to maneuver because it cannot stop as quickly as other types of robots. This is one of the fastest underwater robots.<br />
*Diving Box: this robot can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient. Moves up and down based on the principles of buoyancy.<br />
*Etcetera: robots that don't belong to the other categories.<br />
<br />
===Locomotion===<br />
<br />
[[File:Drifterandjet.jpg|thumb|A passive ocean drifter and a high-speed jet-propelled vessel.]]<br />
<br />
There are several ways for maritime robots to traverse the oceans:<br />
<br />
*Jet propulsion — water is taken in and propelled out at high speed, using a directed nozzle makes this very maneuverable.<br />
*Ocean current — passively drifting along the ocean current.<br />
*Propeller — a classic ship's screw to propel forwards and backwards.<br />
*Undulation — moving the body like a fish does.<br />
*Wind — using the power of the wind to sail.<br />
<br />
Some types of propulsion are passive, such as using the ocean currents and moving by wind power; this is very energy efficient, however. For more speed one would use jet propulsion or propellers.<br />
<br />
===Sensing===<br />
<br />
[[File:bathymetry.jpg |thumb|Sonar can be used for bathymetry, measuring the depth of the ocean floor.]]<br />
<br />
There are many types of sensors and things to sense.<br />
<br />
*Acoustic Doppler current profiler — measures the speed and direction of ocean currents using the principle of “Doppler shift”.<br />
*Camera — for visual data, has a limited range.<br />
*Conductivity — together with temperature and depth information, a good estimate of the salinity may be determined.<br />
*GPS — find the position, only works above the surface of the water.<br />
*Hydrophone — listen for sounds in the water.<br />
*Oxygen — determine the oxygen levels of the water.<br />
*Pressure — determine the depth the robot is at.<br />
*Semipermeable membrane density — a passive sampling device used to monitor trace levels of organic contaminants. When placed in an aquatic environment, SPMDs accumulate hydrophobic organic compounds, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and organochlorine pesticides from the surrounding waters.<br />
*Sonar — is used to find and identify objects in water. It is also used to determine water depth (bathymetry. May disturb marine life.<br />
*Temperature — determine the temperature of the water.<br />
*pH — determine the acidity of the water.<br />
<br />
Some of these things are very important for positioning, such as GPS for above-water devices, and sonar for longer range object detection. Other types of sensors could be implemented to gather data on the quality of the water — for instance the pH levels of the water could tell whether the seaweed is growing in a favorable environment. The other sensors can also be used for gathering general long-term data for use in science.<br />
<br />
===Communication===<br />
<br />
To allow an offshore farm to communicate with a land-based control station (or transmit data between the users/administrators and the farm) there are numerous conventional methods to employ. For instance satellite communication can be used to transmit and receive data. So for our sea-based machines to communicate they would need to have a part that is not submerged, or they would be required to surface to transmit data. We want to employ machines that can communicate while submerged, therefore we need to find a way to transmit data underwater.<br />
<br />
There are two ways to transmit signals under water, using wired technology or wireless technology. A wired solution would require an <i>umbilical cord</i> or tether between two communicating nodes or hosts. This wired solution is quite reliable, and obvious if the device that needs to send or receive data needs to be tethered for other reasons such as the supply of power or for anchoring purposes. However, this wired solution has its drawbacks if a device does not need to be tethered — a tether could hinder its freedom of movement — or if the distance to communicate over is quite large. For our project, we want to make use of wireless communication.<br />
<br />
Radio waves travel poorly through water, also, the propagation of radio waves gets worse at higher frequencies. So wireless communication using the radio waves — the conventional method above water— is not feasible for our farm. Further down the EM spectrum we will find visible light that could be used for sending optical signals. Optical wireless underwater communication is being researched.<ref name="Building an Underwater Wireless Sensor Network based on Optical Communication: Research Challenges and Current Results.">[http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?arnumber=5210866 Davide Anguita, Davide Brizzolara, Giancarlo Parodi. Building an Underwater Wireless Sensor Network based on Optical Communication: Research Challenges and Current Results.]</ref> But optical waves are affected by scattering. Moreover, transmission of optical signals requires high precision in pointing the narrow laser beams. <br />
<br />
Conventionally underwater communications are realized by using acoustic waves. Acoustic wave technology has been in development since the end of World War II. Underwater networking, using a modern network protocol layer stack has also been researched.<ref name="Underwater acoustic sensor networks: research challenges">[http://www.ece.rutgers.edu/~pompili/paper/Akyildiz_AdHoc05.pdf Ian F. Akyildiz, Dario Pompili, Tommaso Melodia. Underwater acoustic sensor networks: research challenges]</ref> One aspect to keep in mind when using acoustic communications is that it could disturb marine life,<ref name="How do you determine if a sound affects a marine animal">[http://www.dosits.org/animals/effectsofsound/howdoyoudetermineifasoundaffectsamarineanimal/ How do you determine if a sound affects a marine animal]</ref> this is a drawback which should be taken into account when deploying an ocean farm.<br />
<br />
===Energy===<br />
<br />
The ocean offers several alternative options for energy generation.<ref name="Ocean Energy Europe">[http://www.oceanenergy-europe.eu/index.php/association/technologies Ocean Energy Europe]</ref> When a robot can use it's own energy on the sea, it is more autonomous.<br />
Options for Alternative ocean energy:<br />
*Tidal energy: generates energy from the currents caused by the tides. The flow makes a rotor or foil spin and the mechanical moition is then converted to electricity. Tidal energy is in development and taking steps to commercial viability.<br />
*Wave energy: generates electricity from the height difference in waves. Wave energy is well developped and applicable in many different settings.<br />
*Salinity gradient: fresh water and salt water mix at the mouts of rivers, where energy can be harnessed from the osmosis process. This technology is in an early development stage with small pilots taking place in Norway and the Netherlands. It is one of the largest renewable energy resources that has not yet been exploited.<br />
*Tidal Range: Uses the difference in sea level with the tides to generate electricity. Fills a barrier at high tide and discharges the water from one side to the other at low tide. It is essentially the same technology as with conventional hydropower.<br />
*Ocean thermal energy conversion:is a very consistent energy source and provides so called base-load power. The temperature differences between deep cold waters and shallow warm and tropical waters is exploited to run a heat engine.<br />
<br />
==Proposed design==<br />
<br />
===Description===<br />
<br />
[[File:Growout_syst-extra.gif|thumb|Standard Japanese Laminaria farm.]]<br />
*'''System Design''' The farm will be made up from a classic, vertical underwater seaweed farm, and a modern system at the surface for automation. At the surface, there are rails stretched between buoys over which a harvesting robot can move. In the middle of the farm, drifts a home base. This is where the monitoring sensors are located, and the data is communicated to the mainland. At the home base, the robot can recharge. At the sides of the surface system, there are harvest collection nets placed. With one for each individual farmer<br />
*'''Modular''' The entire farm will be modular. All modules will be square and have a surface area that the harvesting robot can cover in 3 hours, after that it will have to return to the base station, to recharge and to dispense of the harvested seaweed. This way it can move efficiently around the farm. The robot can walk a fast path and will have to cross the same paths as little as possible, which limits obstructions when something breaks. When one module need repairing, it can easily be removed and repaired without creating disadvantage for the other modules. Another benefit is that the farmers can try the HASP farm and start out small with one module, and then later expand. The modular construction makes our system flexible and adaptable<br />
*'''Location''' Our own Dutch North Sea might just be to place to be. With an average temperature of 12 degrees,<ref name="Gemiddelde Watertemperatuur Noordzee">[http://gemiddeldgezien.nl/gemiddelde-watertemperatuur-noordzeeGemiddelde Watertemperatuur Noordzee]</ref> a former deadzone that is struggling with pollution from the many estuaries, and with a country that has always struggled with living beneath a rising sealevel, the seaweed farm has a lot to offer. When we also consider the busy shipping routes in the North Sea, Zeeland would be the most suitable area.<br />
*'''Farmed type of seaweed''' The HASP will farm the Laminaria seaweed species. There is a high demand for this particlar species, which can not be fulfilled with the current techniques. Laminaria also has a low impact on the environment and grows well in our location's water temperatures. Therfore, laminaria is the most suitable seaweed to cultivate in our design.<br />
<br />
===Automation===<br />
<br />
====Seeding====<br />
<br />
Like at normal seafarming, the young seedlings will first be grown at land in a greenhouse in the summer, when the water is hot. Mid-November, when they have grown 10-15 cm, they need to be planted at the seafarm. The seedlings are attached to the vertical lines to grow out, with the upper plants receving more sunlight than the lower ones. Can one of our robots attcach the seeds to the ropes?<br />
<br />
====Control and hygiene====<br />
<br />
There are several diseases that could affect the seaweed, caused by bacteria or by the enviroment. These diseases can be recognized visually and envirmental factors can be measured. Sensors would be needed for: illumination (too much or too little light causes rot), fresh/salt water level and pollution. All diseases require different treatments. We could automate these treatments but the costs would not make up for the benefits. Therefore the system will alarm the farmer when the enviroment of the seaweed is turning hostile. This will be measured by light and osmotic sensors. When the recorded levels turn critical, the farmer is contacted so that he or she can check up on the seaweed.<br />
<br />
Harm done by water grazers like fish can be minimized by placing the farm in deep waters, away from the coastal fish and the creatures on the seafloor.<br />
<br />
====Harvesting====<br />
<br />
Harvesting can be started in April. The plant grows faster in winter and slower in summer, with a rate of 1.1 cm per day in May. Making up for 2.5 meters a year. The plant can regenerate when it's been trimmed, but will grow slower. The normal age with this practice does not exceed 4 years.<br />
When the robot cuts off the seaweed it has to despense it. Returning to the homebase would be too time consuming so the harvested seaweed will be collected in a small container at the surface where the robot is located. Another option is a net that stays behind the robot, underwater.<br />
<br />
====Drying====<br />
<br />
It seems very inefficient to dry the seaweed in the open sea, it takes a lot of space and when one wave flushes over it, all the drying will have been for nothing. For that reason, seaweed must be taken to the mainland to dry. After it has been harvested, it must be stored for a short period, before it is transported. The robot will collect the harvested crops in a net, at the edges of the farm. Here the seaweed is stored underwater, to prevent it from rotting. The farmer can then easily collect his harvest by simply emptying the net in his boat.<br />
<br />
====Transport====<br />
<br />
When the seaweed is harvested from the lines, it is collected at the base station, when the farmer comes to collect it, the harvest is transported from the center of the system to the edge, so that the farmer can easily reach the seaweed.<br />
<br />
====Communication to mainland====<br />
<br />
Sensor readings about the enviroment are daily communicated to the farmer and perhaps the agencies that make use of the data. In case of critical levels of salinity, light or pollution, a warning is send out to the farmer so that he or she can check the seaweed on diseases.<br />
<br />
====Mapping tasks to robots====<br />
<br />
====Energy====<br />
<br />
[[File:buoy.png|thumb|The PowerBuoy by OPT]]<br />
<br />
With the climate crisis that humanity is facing, it would be highly unwise to use fossil fuels, as to not contribute to global warming. Therefore, our farm will be powered on renewable energy sources. If system is capable of generating its own energy, it will be a lot more autonomous and low on maintenance. The most used renewable energy sources are wind and solar. However, the ocean offers many alternatives. Wave energy would be the most suitable for our design, because it does not require temperature differences, large surface areas, or specific locations. There are many different technologies for harnessing energy from the waves, ours must remain at one spot and be small. The powerbuoy developped by "Ocean power technologies" meets these requirements. The smallest version, the PB3, has a power capacity of 8400 Wh/Day at 80% availability. It has been proven to survive extreme weather conditions, such as hurricanes, and could dissipate the large surplus of energy it produced at waves of up to 15 meters. <ref name = "Businesswire: Ocean Power Technologies PowerBuoy Successfully Withstands Hurricane Irene (2011)">[http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20110831006979/en/Ocean-Power-Technologies-PowerBuoy-Successfully-Withstands-Hurricane]</ref><br />
<br />
<br />
'''Energy Requirements'''<br />
*The robot's motors use 27 kW/h, but only move seperately, the robot can run for 3 hours after fully charging.<br />
*Data collection and Communication:<br />
<br />
====Scalability====<br />
<br />
The farm will be expandable, consisting of square modules of ?*? meters for efficient charging and functioning of the robot. The seaweed will grow 2 meters beneath the surface to avoid over exposure to light. Vertical lines will be 5 meters long and 2 meters apart. To keep them straight, a weight of 400 grams will be attached to the ends of the lines. Young Laminaria seedings will be planted at 5 centimeters apart, making up for 100 plants per line.<ref name="Number of plants on a Chinese farm line">[http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/AB724E/AB724E02.htm Number of plants on a Chinese farm line]</ref><br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
<br />
The robots behaviour underwater would generate sound. Although the underwater world might seem silent to humans, fish experience sound intensly. The effects of human generated sounds on fish might therefore be harmful. Research results vary from little to no effect, to immediate death. Because the variety of sounds and fish is so large, we will try to minimize the sound level but not take extra measures to protect the fish from our robot's noises.<br />
<br />
===Big Data and IoT===<br />
<br />
The farm comes equipped with a lot of sensors to monitor its own condition and its environment. Using all of this data one can analyze it in real time, and after collecting more data extrapolate long-term trends. With all the robotic agents on the farm, combined with the data collected, the farm can be administrated remotely. The farm can be made smart to send out maintenance calls on its own accord. The big data opportunity empowers farmers to have a more clear oversight on their crops. Compared to conventional agriculture data collection is much easier on our farm — instead of taking soil samples a couple of sensors could constantly survey the water.<br />
<br />
====Science====<br />
<br />
The data collected by the farm and its robots can be shared with scientists and governments. More farms mean more sensors and thus a larger sensor size. This data would for example be very useful to The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) on which engineers and scientist can find all the data available about the european waters. The European Commission has started Marine Knowledge 2020 with the aim to bring to bring all of the marine data from different sources together. This initiative exemplifies the need for marine data.<br />
<br />
==Robot prototype==<br />
<br />
===Design process===<br />
<br />
The design for the prototype consists of three components, one for the movement, one for grabbing and cutting and one for the Arduino and battery. The robot moves along a cable, for our prototype we will use a bicycle chain. The robot has three gearing wheels for a stable movement along the cable. The gearing wheel in the middle is driven by an engine. The component with the Arduino and the battery is hanging below the movement-component, just like a chairlift. This component should be heavy enough to sink, this is necessary to keep the bicycle chain on tension. This is the only component that should be waterproof, because it contains the Arduino and the battery. Below this component is the cut-and-grab-component, and is joined to the mothership with rope or a telescoping arm. This rope or telescoping arm is needed for a vertical movement, the robot should be able to cut at different depths. The claw should be able to grab seaweed that might have flowed away a bit, so the claw should be able to move horizontal. This happens by a telescoping arm. The scissors should be placed above the claw, otherwise the robot would cut seaweed that is not hold by the claw.<br />
<br />
===Technical description===<br />
<br />
<br />
[[File:HASP_robot_sliding.png|border|center|400px|Sliding mechanism of the robot.]]<br />
The estimated maximum weight at the end of the pipe is 1kg that equals a force of 10N. The force at the left side is then 23N, computed with F_1∙r_1=F_2∙r_2. The Normal force in the middle, which should cancel the other two forces, is 33N. The friction force if given by F_friction=μ_s∙F_n. The friction coefficient (μ¬s) and has a value of 0.3 for plastic on plastic. This results in a friction force of 7.0N and 10N for the left top side and bottom side of the pipe, respectively. This is showed in figure x.<br />
Thus the maximum friction force between the plastic pipes is 17 N. <br />
<br />
<br />
[[File:HASP_robot_forces01.png|border|center|400px|Forces acting on the robot arm.]]<br />
The friction force that acts on the rope at the edge of the pipe depends on the applied forces on the rope. This applied force depends on the Fpull from figure 1 and the friction force. So the friction forces depends partly on itself, shown in figure 2. Euler’s method can be used to solve this problem. The friction coefficient in 0.4. Start with computing the friction if there is no friction, after that use that friction to compute the next friction. Keep going until the limit is reached. This gives 0.4∙34=13.6 →0.4∙(34+13.6)=19.6 →0.4∙(34+19.6)=21.44 →0.4∙(34+21.44)=22.18, this keeps going until F¬-_friction=22.67. <br />
So the total force is F_tot=17+22.76≈40N. The engine has a torque of 4800 gram/cm, this is equal to 48 N/cm. So the maximum radius of the spool is r=1.2 cm. <br />
<br />
<br />
[[File:HASP_robot_forces02.png|border|center|400px|Forces acting on the robot arm.]]<br />
<br />
===Demonstration===<br />
<br />
==Business and law==<br />
<br />
In 2014, the total annual value of produced seaweed was $6.4 billion. Worldwide, 93.8% of the global total production of aquatic plants came from aquaculture. Countries in East and Southeast Asia dominate seaweed culture production.<ref name="A guide to the seaweed industry">[http://www.fao.org/3/a-y4765e.pdf A guide to the seaweed industry]</ref> About 25 million tonnes of seaweeds and other algae are harvested annually for use as food, in cosmetics and fertilizers, and are processed to extract thickening agents or used as an additive to animal feed.<ref name="The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2014">[http://www.fao.org/3/a-i3720e.pdf The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2014]</ref> For the demand of food-grade seaweed to grow, there needs to be a dietary trend towards protein-rich vegetables, which seems to be the case. Growing the demand for seaweed requires a shift in the consumer's perception of seaweed as a food. Seaweed can be processed to be used as a source of nutrients for certain processed foods. There is increasing demand for seaweed as an agricultural supply, to use as animal food. It is also possible to use seaweed as a source for certain chemicals, for example for use in cosmetics.<br />
<br />
===Business case===<br />
<br />
Increasing demand for seaweed over the last fifty years outstripped the ability to supply requirements from natural (wild) stocks.<ref name="A guide to the seaweed industry">[http://www.fao.org/3/a-y4765e.pdf A guide to the seaweed industry]</ref> This increasing demand presents a fine opportunity for any entrepreneurs to enter the seaweed business. Currently most of the production is centered in Asia, with Europe representing only 0.01 percent of the total market. With Europe being such a small player on a global scale, and with demand outstripping supply, high-tech scalable automated seaweed farms could disrupt the global market and make Europe more competitive. This has domestic benefits, due to not having to import seaweed anymore. China, a huge market for seaweed, has been importing seaweed because it can't supply enough seaweed itself. <br />
<br />
===Business model===<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm will not be cheap, due to its advanced technologies and special location. In order to make the investment worth it for the farmer, the farm will have to produce a lot of seaweed, and therefore cover a large area. <br />
<br />
The seaweed market in the Netherlands is still relatively niche. The current producers are small. Therefore we do not expect them, or other future producers, to do a large investment in our farm, we need to find a way to offer our product on a small scale, that is still profitable. A lot of costs and resources would be saved if the seaweedfarm would be installed collectively, instead of scattered along the coastal areas. The energy generated by the energy buoy could be shared, the robot could be shared and the incoming environmental data too. In general, less material and surface area would be required, which would be beneficial for the environment and cause less nuisance to ships. If the farmer would have to learn as little as possible about the new system to use it, and just be concerned with the classic seaweedfarm that he is already using, we expect him to be more tempted to try the HASP. <br />
<br />
When we take all this into consideration, we have to take a look at the new business models that the upcoming circular economy – aimed at building an economy that does not produce waste - offers us. In our business model, our product is not just a product, and our customers are not just customers. The seaweed farm will be offered as a service, of which the farmers will be the users. We will lease acces to our system, and adjust it to make it as reusable, and regenerative as possible. <br />
The tasks left for the user would be: picking, growing and planting the seedlings, checking on the crops when the system sends out an alarm, and picking up the harvest. The user could start out with one module and expand in the years to come, or adjust their production to their personal situations. Meanwhile, the tasks of us, the producers, would be the installation and the maintenance of the system. <br />
<br />
We believe that by creating the opportunity to use HASP with low investments, flexibility, options for expansion and not requiring any new knowledge, we lower the threshold, and make our system as attractive and approachable as possible to the small seaweed producers that are active today in the Netherlands. <br />
The additional costs of using the system as a service, would be balanced out by the investment that would not have to be made, and the costs of maintenance and the education needed for that.<br />
<br />
====Cost vs. profit====<br />
''Coming up: cost/profit analyis based on an Irish project''<br />
Costs:<br />
*A seedling curtain, with 40.000 - 50.000 seedlings costs about 0.5-0.6 US Dollars.<ref name="FAO Laminaria">[http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Laminaria_japonica/en FAO Laminaria]</ref><br />
*Continuous rope seaweed system, an Irish seaweed farm, similar but more superficial than our system. For a 100 ton production, a surface area op 900 square meters, and 450 meter line, including buoys and anchors, the system costs 84,128 EUR. <ref name="The Economics of Seaweed Aquaculture in Ireland Laminaria digitata and Palmaria palmata (2012)"> [https://www.was.org/documents/MeetingPresentations/AQUA2012/AQUA2012_0540.pdf] </ref><br />
Profit:<br />
* 1 KG of Chinese dry Laminaria Japonica is sold at the Chinese market price of 0.5 Chinese Yen, or 0.07 Euros.<ref name="FAO Artificial Enhancement of Natural Laminaria Stocks">[http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab724e/AB724E10.htm FAO Artificial Enhancement of Natural Laminaria Stocks]</ref> However, Irish sources estimate the value of 1 KG laminaria on 1-2 euros. Because the Dutch market resembles the Irish market more, we will use the Irish estimation in our business model. <ref name="The Economics of Seaweed Aquaculture in Ireland Laminaria digitata and Palmaria palmata (2012)"> [https://www.was.org/documents/MeetingPresentations/AQUA2012/AQUA2012_0540.pdf] </ref><br />
<br />
*After how many years will the farm be profitable?<br />
<br />
===Laws===<br />
<br />
[[File:EEZ_worldmap.jpg|thumb|Exclusive Economic Zones of sovereign states.]]<br />
<br />
An exclusive economic zone is a sea zone prescribed by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea over which a state has special rights regarding the use of natural resources.<ref name="Exclusive Economic Zone">[https://www.un.org/depts/los/convention_agreements/texts/unclos/part5.htm Exclusive Economic Zone]</ref> So states could allow their citizens to maintain sea farms in these areas, and could set their own rules for the use of these waters.<br />
<br />
<br />
For international waters the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea also states that states have right for their nationals to engage in fishing. There are also obligations to adhere to the obligations of any treaties, take measures necessary for the conservation of living resources, this obligation to protect marine life also explicitly extends to the conservation and management of marine mammals in the high seas. The sea farms don't necessarily use up living resources, but could impact them. The sea farms also take up nutrients form the surrounding waters and release oxygen into the water. If a sea farm would be improperly implemented, for instance its sounds would harm marine mammals, then it would be a reason to block the use of the farms. However, for the proper use of these farms in international waters there would be a need to regulate the locations of the farms as to not block other seafarers.<br />
For the use of the sea farms in international waters the main points are: adhere to international treaties, don't harm marine life and don't obstruct marine traffic.<br />
<br />
==Looking ahead==<br />
<br />
===Room for improvement===<br />
<br />
The robot in our design will operate from 2 to 7 meters below the surface. Our current prototype would not be fit to stand the such pressures (0.7845 bar for eight meters, to be sure.) In a commercial design, the robot have to be constructed more robust.<br />
<br />
In the current design, the modules all have their own buoys and anchors. It would be far more efficient if the buoys and anchors could be placed strategically, so that the modules can share them whilst keeping the advantages of modularity.<br />
<br />
Many more activities of the user could be automated, like seeding and disease prevention. Especially seeding would be the first task to automate, if we had more time to work on the project. Seeding is a labour intesive task and can be problematic when the farmer has to directly access the growing lines, on a boat in the area where the navigation lines for the robot are drifting.<br />
<br />
===Future farms===<br />
<br />
The farm we have outlined only concerns the cultivation of seaweed. However, farms can be augmented by employing bivalves in order to filter the water of pollutants.<ref name="Biosorption and bioaccumulation of heavy metals by rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata in the Persian Gulf">[http://www.intelaquares.com/doc/7b.pdf Biosorption and bioaccumulation of heavy metals by rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata in the Persian Gulf]</ref><br />
<br />
Future farms should strive for maximum autonomy. Tasks that are carried out by people in the current prototype should be automated, for instance the planting of seedlings is to be replaced by on-site incubation of seedlings, and using a robot for putting them on a line.<br />
<br />
===Recommendations===<br />
<br />
===Horizon 2020===<br />
<br />
'''Applicable areas:'''<br />
<br />
*Agriculture & forestry<br />
*Aquatic resources<br />
*Bio-based industries<br />
*Environment & climate action<br />
*Food & healthy diet<br />
*Innovation<br />
*SME (small-medium enterprise)<br />
<br />
'''Relevant research calls:'''<br />
<br />
*High value-added specialized vessel concepts enabling more efficient servicing of emerging coastal and offshore activities.<ref name="Horizon 2020 (1)">[https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/5119-bg-02-2016-2017.html Horizon 2020 (1)]</ref> € 7 million<br />
*New sources of proteins for animal feed from co-products to address the EU protein gap.<ref name="Horizon 2020 (2)">[https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/17081-bbi-2016-d08.html Horizon 2020 (2)]</ref> € 15 million<br />
*Promoting and supporting the eco-intensification of aquaculture production systems: inland (including fresh water), coastal zone, and offshore.<ref name="Horizon 2020 (3)">[https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/6050-sfs-32-2017.html Horizon 2020 (3)]</ref> € 6 million<br />
<br />
'''Also'''<br />
Marine Knowledge 2020 with The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet), aims to collect a lot more data from the seas and oceans than we do at the moment.<ref name="EMODnet">[http://www.emodnet.eu EMODnet]</ref><br />
<br />
==Discussion==<br />
'''Ethical analysis'''<br />
*User:<br />
<br />
*Society<br />
<br />
*Enterprise<br />
<br />
==Conclusion==<br />
<br />
==Sources and references==<br />
<br />
===Sources===<br />
<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Climate council (2016) [https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/seaweed-climate-change How seaweed can help us tackle climate change ]<br />
*Doty, M.S. & Caddy, J.F. & Santelices, B. (1987), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Flannery, Tim (2015), [http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/nov/20/climate-crisis-future-brighter-tim-flannery Climate crisis: seaweed, coffee and cement could save the planet]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Juanich, Godardo L. (1988), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/ac416e00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE(1. EUCHEUMA SPP.)]<br />
*Kitadai, Yuuki & Kadowaki, Shusaki (2007), [https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf Growth, nitrogen and phosphorous uptake rates and O2 production rate of seaweeds cultured on coastal fish farms]<br />
*Kleis, Roelof (2010), [http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification]<br />
*Lacey, Stephen & Mellino, Cole (2011), [http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
* NOAA Ocean Explorer Webmaster (2013), [http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/technology/tools/tools.html NOAA Observing Systems and Sensors]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Popper, Arthur N. & Hastings, Mardi C. (2009), [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1749-4877.2008.00134.x/epdf The effects of human-generated sound on fish]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image]. <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
===References===<br />
<br />
{{reflist}}</div>S146529https://cstwiki.wtb.tue.nl/index.php?title=PRE2015_4_Groep5&diff=27176PRE2015 4 Groep52016-05-12T13:51:56Z<p>S146529: /* Sources */</p>
<hr />
<div>__FORCETOC__<br />
<br />
[[File:HASP_logo_v0.1.png|600px|right]]<br />
<br />
== Group members ==<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
==Introduction==<br />
<br />
===Abstract===<br />
<br />
===Problem statement===<br />
<br />
The world needs to produce at least 50% more food to feed 9 billion people by 2050. But climate change could cut crop yields by more than 25%.<ref name="Food security">[http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/foodsecurity]</ref> With this in mind we need to look for novel solutions to the problem of insufficient food production. This solution will need to take the interests of users, society, and enterprise into account. Moreover, this solution needs to surpass the state of the art by employing cutting-edge technology.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15).</ref><br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
===Motivation===<br />
<br />
Nutrition is vital to sustaining life, and food security is important for political stability and human welfare. We want to address the problem of food availability due to its relevance: continuing population and consumption growth will mean that the global demand for food will increase for at least another 40 years.<ref name="Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People">[http://science.sciencemag.org/content/327/5967/812 Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People]</ref><br />
<br />
Agriculture is an integral part of the European economy and society. It provides the basis for food, feed and non-food products to meet the demands of consumers and a wide range of industries.<ref name="Horizon 2020: Agriculture & Forestry">[https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/en/area/agriculture-forestry Agriculture & Forestry]</ref> By designing a solution to the agricultural challenge we will need to take into account the needs of users: like consumers of food, society: the ecological impacts of our solution, and enterprise: the solution needs to be competitive in order to gain an economical advantage.<br />
<br />
The agricultural industry is ever advancing, not only is the biological aspect of farming being researched, there are also improvements in automation,<ref name="Agricultural Robotics and Automation">[http://www.ieee-ras.org/agricultural-robotics Agricultural Robotics and Automation]</ref> and we want to explore the automation of this industry. We want to develop a solution that allows for automation of food production beyond the state of the art, moreover the solution needs to be scalable.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
==Mariculture==<br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
Mariculture is a specialized branch of aquaculture involving the cultivation of marine organisms for food and other products in the open ocean, an enclosed section of the ocean, or in tanks, ponds or raceways which are filled with seawater. An example of the latter is the farming of marine fish, including finfish and shellfish like prawns, or oysters and seaweed in saltwater ponds.<ref name="Mariculture">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariculture Mariculture]</ref><br />
<br />
In this section we will explore mariculture, and explain why we chose it as a solution to the problem previously stated. Mariculture encompasses a wide range of organisms, from the cultivation of water-based plants to the breeding of aquatic animals. For this project we will focus on the cultivation of aquatic plants, and in particular types of seaweed.<br />
<br />
===Commonly cultivated seaweed species===<br />
<br />
*The total seaweed production features a lot of brown kelps. These weeds grow in cold water zones, they are long and have a leathery structure. They must be harvested before the water temperature rises to 21 degrees, otherwise the kelps will rot. Kombu (Laminaria Japonica) is used a lot in Japanese recipies for soups, as dried snacks, or in salads. Kombu is a dietary fiber and contains high levels of iodine. In China, 50% of the Laminaria production is meant for industrial purposes for its iodine, algin and mannitol. Due to this, laminaria are considered as one of the best renewable resources and it makes up for a major part of the maricultural sector. Japan has made effort to increase the production but due to its labour intensitive nature, the market is not expected to expand notably. [http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Laminaria_japonica/en] Wakame (Undaria) is the type of kelp you will find in your misosoup. With a subtle sweet flavour and satin-like texture it is most suitable for human consumption. The weed is a rich source of omega-3 and helps burn fatty tissue. However, it is also in the top 100 of worst invasive species in cold waters, which is partly caused by aquaculture. [ http://www.seaweed.ie/]<br />
<br />
*Gelidium amansii and Pterocladia are valuable red algae that can be found at shallow coasts. They can be used in salads and to make agar, a jelly-like substance that can be used for microbiological research and various industrial purposes. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelidium_amansii] They have been cultured in Korea since the last century, but always on a small scale. There have been various attempts to farm the algae at sea, but the slow growth rate and required non-contaminated waters made it unattractive for commercial cultivation.[https://books.google.nl/books?id=19mM4xtgfOMC&pg=PA2&lpg=PA2&dq=Pterocladia+farm&source=bl&ots=MtH0LvASHr&sig=RXZNWMEOLnv1yS-WP2fWqv6SDpo&hl=nl&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwieqMmLnsrMAhXlAsAKHVoKDzwQ6AEIRTAF#v=onepage&q=Pterocladia%20farm&f=false]<br />
<br />
*Nori or Zicai (Porphyra) are most famous for composing the sushi wraps. The red algae grow in cold and shallow waters in the intertidal zone. After growing in the sea for 50 days, the weeds can be harvested every 10-15 days. The Nori market is stable, the demand is not expected to grow or shrink in the coming years. In Japan, the annual production is valued at 1 billion US dollars.[http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Porphyra_spp/en#tcNA0112]<br />
<br />
===Mariculture as a solution===<br />
<br />
===Environment===<br />
<br />
====Dead zones====<br />
<br />
[[File:Deadzones.jpg|thumb|Dead zones in oceans around the world.]]<br />
<br />
Ocean dead zones are areas with low oxygen levels and hardly any marine life. These areas are caused by agriculture fertilizers that increase the level of nitrogen and phosphorus, also known as eutriphication. The result is a rapid increase in phytoplankton, because they are 'build' from phosphorus and nitrogen. These algal blooms cause deadzones. The number of deadzones is increasing.<br />
As a result, the fertility of the marine life drops dramatically, and in more extreme cases, fish fall unconcious and then suffocate. Slow moving creatures on the seafloor are unable to escape.<br />
Seaweed is capable of uptaking both nitrogen and phosphorus and replacing it with oxygen. For this reason seaweed is also cultivated around fishfarms. Seaweed would be a cheap although perhaps slow solution in the reviving of deadzones.[https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf]<br />
<br />
====Climate====<br />
Seaweed can assimilate a lot of CO<sub>2</sub> about 30 to 60 times the rate of land plants. But this will not solve the CO<sub>2</sub>-problem, because the CO<sub>2</sub> will be released when the seaweed will be consumed. Seaweed only contributes indirectly to a better milieu. Because of the seaweed farms less forests will disappear for farmlands. This forest contributes to a net CO<sub>2</sub> storage. Seaweed can also be used for the production of biomethane and electricity. So the unsustainable fuels can be replaced, this results in less CO<sub>2</sub> pollution.<br />
<br />
====Locations====<br />
<br />
To determine the best location for a sea-farm we have to take into account several aspects. The temperature of the seawater should be the right temperature for seaweed. For example the best temperature for growing Eucheuma is 20-25 °Celsius, but there are also species that can grow in water of 10 °Celsius. So seaweed can grow in almost every ocean. The depth of the sea does not matter for the seaweed of farm, because we will only use species that grow from the surface downwards. But for the farm itself the depth does matter. Anchoring the farm is easier in a shallow area in the ocean. Commonly these areas are near the coast, an advantage of sea-farms which are near the costs is that the transport from farm to the secondary users is cheaper. Also building and maintaining the farm is easier if it is closer to the mainland. The dead zones are also located near the seashore, so the dead zones are an extra motivation of locating the sea-farms there. A disadvantage are the shipping routes that are located in these areas. Thankfully, these routes are taken by most commercial ships. This leaves open spots near the coast where there are no passing ships and where the seaweedfarms could be located. Important shipping routes at the Dutch coast [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NoordzeeScheepvaartroutes.png] With the sealevels rising due to climate change, and the seafarm's habit breaking waves, it would be beneficial to locate the farm nearby a shore that is threatend by rising sea levels.<br />
<br />
===Nutrition===<br />
<br />
From a nutritional standpoint, the main properties of seaweeds that distinguish them from higher plants are their high mineral and dietary fibre contents. The high iron and magnesium contents are of particular nutritional interest due to their metabolic or functional properties. In comparison with other sources of fibres, seaweeds contain a high proportion of soluble fibres, which exhibit original fermentation patterns in the large intestine. Red seaweeds have a high protein content, comparable to that of high-protein vegetables. Available data suggest that they have a unique amino acid pattern, complementary to that of most terrestrial vegetables.<ref name="Seaweed in food products: biochemical and nutritional aspects">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/092422449390091N Serge Mabeau, Joël Fleurence: Seaweed in food products: biochemical and nutritional aspects (1993)]</ref> Edible brown and red seaweeds could be used as a food supplement to help meet the recommended daily adult intakes of some macrominerals and trace elements.<ref name="P. Rupérez: Mineral content of edible marine seaweeds (2002)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814602001711 P. Rupérez: Mineral content of edible marine seaweeds (2002)]</ref><br />
<br />
There might be some hesitance in the use of seaweed for human nutrition, but the seaweeds which are used as biological filters and food material for farmed animals could easily be included in the human food value chain by this route.<ref name="What are the prospects for using seaweed in human nutrition and for marine animals raised through aquaculture?">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224412000544 Joël Fleurence, Michele Morançais, Justine Dumay, Priscilla Decottignies, Vincent Turpin, Mathilde Munier, Nuria Garcia-Bueno and Pascal Jaouen: What are the prospects for using seaweed in human nutrition and for marine animals raised through aquaculture? (2012)]</ref><ref name="Joël Fleurence: Seaweed proteins: biochemical, nutritional aspects and potential use (1999)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224499000151 Joël Fleurence: Seaweed proteins: biochemical, nutritional aspects and potential use (1999)]</ref><br />
<br />
As seaweed accumulates important substances from the surrounding water, it does not only accumulate the desired minerals and trace metals but it also accumulates undesirable metals and heavy metals from the surrounding environment.<ref name="Bioactive compounds in seaweed: functional food applications and legislation">[http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10811-010-9632-5 Holdt, Susan Løvstad, and Stefan Kraan. "Bioactive compounds in seaweed: functional food applications and legislation." Journal of Applied Phycology 23.3 (2011): 543-597.]</ref> This can be exploited, and seaweed can be used as a biofilter, but if the goal is nutrition it is important to not let seaweed grow in polluted water. <br />
<br />
Seaweeds are known for their richness in polysaccharides, minerals and certain vitamins,<ref name="Vegetables from the sea">[http://agris.fao.org/agris-search/search.do?recordID=XF2015021737 Arasaki, Seibun, and Teruko Arasaki. "Vegetables from the sea." Japan Publ. Inc., Tokyo 96 (1983): 251-223.]</ref> but they also contain bioactive substances like polysaccharides, proteins, lipids and polyphenols, with antibacterial, antiviral and anti-fungal properties, as well as many others.<ref name="Antioxidant potential of solvent extracts of Kappaphycus alvarezii (Doty) Doty – An edible seaweed">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814607008102 Kumar, K. Suresh, K. Ganesan, and PV Subba Rao. "Antioxidant potential of solvent extracts of Kappaphycus alvarezii (Doty) Doty–An edible seaweed." Food chemistry 107.1 (2008): 289-295.]</ref> This gives seaweed great potential as a supplement in functional food or for the extraction of compounds. Proteins, peptides and amino acids from seaweed have shown positive bioactive effects in the treatment of diabetes and cancer, and the prevention of vascular diseases. The amino acid profile of some seaweed species is similar to that of animal foods. Extracts of valuable amino acids for feed supplement could be of potential because essential amino acids cannot be replaced by other compounds.<ref name="Bioactive compounds in seaweed: functional food applications and legislation">[http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10811-010-9632-5 Holdt, Susan Løvstad, and Stefan Kraan. "Bioactive compounds in seaweed: functional food applications and legislation." Journal of Applied Phycology 23.3 (2011): 543-597.]</ref><br />
<br />
===State of the art===<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
* Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
* Pond-farms can make use of otherwise infertile and underutilized land.<br />
* Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
* Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
* Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
* Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
* The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
* Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
<br />
* Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
* Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
* Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
* Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
* Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
* Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
* Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
* Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
* Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
* Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
===Types of farms===<br />
<br />
====Anchored====<br />
<br />
====Drifting====<br />
<br />
===Tasks to be carried out on farms===<br />
'''Primary tasks'''<br />
* Seeding<br />
* Cleaning<br />
* Harvesting<br />
'''Secondary tasks'''<br />
* Checking the quality of the plants<br />
* Removing corrupt plants<br />
* Pruning<br />
<br />
==Stakeholders==<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===User===<br />
Seaweed farmers.<br />
<br />
Drawback: Introduction of our system on the mariculture market could cost the jobs of the few brave seaweed farmers we have today. These farmers operate on a small scale on a small market and would be easily competed out. To prevent this, our systems user group is are the already existing seaweed farmers that want to expand their business, and the more industrialized farmers in Asia.<br />
<br />
The users: The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
<br />
===Society===<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
<br />
===Enterprise===<br />
It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is using the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
==Maritime robotics==<br />
<br />
<br />
<i><br />
::Specifications<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
::Practical tips<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be used for building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
::Responsibility<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!</i><br />
<br />
===Types of robots===<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===Locomotion===<br />
<br />
[[File:Drifterandjet.jpg|thumb|A passive ocean drifter and a high-speed jet.]]<br />
<br />
*Jet propulsion — water is taken in and propelled out at high speed, using a directed nozzle makes this very maneuverable.<br />
*Ocean current — passively drifting along the ocean current.<br />
*Propeller — a classic ship's screw to propel forwards and backwards.<br />
*Undulation — moving the body like a fish does.<br />
*Wind — using the power of the wind to sail.<br />
<br />
===Sensing===<br />
<br />
[[File:bathymetry.jpg |thumb|Sonar can be used for bathymetry, measuring the depth of the ocean floor.]]<br />
<br />
*Acoustic Doppler current profiler — measures the speed and direction of ocean currents using the principle of “Doppler shift”.<br />
*Camera — for visual data, has a limited range.<br />
*Conductivity — together with temperature and depth information, a good estimate of the salinity may be determined.<br />
*GPS — find the position, only works above the surface of the water.<br />
*Hydrophone — listen for sounds in the water.<br />
*Oxygen — determine the oxygen levels of the water.<br />
*Pressure — determine the depth the robot is at.<br />
*Semipermeable membrane density — a passive sampling device used to monitor trace levels of organic contaminants. When placed in an aquatic environment, SPMDs accumulate hydrophobic organic compounds, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and organochlorine pesticides from the surrounding waters.<br />
*Sonar — is used to find and identify objects in water. It is also used to determine water depth (bathymetry. May disturb marine life.<br />
*Temperature — determine the temperature of the water.<br />
*pH — determine the acidity of the water.<br />
<br />
===Communication===<br />
===Energy===<br />
The ocean offers several alternative options for energy generation. When a robot can use it's own energy on the sea, it is more autonomous.<br />
Options for Alternative ocean energy:<br />
*Tidal energy<br />
*Wave energy<br />
*Salinity gradient<br />
*Tidal Range<br />
*Ocean thermal energy conversion<br />
*Tidal range<br />
<br />
==Proposed design==<br />
<br />
===Description===<br />
*'''Location''' Our own Dutch North Sea might just be to place to be. With an average temperature of 12 degrees[http://gemiddeldgezien.nl/gemiddelde-watertemperatuur-noordzee], a former deadzone that is struggling with pollution from the many estuaries, and with a country that has always struggled with living beneath a rising sealevel, the seaweed farm has a lot to offer. When we also consider the busy shipping routes in the North Sea, Zeeland would be the most suitable area.<br />
*'''Farmed type of seaweed''' The HASP will farm the Laminaria seaweed species. Because of the high demand for it can not be fulfilled with the current techniques, and because it has a low impact on the enviroment.<br />
<br />
*'''System Design'''The design of our system will be largely modelled after the traditional seaweed farms.<br />
''distance between lines''<br />
<br />
===Automation===<br />
====Seeding====<br />
Like at normal seafarming, the young seedlings will first be grown at land in a greenhouse in the summer, when the water is hot. Mid-November, when they have grown 10-15 cm, they need to be planted at the seafarm. The seedlings are attached to the vertical lines to grow out, with the upper plants receving more sunlight than the lower ones. Can one of our robots attcach the seeds to the ropes?<br />
<br />
====Control and hygiene====<br />
There are several diseases that could affect the seaweed, caused by bacteria or by the enviroment. These diseases can be recognized visually and envirmental factors can be measured. Sensors would be needed for: illumination (too much or too little light causes rot), fres/salt water level and pollution. All diseases require different treatments, for which we have to think of automated solutions.<br />
Harm done by water grazers like fish can be minimized by placing the farm in deep waters, away from the coastal fish and the creatures on the seafloor. <br />
<br />
====Harvesting====<br />
Harvesting can be started in April. The plant grows faster in winter and slower in summer, with a rate of 1.1 cm per day in May. Making up for 2.5 meters a year. The plant can regenerate when it's been trimmed, but will grow slower. The normal age with this practice does not exceed 4 years.<br />
<br />
====Drying====<br />
It seems very inefficient to dry the seaweed in the open sea, it takes a lot of space and when one wave flushes over it, all the drying will have been for nothing. For that reason, seaweed must be taken to the mainland to dry. After it has been harvested, it must be stored for a short period, before it is transported. What amount of seaweed and for how long can it be stored without rotting?<br />
<br />
====Transport====<br />
<br />
====Communication to mainland====<br />
<br />
====Mapping tasks to robots====<br />
<br />
====Energy====<br />
In order to be fully atonomous and enviromentally friendly, the HASP will have to generate it's own energy.<br />
<br />
====Scalability====<br />
Number of plants on one vertical lines:<br />
Number of lines per meter:<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
The robots behaviour underwater would generate sound. Although the underwater world might seem silent to humans, fish experience sound intensly. The effects of human generated sounds on fish might therefore be harmful. Research results vary from little to no effect, to immediate death. Because the variety of sounds and fish is so large, we will try to minimize the sound level but not take extra measures to protect the fish from our robot's noices.<br />
<br />
===Big Data and IoT===<br />
<br />
<i>The farm comes equipped with a lot of sensors to monitor its own condition and its enviroment. Using all of this data one can analyze it in real time, and after collecting more data extrapolate long-term trends. With all the robotic agents on the farm, combined with the data collected, the farm can be administrated remotely. The farm can be made smart to send out maintenance calls on its.</i><br />
<br />
====Science====<br />
<br />
<i>The data collected by the farm and its robots can be shared with scientists and governments. More farms mean more sensors and thus a larger sensor size. This data would for example be very useful to The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) on which engineers and scientist can find all the data available about the european waters. The European Commission has started Marine Knowledge 2020 with the aim to bring to bring all of the marine data from different sources together. This initiative examplifies the need for marine data.</i><br />
<br />
==Robot prototype==<br />
<br />
===Design process===<br />
The design for the prototype consists of three components, one for the movement, one for grabbing and cutting and one for the Arduino and battery. The robot moves along a cable, for our prototype we will use a bicycle chain. The robot has three gearing wheels for a stable movement along the cable. The gearing wheel in the middle is driven by an engine. The component with the Arduino and the battery is hanging below the movement-component, just like a chairlift. This component should be heavy enough to sink, this is necessary to keep the bicycle chain on tension. This is the only component that should be waterproof, because it contains the Arduino and the battery. Below this component is the cut-and-grab-component, and is joined to the mothership with rope or a telescoping arm. This rope or telescoping arm is needed for a vertical movement, the robot should be able to cut at different depths. The claw should be able to grab seaweed that might have flowed away a bit, so the claw should be able to move horizontal. This happens by a telescoping arm. The scissors should be placed above the claw, otherwise the robot would cut seaweed that is not hold by the claw.<br />
<br />
===Technical description===<br />
<br />
===Demonstration===<br />
<br />
==Business and law==<br />
<br />
In 2014, the total annual value of produced seaweed was $6.4 billion. Worldwide, 93.8% of the global total production of aquatic plants came from aquaculture. Countries in East and Southeast Asia dominate seaweed culture production.<ref name="A guide to the seaweed industry">[http://www.fao.org/3/a-y4765e.pdf A guide to the seaweed industry]</ref> About 25 million tonnes of seaweeds and other algae are harvested annually for use as food, in cosmetics and fertilizers, and are processed to extract thickening agents or used as an additive to animal feed.<ref name="The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2014">[http://www.fao.org/3/a-i3720e.pdf The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2014]</ref> For the demand of food-grade seaweed to grow, there needs to be a dietary trend towards protein-rich vegetables, which seems to be the case. Growing the demand for seaweed requires a shift in the consumer's perception of seaweed as a food. Seaweed can be processed to be used as a source of nutrients for certain processed foods. There is increasing demand for seaweed as an agricultural supply, to use as animal food. It is also possible to use seaweed as a source for certain chemicals, i.e. for use in cosmetics.<br />
<br />
===Business case===<br />
<br />
====Cost vs. profit====<br />
<br />
===Laws===<br />
<br />
====International law====<br />
<br />
====European law====<br />
<br />
====Dutch law====<br />
<br />
==Looking ahead==<br />
<br />
===Future farms===<br />
<br />
The farm we have outlined only concerns the cultivation of seaweeds. However, farms can be augmented by employing bivalves in order to filter the water of pollutants.<ref name="Biosorption and bioaccumulation of heavy metals by rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata in the Persian Gulf">[http://www.intelaquares.com/doc/7b.pdf Biosorption and bioaccumulation of heavy metals by rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata in the Persian Gulf]</ref><br />
<br />
===Recommendations===<br />
<br />
===Horizon 2020===<br />
<br />
'''Applicable areas:'''<br />
<br />
*Agriculture & forestry<br />
*Aquatic resources<br />
*Bio-based industries<br />
*Environment & climate action<br />
*Food & healthy diet<br />
*Innovation<br />
*SME (small-medium enterprise)<br />
<br />
'''Relevant research calls:'''<br />
<br />
*High value-added specialized vessel concepts enabling more efficient servicing of emerging coastal and offshore activities. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/5119-bg-02-2016-2017.html (link)] € 7 million<br />
*New sources of proteins for animal feed from co-products to address the EU protein gap. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/17081-bbi-2016-d08.html (link)] € 15 million<br />
*Promoting and supporting the eco-intensification of aquaculture production systems: inland (including fresh water), coastal zone, and offshore. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/6050-sfs-32-2017.html (link)] € 6 million<br />
<br />
'''Also'''<br />
Marine Knowledge 2020 with The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet), aims to collect a lot more data from the seas and oceans than we do at the moment.<br />
<br />
==Discussion==<br />
<br />
==Conclusion==<br />
<br />
==Sources and references==<br />
<br />
===Sources===<br />
<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Climate council (2016) [https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/seaweed-climate-change How seaweed can help us tackle climate change ]<br />
*Doty, M.S. & Caddy, J.F. & Santelices, B. (1987), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Flannery, Tim (2015), [http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/nov/20/climate-crisis-future-brighter-tim-flannery Climate crisis: seaweed, coffee and cement could save the planet]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Juanich, Godardo L. (1988), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/ac416e00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE(1. EUCHEUMA SPP.)]<br />
*Kitadai, Yuuki & Kadowaki, Shusaki (2007), [https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf Growth, nitrogen and phosphorous uptake rates and O2 production rate of seaweeds cultured on coastal fish farms]<br />
*Kleis, Roelof (2010), [http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification]<br />
*Lacey, Stephen & Mellino, Cole (2011), [http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
* NOAA Ocean Explorer Webmaster (2013), [http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/technology/tools/tools.html NOAA Observing Systems and Sensors]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Popper, Arthur N. & Hastings, Mardi C. (2009), [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1749-4877.2008.00134.x/epdf The effects of human-generated sound on fish]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image]. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
===References===<br />
<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
<!--<br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
<br />
= Group members =<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
= Preliminary brainstorm =<br />
==Benefits==<br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
<br />
===Proposals===<br />
*Floating robot<br />
**Solar panel<br />
**Lowering (anker-style) cutter<br />
**Hard to position,<br />
***Drifts<br />
***“Dijnst[dutch]”<br />
*Rover robot<br />
**Stable polypoid (crab-style)<br />
**Hard to cut above his head<br />
*Swimming robot<br />
**May become struck between the weed<br />
**Perfect mobility and can cut everywhere<br />
Combination of multiple robot’s for every seafruit a suitable robot.<br />
<br />
= Problem =<br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15). </ref><br />
<br />
<br />
= Mariculture =<br />
<br />
<i>In this section cover what mariculture is and various aspects of mariculture.</i><br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
== Environmental effects ==<br />
<br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms. These can be classified in two categories:<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
<br />
* '''Positive aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
** Pond-farms can make use of otherwise unfertile and underutilised land.<br />
** Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
** Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
** Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
** Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
** The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
** Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<br />
* '''Negative aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
** Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
** Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
** Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
** Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
** Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
** Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
** Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
** Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
** Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
These effects should be considered when deploying seaweed farms to ensure sustainable aquaculture development.<br />
<br />
= Maritime robotics =<br />
== Types of maritime robots ==<br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
<br />
== Specifications ==<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
== Practical tips ==<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
== Responsibility ==<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!<br />
<br />
= State of the art =<br />
<br />
== Robots for mariculture ==<br />
<i>In this section we link mariculture and maritime robots, we elaborate on the type of (maritime) robots that are especially useful for sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= Automation =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the automation of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
= Scaling =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the scalability of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
== Sea farm design ==<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we propose a design for an innovative high-tech sea farm.</i><br />
<br />
= Sea robot prototype =<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we showcase a prototype of a robot to be used on our cutting-edge sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= USE: stakeholders =<br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
The USE aspects:<br />
The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
Enterprise: It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
=Tasks=<br />
[[{{TALKPAGENAME}}|Logbook]]<br />
<br />
=Drive=<br />
[https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=66031F8492322E24!604219&authkey=!AOO7hi5CT65E46Y&ithint=folder%2cdocx USE Waterpret]<br />
<br />
= Sources =<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/AC416E00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE 1. EUCHEUMA SPP.]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image].<br />
*[http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification, December 23, 2010 By Roelof Kleis ]<br />
*[http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?] <br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
== References ==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
--></div>S146529https://cstwiki.wtb.tue.nl/index.php?title=PRE2015_4_Groep5&diff=27175PRE2015 4 Groep52016-05-12T13:49:52Z<p>S146529: /* Climate */</p>
<hr />
<div>__FORCETOC__<br />
<br />
[[File:HASP_logo_v0.1.png|600px|right]]<br />
<br />
== Group members ==<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
==Introduction==<br />
<br />
===Abstract===<br />
<br />
===Problem statement===<br />
<br />
The world needs to produce at least 50% more food to feed 9 billion people by 2050. But climate change could cut crop yields by more than 25%.<ref name="Food security">[http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/foodsecurity]</ref> With this in mind we need to look for novel solutions to the problem of insufficient food production. This solution will need to take the interests of users, society, and enterprise into account. Moreover, this solution needs to surpass the state of the art by employing cutting-edge technology.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15).</ref><br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
===Motivation===<br />
<br />
Nutrition is vital to sustaining life, and food security is important for political stability and human welfare. We want to address the problem of food availability due to its relevance: continuing population and consumption growth will mean that the global demand for food will increase for at least another 40 years.<ref name="Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People">[http://science.sciencemag.org/content/327/5967/812 Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People]</ref><br />
<br />
Agriculture is an integral part of the European economy and society. It provides the basis for food, feed and non-food products to meet the demands of consumers and a wide range of industries.<ref name="Horizon 2020: Agriculture & Forestry">[https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/en/area/agriculture-forestry Agriculture & Forestry]</ref> By designing a solution to the agricultural challenge we will need to take into account the needs of users: like consumers of food, society: the ecological impacts of our solution, and enterprise: the solution needs to be competitive in order to gain an economical advantage.<br />
<br />
The agricultural industry is ever advancing, not only is the biological aspect of farming being researched, there are also improvements in automation,<ref name="Agricultural Robotics and Automation">[http://www.ieee-ras.org/agricultural-robotics Agricultural Robotics and Automation]</ref> and we want to explore the automation of this industry. We want to develop a solution that allows for automation of food production beyond the state of the art, moreover the solution needs to be scalable.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
==Mariculture==<br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
Mariculture is a specialized branch of aquaculture involving the cultivation of marine organisms for food and other products in the open ocean, an enclosed section of the ocean, or in tanks, ponds or raceways which are filled with seawater. An example of the latter is the farming of marine fish, including finfish and shellfish like prawns, or oysters and seaweed in saltwater ponds.<ref name="Mariculture">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariculture Mariculture]</ref><br />
<br />
In this section we will explore mariculture, and explain why we chose it as a solution to the problem previously stated. Mariculture encompasses a wide range of organisms, from the cultivation of water-based plants to the breeding of aquatic animals. For this project we will focus on the cultivation of aquatic plants, and in particular types of seaweed.<br />
<br />
===Commonly cultivated seaweed species===<br />
<br />
*The total seaweed production features a lot of brown kelps. These weeds grow in cold water zones, they are long and have a leathery structure. They must be harvested before the water temperature rises to 21 degrees, otherwise the kelps will rot. Kombu (Laminaria Japonica) is used a lot in Japanese recipies for soups, as dried snacks, or in salads. Kombu is a dietary fiber and contains high levels of iodine. In China, 50% of the Laminaria production is meant for industrial purposes for its iodine, algin and mannitol. Due to this, laminaria are considered as one of the best renewable resources and it makes up for a major part of the maricultural sector. Japan has made effort to increase the production but due to its labour intensitive nature, the market is not expected to expand notably. [http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Laminaria_japonica/en] Wakame (Undaria) is the type of kelp you will find in your misosoup. With a subtle sweet flavour and satin-like texture it is most suitable for human consumption. The weed is a rich source of omega-3 and helps burn fatty tissue. However, it is also in the top 100 of worst invasive species in cold waters, which is partly caused by aquaculture. [ http://www.seaweed.ie/]<br />
<br />
*Gelidium amansii and Pterocladia are valuable red algae that can be found at shallow coasts. They can be used in salads and to make agar, a jelly-like substance that can be used for microbiological research and various industrial purposes. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelidium_amansii] They have been cultured in Korea since the last century, but always on a small scale. There have been various attempts to farm the algae at sea, but the slow growth rate and required non-contaminated waters made it unattractive for commercial cultivation.[https://books.google.nl/books?id=19mM4xtgfOMC&pg=PA2&lpg=PA2&dq=Pterocladia+farm&source=bl&ots=MtH0LvASHr&sig=RXZNWMEOLnv1yS-WP2fWqv6SDpo&hl=nl&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwieqMmLnsrMAhXlAsAKHVoKDzwQ6AEIRTAF#v=onepage&q=Pterocladia%20farm&f=false]<br />
<br />
*Nori or Zicai (Porphyra) are most famous for composing the sushi wraps. The red algae grow in cold and shallow waters in the intertidal zone. After growing in the sea for 50 days, the weeds can be harvested every 10-15 days. The Nori market is stable, the demand is not expected to grow or shrink in the coming years. In Japan, the annual production is valued at 1 billion US dollars.[http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Porphyra_spp/en#tcNA0112]<br />
<br />
===Mariculture as a solution===<br />
<br />
===Environment===<br />
<br />
====Dead zones====<br />
<br />
[[File:Deadzones.jpg|thumb|Dead zones in oceans around the world.]]<br />
<br />
Ocean dead zones are areas with low oxygen levels and hardly any marine life. These areas are caused by agriculture fertilizers that increase the level of nitrogen and phosphorus, also known as eutriphication. The result is a rapid increase in phytoplankton, because they are 'build' from phosphorus and nitrogen. These algal blooms cause deadzones. The number of deadzones is increasing.<br />
As a result, the fertility of the marine life drops dramatically, and in more extreme cases, fish fall unconcious and then suffocate. Slow moving creatures on the seafloor are unable to escape.<br />
Seaweed is capable of uptaking both nitrogen and phosphorus and replacing it with oxygen. For this reason seaweed is also cultivated around fishfarms. Seaweed would be a cheap although perhaps slow solution in the reviving of deadzones.[https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf]<br />
<br />
====Climate====<br />
Seaweed can assimilate a lot of CO<sub>2</sub> about 30 to 60 times the rate of land plants. But this will not solve the CO<sub>2</sub>-problem, because the CO<sub>2</sub> will be released when the seaweed will be consumed. Seaweed only contributes indirectly to a better milieu. Because of the seaweed farms less forests will disappear for farmlands. This forest contributes to a net CO<sub>2</sub> storage. Seaweed can also be used for the production of biomethane and electricity. So the unsustainable fuels can be replaced, this results in less CO<sub>2</sub> pollution.<br />
<br />
====Locations====<br />
<br />
To determine the best location for a sea-farm we have to take into account several aspects. The temperature of the seawater should be the right temperature for seaweed. For example the best temperature for growing Eucheuma is 20-25 °Celsius, but there are also species that can grow in water of 10 °Celsius. So seaweed can grow in almost every ocean. The depth of the sea does not matter for the seaweed of farm, because we will only use species that grow from the surface downwards. But for the farm itself the depth does matter. Anchoring the farm is easier in a shallow area in the ocean. Commonly these areas are near the coast, an advantage of sea-farms which are near the costs is that the transport from farm to the secondary users is cheaper. Also building and maintaining the farm is easier if it is closer to the mainland. The dead zones are also located near the seashore, so the dead zones are an extra motivation of locating the sea-farms there. A disadvantage are the shipping routes that are located in these areas. Thankfully, these routes are taken by most commercial ships. This leaves open spots near the coast where there are no passing ships and where the seaweedfarms could be located. Important shipping routes at the Dutch coast [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NoordzeeScheepvaartroutes.png] With the sealevels rising due to climate change, and the seafarm's habit breaking waves, it would be beneficial to locate the farm nearby a shore that is threatend by rising sea levels.<br />
<br />
===Nutrition===<br />
<br />
From a nutritional standpoint, the main properties of seaweeds that distinguish them from higher plants are their high mineral and dietary fibre contents. The high iron and magnesium contents are of particular nutritional interest due to their metabolic or functional properties. In comparison with other sources of fibres, seaweeds contain a high proportion of soluble fibres, which exhibit original fermentation patterns in the large intestine. Red seaweeds have a high protein content, comparable to that of high-protein vegetables. Available data suggest that they have a unique amino acid pattern, complementary to that of most terrestrial vegetables.<ref name="Seaweed in food products: biochemical and nutritional aspects">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/092422449390091N Serge Mabeau, Joël Fleurence: Seaweed in food products: biochemical and nutritional aspects (1993)]</ref> Edible brown and red seaweeds could be used as a food supplement to help meet the recommended daily adult intakes of some macrominerals and trace elements.<ref name="P. Rupérez: Mineral content of edible marine seaweeds (2002)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814602001711 P. Rupérez: Mineral content of edible marine seaweeds (2002)]</ref><br />
<br />
There might be some hesitance in the use of seaweed for human nutrition, but the seaweeds which are used as biological filters and food material for farmed animals could easily be included in the human food value chain by this route.<ref name="What are the prospects for using seaweed in human nutrition and for marine animals raised through aquaculture?">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224412000544 Joël Fleurence, Michele Morançais, Justine Dumay, Priscilla Decottignies, Vincent Turpin, Mathilde Munier, Nuria Garcia-Bueno and Pascal Jaouen: What are the prospects for using seaweed in human nutrition and for marine animals raised through aquaculture? (2012)]</ref><ref name="Joël Fleurence: Seaweed proteins: biochemical, nutritional aspects and potential use (1999)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224499000151 Joël Fleurence: Seaweed proteins: biochemical, nutritional aspects and potential use (1999)]</ref><br />
<br />
As seaweed accumulates important substances from the surrounding water, it does not only accumulate the desired minerals and trace metals but it also accumulates undesirable metals and heavy metals from the surrounding environment.<ref name="Bioactive compounds in seaweed: functional food applications and legislation">[http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10811-010-9632-5 Holdt, Susan Løvstad, and Stefan Kraan. "Bioactive compounds in seaweed: functional food applications and legislation." Journal of Applied Phycology 23.3 (2011): 543-597.]</ref> This can be exploited, and seaweed can be used as a biofilter, but if the goal is nutrition it is important to not let seaweed grow in polluted water. <br />
<br />
Seaweeds are known for their richness in polysaccharides, minerals and certain vitamins,<ref name="Vegetables from the sea">[http://agris.fao.org/agris-search/search.do?recordID=XF2015021737 Arasaki, Seibun, and Teruko Arasaki. "Vegetables from the sea." Japan Publ. Inc., Tokyo 96 (1983): 251-223.]</ref> but they also contain bioactive substances like polysaccharides, proteins, lipids and polyphenols, with antibacterial, antiviral and anti-fungal properties, as well as many others.<ref name="Antioxidant potential of solvent extracts of Kappaphycus alvarezii (Doty) Doty – An edible seaweed">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814607008102 Kumar, K. Suresh, K. Ganesan, and PV Subba Rao. "Antioxidant potential of solvent extracts of Kappaphycus alvarezii (Doty) Doty–An edible seaweed." Food chemistry 107.1 (2008): 289-295.]</ref> This gives seaweed great potential as a supplement in functional food or for the extraction of compounds. Proteins, peptides and amino acids from seaweed have shown positive bioactive effects in the treatment of diabetes and cancer, and the prevention of vascular diseases. The amino acid profile of some seaweed species is similar to that of animal foods. Extracts of valuable amino acids for feed supplement could be of potential because essential amino acids cannot be replaced by other compounds.<ref name="Bioactive compounds in seaweed: functional food applications and legislation">[http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10811-010-9632-5 Holdt, Susan Løvstad, and Stefan Kraan. "Bioactive compounds in seaweed: functional food applications and legislation." Journal of Applied Phycology 23.3 (2011): 543-597.]</ref><br />
<br />
===State of the art===<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
* Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
* Pond-farms can make use of otherwise infertile and underutilized land.<br />
* Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
* Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
* Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
* Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
* The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
* Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
<br />
* Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
* Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
* Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
* Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
* Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
* Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
* Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
* Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
* Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
* Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
===Types of farms===<br />
<br />
====Anchored====<br />
<br />
====Drifting====<br />
<br />
===Tasks to be carried out on farms===<br />
'''Primary tasks'''<br />
* Seeding<br />
* Cleaning<br />
* Harvesting<br />
'''Secondary tasks'''<br />
* Checking the quality of the plants<br />
* Removing corrupt plants<br />
* Pruning<br />
<br />
==Stakeholders==<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===User===<br />
Seaweed farmers.<br />
<br />
Drawback: Introduction of our system on the mariculture market could cost the jobs of the few brave seaweed farmers we have today. These farmers operate on a small scale on a small market and would be easily competed out. To prevent this, our systems user group is are the already existing seaweed farmers that want to expand their business, and the more industrialized farmers in Asia.<br />
<br />
The users: The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
<br />
===Society===<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
<br />
===Enterprise===<br />
It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is using the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
==Maritime robotics==<br />
<br />
<br />
<i><br />
::Specifications<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
::Practical tips<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be used for building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
::Responsibility<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!</i><br />
<br />
===Types of robots===<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===Locomotion===<br />
<br />
[[File:Drifterandjet.jpg|thumb|A passive ocean drifter and a high-speed jet.]]<br />
<br />
*Jet propulsion — water is taken in and propelled out at high speed, using a directed nozzle makes this very maneuverable.<br />
*Ocean current — passively drifting along the ocean current.<br />
*Propeller — a classic ship's screw to propel forwards and backwards.<br />
*Undulation — moving the body like a fish does.<br />
*Wind — using the power of the wind to sail.<br />
<br />
===Sensing===<br />
<br />
[[File:bathymetry.jpg |thumb|Sonar can be used for bathymetry, measuring the depth of the ocean floor.]]<br />
<br />
*Acoustic Doppler current profiler — measures the speed and direction of ocean currents using the principle of “Doppler shift”.<br />
*Camera — for visual data, has a limited range.<br />
*Conductivity — together with temperature and depth information, a good estimate of the salinity may be determined.<br />
*GPS — find the position, only works above the surface of the water.<br />
*Hydrophone — listen for sounds in the water.<br />
*Oxygen — determine the oxygen levels of the water.<br />
*Pressure — determine the depth the robot is at.<br />
*Semipermeable membrane density — a passive sampling device used to monitor trace levels of organic contaminants. When placed in an aquatic environment, SPMDs accumulate hydrophobic organic compounds, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and organochlorine pesticides from the surrounding waters.<br />
*Sonar — is used to find and identify objects in water. It is also used to determine water depth (bathymetry. May disturb marine life.<br />
*Temperature — determine the temperature of the water.<br />
*pH — determine the acidity of the water.<br />
<br />
===Communication===<br />
===Energy===<br />
The ocean offers several alternative options for energy generation. When a robot can use it's own energy on the sea, it is more autonomous.<br />
Options for Alternative ocean energy:<br />
*Tidal energy<br />
*Wave energy<br />
*Salinity gradient<br />
*Tidal Range<br />
*Ocean thermal energy conversion<br />
*Tidal range<br />
<br />
==Proposed design==<br />
<br />
===Description===<br />
*'''Location''' Our own Dutch North Sea might just be to place to be. With an average temperature of 12 degrees[http://gemiddeldgezien.nl/gemiddelde-watertemperatuur-noordzee], a former deadzone that is struggling with pollution from the many estuaries, and with a country that has always struggled with living beneath a rising sealevel, the seaweed farm has a lot to offer. When we also consider the busy shipping routes in the North Sea, Zeeland would be the most suitable area.<br />
*'''Farmed type of seaweed''' The HASP will farm the Laminaria seaweed species. Because of the high demand for it can not be fulfilled with the current techniques, and because it has a low impact on the enviroment.<br />
<br />
*'''System Design'''The design of our system will be largely modelled after the traditional seaweed farms.<br />
''distance between lines''<br />
<br />
===Automation===<br />
====Seeding====<br />
Like at normal seafarming, the young seedlings will first be grown at land in a greenhouse in the summer, when the water is hot. Mid-November, when they have grown 10-15 cm, they need to be planted at the seafarm. The seedlings are attached to the vertical lines to grow out, with the upper plants receving more sunlight than the lower ones. Can one of our robots attcach the seeds to the ropes?<br />
<br />
====Control and hygiene====<br />
There are several diseases that could affect the seaweed, caused by bacteria or by the enviroment. These diseases can be recognized visually and envirmental factors can be measured. Sensors would be needed for: illumination (too much or too little light causes rot), fres/salt water level and pollution. All diseases require different treatments, for which we have to think of automated solutions.<br />
Harm done by water grazers like fish can be minimized by placing the farm in deep waters, away from the coastal fish and the creatures on the seafloor. <br />
<br />
====Harvesting====<br />
Harvesting can be started in April. The plant grows faster in winter and slower in summer, with a rate of 1.1 cm per day in May. Making up for 2.5 meters a year. The plant can regenerate when it's been trimmed, but will grow slower. The normal age with this practice does not exceed 4 years.<br />
<br />
====Drying====<br />
It seems very inefficient to dry the seaweed in the open sea, it takes a lot of space and when one wave flushes over it, all the drying will have been for nothing. For that reason, seaweed must be taken to the mainland to dry. After it has been harvested, it must be stored for a short period, before it is transported. What amount of seaweed and for how long can it be stored without rotting?<br />
<br />
====Transport====<br />
<br />
====Communication to mainland====<br />
<br />
====Mapping tasks to robots====<br />
<br />
====Energy====<br />
In order to be fully atonomous and enviromentally friendly, the HASP will have to generate it's own energy.<br />
<br />
====Scalability====<br />
Number of plants on one vertical lines:<br />
Number of lines per meter:<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
The robots behaviour underwater would generate sound. Although the underwater world might seem silent to humans, fish experience sound intensly. The effects of human generated sounds on fish might therefore be harmful. Research results vary from little to no effect, to immediate death. Because the variety of sounds and fish is so large, we will try to minimize the sound level but not take extra measures to protect the fish from our robot's noices.<br />
<br />
===Big Data and IoT===<br />
<br />
<i>The farm comes equipped with a lot of sensors to monitor its own condition and its enviroment. Using all of this data one can analyze it in real time, and after collecting more data extrapolate long-term trends. With all the robotic agents on the farm, combined with the data collected, the farm can be administrated remotely. The farm can be made smart to send out maintenance calls on its.</i><br />
<br />
====Science====<br />
<br />
<i>The data collected by the farm and its robots can be shared with scientists and governments. More farms mean more sensors and thus a larger sensor size. This data would for example be very useful to The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) on which engineers and scientist can find all the data available about the european waters. The European Commission has started Marine Knowledge 2020 with the aim to bring to bring all of the marine data from different sources together. This initiative examplifies the need for marine data.</i><br />
<br />
==Robot prototype==<br />
<br />
===Design process===<br />
The design for the prototype consists of three components, one for the movement, one for grabbing and cutting and one for the Arduino and battery. The robot moves along a cable, for our prototype we will use a bicycle chain. The robot has three gearing wheels for a stable movement along the cable. The gearing wheel in the middle is driven by an engine. The component with the Arduino and the battery is hanging below the movement-component, just like a chairlift. This component should be heavy enough to sink, this is necessary to keep the bicycle chain on tension. This is the only component that should be waterproof, because it contains the Arduino and the battery. Below this component is the cut-and-grab-component, and is joined to the mothership with rope or a telescoping arm. This rope or telescoping arm is needed for a vertical movement, the robot should be able to cut at different depths. The claw should be able to grab seaweed that might have flowed away a bit, so the claw should be able to move horizontal. This happens by a telescoping arm. The scissors should be placed above the claw, otherwise the robot would cut seaweed that is not hold by the claw.<br />
<br />
===Technical description===<br />
<br />
===Demonstration===<br />
<br />
==Business and law==<br />
<br />
In 2014, the total annual value of produced seaweed was $6.4 billion. Worldwide, 93.8% of the global total production of aquatic plants came from aquaculture. Countries in East and Southeast Asia dominate seaweed culture production.<ref name="A guide to the seaweed industry">[http://www.fao.org/3/a-y4765e.pdf A guide to the seaweed industry]</ref> About 25 million tonnes of seaweeds and other algae are harvested annually for use as food, in cosmetics and fertilizers, and are processed to extract thickening agents or used as an additive to animal feed.<ref name="The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2014">[http://www.fao.org/3/a-i3720e.pdf The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2014]</ref> For the demand of food-grade seaweed to grow, there needs to be a dietary trend towards protein-rich vegetables, which seems to be the case. Growing the demand for seaweed requires a shift in the consumer's perception of seaweed as a food. Seaweed can be processed to be used as a source of nutrients for certain processed foods. There is increasing demand for seaweed as an agricultural supply, to use as animal food. It is also possible to use seaweed as a source for certain chemicals, i.e. for use in cosmetics.<br />
<br />
===Business case===<br />
<br />
====Cost vs. profit====<br />
<br />
===Laws===<br />
<br />
====International law====<br />
<br />
====European law====<br />
<br />
====Dutch law====<br />
<br />
==Looking ahead==<br />
<br />
===Future farms===<br />
<br />
The farm we have outlined only concerns the cultivation of seaweeds. However, farms can be augmented by employing bivalves in order to filter the water of pollutants.<ref name="Biosorption and bioaccumulation of heavy metals by rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata in the Persian Gulf">[http://www.intelaquares.com/doc/7b.pdf Biosorption and bioaccumulation of heavy metals by rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata in the Persian Gulf]</ref><br />
<br />
===Recommendations===<br />
<br />
===Horizon 2020===<br />
<br />
'''Applicable areas:'''<br />
<br />
*Agriculture & forestry<br />
*Aquatic resources<br />
*Bio-based industries<br />
*Environment & climate action<br />
*Food & healthy diet<br />
*Innovation<br />
*SME (small-medium enterprise)<br />
<br />
'''Relevant research calls:'''<br />
<br />
*High value-added specialized vessel concepts enabling more efficient servicing of emerging coastal and offshore activities. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/5119-bg-02-2016-2017.html (link)] € 7 million<br />
*New sources of proteins for animal feed from co-products to address the EU protein gap. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/17081-bbi-2016-d08.html (link)] € 15 million<br />
*Promoting and supporting the eco-intensification of aquaculture production systems: inland (including fresh water), coastal zone, and offshore. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/6050-sfs-32-2017.html (link)] € 6 million<br />
<br />
'''Also'''<br />
Marine Knowledge 2020 with The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet), aims to collect a lot more data from the seas and oceans than we do at the moment.<br />
<br />
==Discussion==<br />
<br />
==Conclusion==<br />
<br />
==Sources and references==<br />
<br />
===Sources===<br />
<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Doty, M.S. & Caddy, J.F. & Santelices, B. (1987), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Flannery, Tim (2015), [http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/nov/20/climate-crisis-future-brighter-tim-flannery Climate crisis: seaweed, coffee and cement could save the planet]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Juanich, Godardo L. (1988), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/ac416e00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE(1. EUCHEUMA SPP.)]<br />
*Kitadai, Yuuki & Kadowaki, Shusaki (2007), [https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf Growth, nitrogen and phosphorous uptake rates and O2 production rate of seaweeds cultured on coastal fish farms]<br />
*Kleis, Roelof (2010), [http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification]<br />
*Lacey, Stephen & Mellino, Cole (2011), [http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
* NOAA Ocean Explorer Webmaster (2013), [http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/technology/tools/tools.html NOAA Observing Systems and Sensors]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Popper, Arthur N. & Hastings, Mardi C. (2009), [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1749-4877.2008.00134.x/epdf The effects of human-generated sound on fish]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image]. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
===References===<br />
<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
<!--<br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
<br />
= Group members =<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
= Preliminary brainstorm =<br />
==Benefits==<br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
<br />
===Proposals===<br />
*Floating robot<br />
**Solar panel<br />
**Lowering (anker-style) cutter<br />
**Hard to position,<br />
***Drifts<br />
***“Dijnst[dutch]”<br />
*Rover robot<br />
**Stable polypoid (crab-style)<br />
**Hard to cut above his head<br />
*Swimming robot<br />
**May become struck between the weed<br />
**Perfect mobility and can cut everywhere<br />
Combination of multiple robot’s for every seafruit a suitable robot.<br />
<br />
= Problem =<br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15). </ref><br />
<br />
<br />
= Mariculture =<br />
<br />
<i>In this section cover what mariculture is and various aspects of mariculture.</i><br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
== Environmental effects ==<br />
<br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms. These can be classified in two categories:<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
<br />
* '''Positive aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
** Pond-farms can make use of otherwise unfertile and underutilised land.<br />
** Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
** Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
** Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
** Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
** The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
** Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<br />
* '''Negative aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
** Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
** Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
** Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
** Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
** Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
** Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
** Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
** Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
** Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
These effects should be considered when deploying seaweed farms to ensure sustainable aquaculture development.<br />
<br />
= Maritime robotics =<br />
== Types of maritime robots ==<br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
<br />
== Specifications ==<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
== Practical tips ==<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
== Responsibility ==<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!<br />
<br />
= State of the art =<br />
<br />
== Robots for mariculture ==<br />
<i>In this section we link mariculture and maritime robots, we elaborate on the type of (maritime) robots that are especially useful for sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= Automation =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the automation of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
= Scaling =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the scalability of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
== Sea farm design ==<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we propose a design for an innovative high-tech sea farm.</i><br />
<br />
= Sea robot prototype =<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we showcase a prototype of a robot to be used on our cutting-edge sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= USE: stakeholders =<br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
The USE aspects:<br />
The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
Enterprise: It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
=Tasks=<br />
[[{{TALKPAGENAME}}|Logbook]]<br />
<br />
=Drive=<br />
[https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=66031F8492322E24!604219&authkey=!AOO7hi5CT65E46Y&ithint=folder%2cdocx USE Waterpret]<br />
<br />
= Sources =<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/AC416E00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE 1. EUCHEUMA SPP.]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image].<br />
*[http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification, December 23, 2010 By Roelof Kleis ]<br />
*[http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?] <br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
== References ==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
--></div>S146529https://cstwiki.wtb.tue.nl/index.php?title=PRE2015_4_Groep5&diff=27174PRE2015 4 Groep52016-05-12T13:33:40Z<p>S146529: /* Sources */</p>
<hr />
<div>__FORCETOC__<br />
<br />
[[File:HASP_logo_v0.1.png|600px|right]]<br />
<br />
== Group members ==<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
==Introduction==<br />
<br />
===Abstract===<br />
<br />
===Problem statement===<br />
<br />
The world needs to produce at least 50% more food to feed 9 billion people by 2050. But climate change could cut crop yields by more than 25%.<ref name="Food security">[http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/foodsecurity]</ref> With this in mind we need to look for novel solutions to the problem of insufficient food production. This solution will need to take the interests of users, society, and enterprise into account. Moreover, this solution needs to surpass the state of the art by employing cutting-edge technology.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15).</ref><br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
===Motivation===<br />
<br />
Nutrition is vital to sustaining life, and food security is important for political stability and human welfare. We want to address the problem of food availability due to its relevance: continuing population and consumption growth will mean that the global demand for food will increase for at least another 40 years.<ref name="Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People">[http://science.sciencemag.org/content/327/5967/812 Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People]</ref><br />
<br />
Agriculture is an integral part of the European economy and society. It provides the basis for food, feed and non-food products to meet the demands of consumers and a wide range of industries.<ref name="Horizon 2020: Agriculture & Forestry">[https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/en/area/agriculture-forestry Agriculture & Forestry]</ref> By designing a solution to the agricultural challenge we will need to take into account the needs of users: like consumers of food, society: the ecological impacts of our solution, and enterprise: the solution needs to be competitive in order to gain an economical advantage.<br />
<br />
The agricultural industry is ever advancing, not only is the biological aspect of farming being researched, there are also improvements in automation,<ref name="Agricultural Robotics and Automation">[http://www.ieee-ras.org/agricultural-robotics Agricultural Robotics and Automation]</ref> and we want to explore the automation of this industry. We want to develop a solution that allows for automation of food production beyond the state of the art, moreover the solution needs to be scalable.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
==Mariculture==<br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
Mariculture is a specialized branch of aquaculture involving the cultivation of marine organisms for food and other products in the open ocean, an enclosed section of the ocean, or in tanks, ponds or raceways which are filled with seawater. An example of the latter is the farming of marine fish, including finfish and shellfish like prawns, or oysters and seaweed in saltwater ponds.<ref name="Mariculture">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariculture Mariculture]</ref><br />
<br />
In this section we will explore mariculture, and explain why we chose it as a solution to the problem previously stated. Mariculture encompasses a wide range of organisms, from the cultivation of water-based plants to the breeding of aquatic animals. For this project we will focus on the cultivation of aquatic plants, and in particular types of seaweed.<br />
<br />
===Commonly cultivated seaweed species===<br />
<br />
*The total seaweed production features a lot of brown kelps. These weeds grow in cold water zones, they are long and have a leathery structure. They must be harvested before the water temperature rises to 21 degrees, otherwise the kelps will rot. Kombu (Laminaria Japonica) is used a lot in Japanese recipies for soups, as dried snacks, or in salads. Kombu is a dietary fiber and contains high levels of iodine. In China, 50% of the Laminaria production is meant for industrial purposes for its iodine, algin and mannitol. Due to this, laminaria are considered as one of the best renewable resources and it makes up for a major part of the maricultural sector. Japan has made effort to increase the production but due to its labour intensitive nature, the market is not expected to expand notably. [http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Laminaria_japonica/en] Wakame (Undaria) is the type of kelp you will find in your misosoup. With a subtle sweet flavour and satin-like texture it is most suitable for human consumption. The weed is a rich source of omega-3 and helps burn fatty tissue. However, it is also in the top 100 of worst invasive species in cold waters, which is partly caused by aquaculture. [ http://www.seaweed.ie/]<br />
<br />
*Gelidium amansii and Pterocladia are valuable red algae that can be found at shallow coasts. They can be used in salads and to make agar, a jelly-like substance that can be used for microbiological research and various industrial purposes. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelidium_amansii] They have been cultured in Korea since the last century, but always on a small scale. There have been various attempts to farm the algae at sea, but the slow growth rate and required non-contaminated waters made it unattractive for commercial cultivation.[https://books.google.nl/books?id=19mM4xtgfOMC&pg=PA2&lpg=PA2&dq=Pterocladia+farm&source=bl&ots=MtH0LvASHr&sig=RXZNWMEOLnv1yS-WP2fWqv6SDpo&hl=nl&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwieqMmLnsrMAhXlAsAKHVoKDzwQ6AEIRTAF#v=onepage&q=Pterocladia%20farm&f=false]<br />
<br />
*Nori or Zicai (Porphyra) are most famous for composing the sushi wraps. The red algae grow in cold and shallow waters in the intertidal zone. After growing in the sea for 50 days, the weeds can be harvested every 10-15 days. The Nori market is stable, the demand is not expected to grow or shrink in the coming years. In Japan, the annual production is valued at 1 billion US dollars.[http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Porphyra_spp/en#tcNA0112]<br />
<br />
===Mariculture as a solution===<br />
<br />
===Environment===<br />
<br />
====Dead zones====<br />
<br />
[[File:Deadzones.jpg|thumb|Dead zones in oceans around the world.]]<br />
<br />
Ocean dead zones are areas with low oxygen levels and hardly any marine life. These areas are caused by agriculture fertilizers that increase the level of nitrogen and phosphorus, also known as eutriphication. The result is a rapid increase in phytoplankton, because they are 'build' from phosphorus and nitrogen. These algal blooms cause deadzones. The number of deadzones is increasing.<br />
As a result, the fertility of the marine life drops dramatically, and in more extreme cases, fish fall unconcious and then suffocate. Slow moving creatures on the seafloor are unable to escape.<br />
Seaweed is capable of uptaking both nitrogen and phosphorus and replacing it with oxygen. For this reason seaweed is also cultivated around fishfarms. Seaweed would be a cheap although perhaps slow solution in the reviving of deadzones.[https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf]<br />
<br />
====Climate====<br />
Seaweed can assimilate a lot of CO<sub>2</sub>. But this will not solve the CO<sub>2</sub>-problem, because the CO<sub>2</sub> will be released when the seaweed will be consumed. Seaweed only contributes indirectly to a better milieu. Because of the seaweed farms less forests will disappear for farmlands. This forest contributes to a net CO<sub>2</sub> storage. Seaweed can also be used for the production of biomethane and electricity. So the unsustainable fuels can be replaced, this results in less CO<sub>2</sub> pollution.<br />
<br />
====Locations====<br />
<br />
To determine the best location for a sea-farm we have to take into account several aspects. The temperature of the seawater should be the right temperature for seaweed. For example the best temperature for growing Eucheuma is 20-25 °Celsius, but there are also species that can grow in water of 10 °Celsius. So seaweed can grow in almost every ocean. The depth of the sea does not matter for the seaweed of farm, because we will only use species that grow from the surface downwards. But for the farm itself the depth does matter. Anchoring the farm is easier in a shallow area in the ocean. Commonly these areas are near the coast, an advantage of sea-farms which are near the costs is that the transport from farm to the secondary users is cheaper. Also building and maintaining the farm is easier if it is closer to the mainland. The dead zones are also located near the seashore, so the dead zones are an extra motivation of locating the sea-farms there. A disadvantage are the shipping routes that are located in these areas. Thankfully, these routes are taken by most commercial ships. This leaves open spots near the coast where there are no passing ships and where the seaweedfarms could be located. Important shipping routes at the Dutch coast [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NoordzeeScheepvaartroutes.png] With the sealevels rising due to climate change, and the seafarm's habit breaking waves, it would be beneficial to locate the farm nearby a shore that is threatend by rising sea levels.<br />
<br />
===Nutrition===<br />
<br />
From a nutritional standpoint, the main properties of seaweeds that distinguish them from higher plants are their high mineral and dietary fibre contents. The high iron and magnesium contents are of particular nutritional interest due to their metabolic or functional properties. In comparison with other sources of fibres, seaweeds contain a high proportion of soluble fibres, which exhibit original fermentation patterns in the large intestine. Red seaweeds have a high protein content, comparable to that of high-protein vegetables. Available data suggest that they have a unique amino acid pattern, complementary to that of most terrestrial vegetables.<ref name="Seaweed in food products: biochemical and nutritional aspects">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/092422449390091N Serge Mabeau, Joël Fleurence: Seaweed in food products: biochemical and nutritional aspects (1993)]</ref> Edible brown and red seaweeds could be used as a food supplement to help meet the recommended daily adult intakes of some macrominerals and trace elements.<ref name="P. Rupérez: Mineral content of edible marine seaweeds (2002)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814602001711 P. Rupérez: Mineral content of edible marine seaweeds (2002)]</ref><br />
<br />
There might be some hesitance in the use of seaweed for human nutrition, but the seaweeds which are used as biological filters and food material for farmed animals could easily be included in the human food value chain by this route.<ref name="What are the prospects for using seaweed in human nutrition and for marine animals raised through aquaculture?">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224412000544 Joël Fleurence, Michele Morançais, Justine Dumay, Priscilla Decottignies, Vincent Turpin, Mathilde Munier, Nuria Garcia-Bueno and Pascal Jaouen: What are the prospects for using seaweed in human nutrition and for marine animals raised through aquaculture? (2012)]</ref><ref name="Joël Fleurence: Seaweed proteins: biochemical, nutritional aspects and potential use (1999)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224499000151 Joël Fleurence: Seaweed proteins: biochemical, nutritional aspects and potential use (1999)]</ref><br />
<br />
As seaweed accumulates important substances from the surrounding water, it does not only accumulate the desired minerals and trace metals but it also accumulates undesirable metals and heavy metals from the surrounding environment.<ref name="Bioactive compounds in seaweed: functional food applications and legislation">[http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10811-010-9632-5 Holdt, Susan Løvstad, and Stefan Kraan. "Bioactive compounds in seaweed: functional food applications and legislation." Journal of Applied Phycology 23.3 (2011): 543-597.]</ref> This can be exploited, and seaweed can be used as a biofilter, but if the goal is nutrition it is important to not let seaweed grow in polluted water. <br />
<br />
Seaweeds are known for their richness in polysaccharides, minerals and certain vitamins,<ref name="Vegetables from the sea">[http://agris.fao.org/agris-search/search.do?recordID=XF2015021737 Arasaki, Seibun, and Teruko Arasaki. "Vegetables from the sea." Japan Publ. Inc., Tokyo 96 (1983): 251-223.]</ref> but they also contain bioactive substances like polysaccharides, proteins, lipids and polyphenols, with antibacterial, antiviral and anti-fungal properties, as well as many others.<ref name="Antioxidant potential of solvent extracts of Kappaphycus alvarezii (Doty) Doty – An edible seaweed">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814607008102 Kumar, K. Suresh, K. Ganesan, and PV Subba Rao. "Antioxidant potential of solvent extracts of Kappaphycus alvarezii (Doty) Doty–An edible seaweed." Food chemistry 107.1 (2008): 289-295.]</ref> This gives seaweed great potential as a supplement in functional food or for the extraction of compounds. Proteins, peptides and amino acids from seaweed have shown positive bioactive effects in the treatment of diabetes and cancer, and the prevention of vascular diseases. The amino acid profile of some seaweed species is similar to that of animal foods. Extracts of valuable amino acids for feed supplement could be of potential because essential amino acids cannot be replaced by other compounds.<ref name="Bioactive compounds in seaweed: functional food applications and legislation">[http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10811-010-9632-5 Holdt, Susan Løvstad, and Stefan Kraan. "Bioactive compounds in seaweed: functional food applications and legislation." Journal of Applied Phycology 23.3 (2011): 543-597.]</ref><br />
<br />
===State of the art===<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
* Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
* Pond-farms can make use of otherwise infertile and underutilized land.<br />
* Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
* Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
* Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
* Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
* The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
* Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
<br />
* Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
* Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
* Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
* Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
* Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
* Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
* Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
* Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
* Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
* Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
===Types of farms===<br />
<br />
====Anchored====<br />
<br />
====Drifting====<br />
<br />
===Tasks to be carried out on farms===<br />
'''Primary tasks'''<br />
* Seeding<br />
* Cleaning<br />
* Harvesting<br />
'''Secondary tasks'''<br />
* Checking the quality of the plants<br />
* Removing corrupt plants<br />
* Pruning<br />
<br />
==Stakeholders==<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===User===<br />
Seaweed farmers.<br />
<br />
Drawback: Introduction of our system on the mariculture market could cost the jobs of the few brave seaweed farmers we have today. These farmers operate on a small scale on a small market and would be easily competed out. To prevent this, our systems user group is are the already existing seaweed farmers that want to expand their business, and the more industrialized farmers in Asia.<br />
<br />
The users: The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
<br />
===Society===<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
<br />
===Enterprise===<br />
It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is using the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
==Maritime robotics==<br />
<br />
<br />
<i><br />
::Specifications<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
::Practical tips<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be used for building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
::Responsibility<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!</i><br />
<br />
===Types of robots===<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===Locomotion===<br />
<br />
[[File:Drifterandjet.jpg|thumb|A passive ocean drifter and a high-speed jet.]]<br />
<br />
*Jet propulsion — water is taken in and propelled out at high speed, using a directed nozzle makes this very maneuverable.<br />
*Ocean current — passively drifting along the ocean current.<br />
*Propeller — a classic ship's screw to propel forwards and backwards.<br />
*Undulation — moving the body like a fish does.<br />
*Wind — using the power of the wind to sail.<br />
<br />
===Sensing===<br />
<br />
[[File:bathymetry.jpg |thumb|Sonar can be used for bathymetry, measuring the depth of the ocean floor.]]<br />
<br />
*Acoustic Doppler current profiler — measures the speed and direction of ocean currents using the principle of “Doppler shift”.<br />
*Camera — for visual data, has a limited range.<br />
*Conductivity — together with temperature and depth information, a good estimate of the salinity may be determined.<br />
*GPS — find the position, only works above the surface of the water.<br />
*Hydrophone — listen for sounds in the water.<br />
*Oxygen — determine the oxygen levels of the water.<br />
*Pressure — determine the depth the robot is at.<br />
*Semipermeable membrane density — a passive sampling device used to monitor trace levels of organic contaminants. When placed in an aquatic environment, SPMDs accumulate hydrophobic organic compounds, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and organochlorine pesticides from the surrounding waters.<br />
*Sonar — is used to find and identify objects in water. It is also used to determine water depth (bathymetry. May disturb marine life.<br />
*Temperature — determine the temperature of the water.<br />
*pH — determine the acidity of the water.<br />
<br />
===Communication===<br />
===Energy===<br />
The ocean offers several alternative options for energy generation. When a robot can use it's own energy on the sea, it is more autonomous.<br />
Options for Alternative ocean energy:<br />
*Tidal energy<br />
*Wave energy<br />
*Salinity gradient<br />
*Tidal Range<br />
*Ocean thermal energy conversion<br />
*Tidal range<br />
<br />
==Proposed design==<br />
<br />
===Description===<br />
*'''Location''' Our own Dutch North Sea might just be to place to be. With an average temperature of 12 degrees[http://gemiddeldgezien.nl/gemiddelde-watertemperatuur-noordzee], a former deadzone that is struggling with pollution from the many estuaries, and with a country that has always struggled with living beneath a rising sealevel, the seaweed farm has a lot to offer. When we also consider the busy shipping routes in the North Sea, Zeeland would be the most suitable area.<br />
*'''Farmed type of seaweed''' The HASP will farm the Laminaria seaweed species. Because of the high demand for it can not be fulfilled with the current techniques, and because it has a low impact on the enviroment.<br />
<br />
*'''System Design'''The design of our system will be largely modelled after the traditional seaweed farms.<br />
''distance between lines''<br />
<br />
===Automation===<br />
====Seeding====<br />
Like at normal seafarming, the young seedlings will first be grown at land in a greenhouse in the summer, when the water is hot. Mid-November, when they have grown 10-15 cm, they need to be planted at the seafarm. The seedlings are attached to the vertical lines to grow out, with the upper plants receving more sunlight than the lower ones. Can one of our robots attcach the seeds to the ropes?<br />
<br />
====Control and hygiene====<br />
There are several diseases that could affect the seaweed, caused by bacteria or by the enviroment. These diseases can be recognized visually and envirmental factors can be measured. Sensors would be needed for: illumination (too much or too little light causes rot), fres/salt water level and pollution. All diseases require different treatments, for which we have to think of automated solutions.<br />
Harm done by water grazers like fish can be minimized by placing the farm in deep waters, away from the coastal fish and the creatures on the seafloor. <br />
<br />
====Harvesting====<br />
Harvesting can be started in April. The plant grows faster in winter and slower in summer, with a rate of 1.1 cm per day in May. Making up for 2.5 meters a year. The plant can regenerate when it's been trimmed, but will grow slower. The normal age with this practice does not exceed 4 years.<br />
<br />
====Drying====<br />
It seems very inefficient to dry the seaweed in the open sea, it takes a lot of space and when one wave flushes over it, all the drying will have been for nothing. For that reason, seaweed must be taken to the mainland to dry. After it has been harvested, it must be stored for a short period, before it is transported. What amount of seaweed and for how long can it be stored without rotting?<br />
<br />
====Transport====<br />
<br />
====Communication to mainland====<br />
<br />
====Mapping tasks to robots====<br />
<br />
====Energy====<br />
In order to be fully atonomous and enviromentally friendly, the HASP will have to generate it's own energy.<br />
<br />
====Scalability====<br />
Number of plants on one vertical lines:<br />
Number of lines per meter:<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
The robots behaviour underwater would generate sound. Although the underwater world might seem silent to humans, fish experience sound intensly. The effects of human generated sounds on fish might therefore be harmful. Research results vary from little to no effect, to immediate death. Because the variety of sounds and fish is so large, we will try to minimize the sound level but not take extra measures to protect the fish from our robot's noices.<br />
<br />
===Big Data and IoT===<br />
<br />
<i>The farm comes equipped with a lot of sensors to monitor its own condition and its enviroment. Using all of this data one can analyze it in real time, and after collecting more data extrapolate long-term trends. With all the robotic agents on the farm, combined with the data collected, the farm can be administrated remotely. The farm can be made smart to send out maintenance calls on its.</i><br />
<br />
====Science====<br />
<br />
<i>The data collected by the farm and its robots can be shared with scientists and governments. More farms mean more sensors and thus a larger sensor size. This data would for example be very useful to The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) on which engineers and scientist can find all the data available about the european waters. The European Commission has started Marine Knowledge 2020 with the aim to bring to bring all of the marine data from different sources together. This initiative examplifies the need for marine data.</i><br />
<br />
==Robot prototype==<br />
<br />
===Design process===<br />
The design for the prototype consists of three components, one for the movement, one for grabbing and cutting and one for the Arduino and battery. The robot moves along a cable, for our prototype we will use a bicycle chain. The robot has three gearing wheels for a stable movement along the cable. The gearing wheel in the middle is driven by an engine. The component with the Arduino and the battery is hanging below the movement-component, just like a chairlift. This component should be heavy enough to sink, this is necessary to keep the bicycle chain on tension. This is the only component that should be waterproof, because it contains the Arduino and the battery. Below this component is the cut-and-grab-component, and is joined to the mothership with rope or a telescoping arm. This rope or telescoping arm is needed for a vertical movement, the robot should be able to cut at different depths. The claw should be able to grab seaweed that might have flowed away a bit, so the claw should be able to move horizontal. This happens by a telescoping arm. The scissors should be placed above the claw, otherwise the robot would cut seaweed that is not hold by the claw.<br />
<br />
===Technical description===<br />
<br />
===Demonstration===<br />
<br />
==Business and law==<br />
<br />
In 2014, the total annual value of produced seaweed was $6.4 billion. Worldwide, 93.8% of the global total production of aquatic plants came from aquaculture. Countries in East and Southeast Asia dominate seaweed culture production.<ref name="A guide to the seaweed industry">[http://www.fao.org/3/a-y4765e.pdf A guide to the seaweed industry]</ref> About 25 million tonnes of seaweeds and other algae are harvested annually for use as food, in cosmetics and fertilizers, and are processed to extract thickening agents or used as an additive to animal feed.<ref name="The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2014">[http://www.fao.org/3/a-i3720e.pdf The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2014]</ref> For the demand of food-grade seaweed to grow, there needs to be a dietary trend towards protein-rich vegetables, which seems to be the case. Growing the demand for seaweed requires a shift in the consumer's perception of seaweed as a food. Seaweed can be processed to be used as a source of nutrients for certain processed foods. There is increasing demand for seaweed as an agricultural supply, to use as animal food. It is also possible to use seaweed as a source for certain chemicals, i.e. for use in cosmetics.<br />
<br />
===Business case===<br />
<br />
====Cost vs. profit====<br />
<br />
===Laws===<br />
<br />
====International law====<br />
<br />
====European law====<br />
<br />
====Dutch law====<br />
<br />
==Looking ahead==<br />
<br />
===Future farms===<br />
<br />
The farm we have outlined only concerns the cultivation of seaweeds. However, farms can be augmented by employing bivalves in order to filter the water of pollutants.<ref name="Biosorption and bioaccumulation of heavy metals by rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata in the Persian Gulf">[http://www.intelaquares.com/doc/7b.pdf Biosorption and bioaccumulation of heavy metals by rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata in the Persian Gulf]</ref><br />
<br />
===Recommendations===<br />
<br />
===Horizon 2020===<br />
<br />
'''Applicable areas:'''<br />
<br />
*Agriculture & forestry<br />
*Aquatic resources<br />
*Bio-based industries<br />
*Environment & climate action<br />
*Food & healthy diet<br />
*Innovation<br />
*SME (small-medium enterprise)<br />
<br />
'''Relevant research calls:'''<br />
<br />
*High value-added specialized vessel concepts enabling more efficient servicing of emerging coastal and offshore activities. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/5119-bg-02-2016-2017.html (link)] € 7 million<br />
*New sources of proteins for animal feed from co-products to address the EU protein gap. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/17081-bbi-2016-d08.html (link)] € 15 million<br />
*Promoting and supporting the eco-intensification of aquaculture production systems: inland (including fresh water), coastal zone, and offshore. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/6050-sfs-32-2017.html (link)] € 6 million<br />
<br />
'''Also'''<br />
Marine Knowledge 2020 with The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet), aims to collect a lot more data from the seas and oceans than we do at the moment.<br />
<br />
==Discussion==<br />
<br />
==Conclusion==<br />
<br />
==Sources and references==<br />
<br />
===Sources===<br />
<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Doty, M.S. & Caddy, J.F. & Santelices, B. (1987), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Flannery, Tim (2015), [http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/nov/20/climate-crisis-future-brighter-tim-flannery Climate crisis: seaweed, coffee and cement could save the planet]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Juanich, Godardo L. (1988), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/ac416e00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE(1. EUCHEUMA SPP.)]<br />
*Kitadai, Yuuki & Kadowaki, Shusaki (2007), [https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf Growth, nitrogen and phosphorous uptake rates and O2 production rate of seaweeds cultured on coastal fish farms]<br />
*Kleis, Roelof (2010), [http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification]<br />
*Lacey, Stephen & Mellino, Cole (2011), [http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
* NOAA Ocean Explorer Webmaster (2013), [http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/technology/tools/tools.html NOAA Observing Systems and Sensors]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Popper, Arthur N. & Hastings, Mardi C. (2009), [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1749-4877.2008.00134.x/epdf The effects of human-generated sound on fish]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image]. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
===References===<br />
<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
<!--<br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
<br />
= Group members =<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
= Preliminary brainstorm =<br />
==Benefits==<br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
<br />
===Proposals===<br />
*Floating robot<br />
**Solar panel<br />
**Lowering (anker-style) cutter<br />
**Hard to position,<br />
***Drifts<br />
***“Dijnst[dutch]”<br />
*Rover robot<br />
**Stable polypoid (crab-style)<br />
**Hard to cut above his head<br />
*Swimming robot<br />
**May become struck between the weed<br />
**Perfect mobility and can cut everywhere<br />
Combination of multiple robot’s for every seafruit a suitable robot.<br />
<br />
= Problem =<br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15). </ref><br />
<br />
<br />
= Mariculture =<br />
<br />
<i>In this section cover what mariculture is and various aspects of mariculture.</i><br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
== Environmental effects ==<br />
<br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms. These can be classified in two categories:<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
<br />
* '''Positive aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
** Pond-farms can make use of otherwise unfertile and underutilised land.<br />
** Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
** Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
** Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
** Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
** The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
** Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<br />
* '''Negative aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
** Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
** Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
** Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
** Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
** Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
** Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
** Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
** Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
** Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
These effects should be considered when deploying seaweed farms to ensure sustainable aquaculture development.<br />
<br />
= Maritime robotics =<br />
== Types of maritime robots ==<br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
<br />
== Specifications ==<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
== Practical tips ==<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
== Responsibility ==<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!<br />
<br />
= State of the art =<br />
<br />
== Robots for mariculture ==<br />
<i>In this section we link mariculture and maritime robots, we elaborate on the type of (maritime) robots that are especially useful for sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= Automation =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the automation of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
= Scaling =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the scalability of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
== Sea farm design ==<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we propose a design for an innovative high-tech sea farm.</i><br />
<br />
= Sea robot prototype =<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we showcase a prototype of a robot to be used on our cutting-edge sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= USE: stakeholders =<br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
The USE aspects:<br />
The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
Enterprise: It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
=Tasks=<br />
[[{{TALKPAGENAME}}|Logbook]]<br />
<br />
=Drive=<br />
[https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=66031F8492322E24!604219&authkey=!AOO7hi5CT65E46Y&ithint=folder%2cdocx USE Waterpret]<br />
<br />
= Sources =<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/AC416E00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE 1. EUCHEUMA SPP.]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image].<br />
*[http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification, December 23, 2010 By Roelof Kleis ]<br />
*[http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?] <br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
== References ==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
--></div>S146529https://cstwiki.wtb.tue.nl/index.php?title=PRE2015_4_Groep5&diff=27173PRE2015 4 Groep52016-05-12T13:32:42Z<p>S146529: /* Sources */</p>
<hr />
<div>__FORCETOC__<br />
<br />
[[File:HASP_logo_v0.1.png|600px|right]]<br />
<br />
== Group members ==<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
==Introduction==<br />
<br />
===Abstract===<br />
<br />
===Problem statement===<br />
<br />
The world needs to produce at least 50% more food to feed 9 billion people by 2050. But climate change could cut crop yields by more than 25%.<ref name="Food security">[http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/foodsecurity]</ref> With this in mind we need to look for novel solutions to the problem of insufficient food production. This solution will need to take the interests of users, society, and enterprise into account. Moreover, this solution needs to surpass the state of the art by employing cutting-edge technology.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15).</ref><br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
===Motivation===<br />
<br />
Nutrition is vital to sustaining life, and food security is important for political stability and human welfare. We want to address the problem of food availability due to its relevance: continuing population and consumption growth will mean that the global demand for food will increase for at least another 40 years.<ref name="Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People">[http://science.sciencemag.org/content/327/5967/812 Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People]</ref><br />
<br />
Agriculture is an integral part of the European economy and society. It provides the basis for food, feed and non-food products to meet the demands of consumers and a wide range of industries.<ref name="Horizon 2020: Agriculture & Forestry">[https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/en/area/agriculture-forestry Agriculture & Forestry]</ref> By designing a solution to the agricultural challenge we will need to take into account the needs of users: like consumers of food, society: the ecological impacts of our solution, and enterprise: the solution needs to be competitive in order to gain an economical advantage.<br />
<br />
The agricultural industry is ever advancing, not only is the biological aspect of farming being researched, there are also improvements in automation,<ref name="Agricultural Robotics and Automation">[http://www.ieee-ras.org/agricultural-robotics Agricultural Robotics and Automation]</ref> and we want to explore the automation of this industry. We want to develop a solution that allows for automation of food production beyond the state of the art, moreover the solution needs to be scalable.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
==Mariculture==<br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
Mariculture is a specialized branch of aquaculture involving the cultivation of marine organisms for food and other products in the open ocean, an enclosed section of the ocean, or in tanks, ponds or raceways which are filled with seawater. An example of the latter is the farming of marine fish, including finfish and shellfish like prawns, or oysters and seaweed in saltwater ponds.<ref name="Mariculture">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariculture Mariculture]</ref><br />
<br />
In this section we will explore mariculture, and explain why we chose it as a solution to the problem previously stated. Mariculture encompasses a wide range of organisms, from the cultivation of water-based plants to the breeding of aquatic animals. For this project we will focus on the cultivation of aquatic plants, and in particular types of seaweed.<br />
<br />
===Commonly cultivated seaweed species===<br />
<br />
*The total seaweed production features a lot of brown kelps. These weeds grow in cold water zones, they are long and have a leathery structure. They must be harvested before the water temperature rises to 21 degrees, otherwise the kelps will rot. Kombu (Laminaria Japonica) is used a lot in Japanese recipies for soups, as dried snacks, or in salads. Kombu is a dietary fiber and contains high levels of iodine. In China, 50% of the Laminaria production is meant for industrial purposes for its iodine, algin and mannitol. Due to this, laminaria are considered as one of the best renewable resources and it makes up for a major part of the maricultural sector. Japan has made effort to increase the production but due to its labour intensitive nature, the market is not expected to expand notably. [http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Laminaria_japonica/en] Wakame (Undaria) is the type of kelp you will find in your misosoup. With a subtle sweet flavour and satin-like texture it is most suitable for human consumption. The weed is a rich source of omega-3 and helps burn fatty tissue. However, it is also in the top 100 of worst invasive species in cold waters, which is partly caused by aquaculture. [ http://www.seaweed.ie/]<br />
<br />
*Gelidium amansii and Pterocladia are valuable red algae that can be found at shallow coasts. They can be used in salads and to make agar, a jelly-like substance that can be used for microbiological research and various industrial purposes. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelidium_amansii] They have been cultured in Korea since the last century, but always on a small scale. There have been various attempts to farm the algae at sea, but the slow growth rate and required non-contaminated waters made it unattractive for commercial cultivation.[https://books.google.nl/books?id=19mM4xtgfOMC&pg=PA2&lpg=PA2&dq=Pterocladia+farm&source=bl&ots=MtH0LvASHr&sig=RXZNWMEOLnv1yS-WP2fWqv6SDpo&hl=nl&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwieqMmLnsrMAhXlAsAKHVoKDzwQ6AEIRTAF#v=onepage&q=Pterocladia%20farm&f=false]<br />
<br />
*Nori or Zicai (Porphyra) are most famous for composing the sushi wraps. The red algae grow in cold and shallow waters in the intertidal zone. After growing in the sea for 50 days, the weeds can be harvested every 10-15 days. The Nori market is stable, the demand is not expected to grow or shrink in the coming years. In Japan, the annual production is valued at 1 billion US dollars.[http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Porphyra_spp/en#tcNA0112]<br />
<br />
===Mariculture as a solution===<br />
<br />
===Environment===<br />
<br />
====Dead zones====<br />
<br />
[[File:Deadzones.jpg|thumb|Dead zones in oceans around the world.]]<br />
<br />
Ocean dead zones are areas with low oxygen levels and hardly any marine life. These areas are caused by agriculture fertilizers that increase the level of nitrogen and phosphorus, also known as eutriphication. The result is a rapid increase in phytoplankton, because they are 'build' from phosphorus and nitrogen. These algal blooms cause deadzones. The number of deadzones is increasing.<br />
As a result, the fertility of the marine life drops dramatically, and in more extreme cases, fish fall unconcious and then suffocate. Slow moving creatures on the seafloor are unable to escape.<br />
Seaweed is capable of uptaking both nitrogen and phosphorus and replacing it with oxygen. For this reason seaweed is also cultivated around fishfarms. Seaweed would be a cheap although perhaps slow solution in the reviving of deadzones.[https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf]<br />
<br />
====Climate====<br />
Seaweed can assimilate a lot of CO<sub>2</sub>. But this will not solve the CO<sub>2</sub>-problem, because the CO<sub>2</sub> will be released when the seaweed will be consumed. Seaweed only contributes indirectly to a better milieu. Because of the seaweed farms less forests will disappear for farmlands. This forest contributes to a net CO<sub>2</sub> storage. Seaweed can also be used for the production of biomethane and electricity. So the unsustainable fuels can be replaced, this results in less CO<sub>2</sub> pollution.<br />
<br />
====Locations====<br />
<br />
To determine the best location for a sea-farm we have to take into account several aspects. The temperature of the seawater should be the right temperature for seaweed. For example the best temperature for growing Eucheuma is 20-25 °Celsius, but there are also species that can grow in water of 10 °Celsius. So seaweed can grow in almost every ocean. The depth of the sea does not matter for the seaweed of farm, because we will only use species that grow from the surface downwards. But for the farm itself the depth does matter. Anchoring the farm is easier in a shallow area in the ocean. Commonly these areas are near the coast, an advantage of sea-farms which are near the costs is that the transport from farm to the secondary users is cheaper. Also building and maintaining the farm is easier if it is closer to the mainland. The dead zones are also located near the seashore, so the dead zones are an extra motivation of locating the sea-farms there. A disadvantage are the shipping routes that are located in these areas. Thankfully, these routes are taken by most commercial ships. This leaves open spots near the coast where there are no passing ships and where the seaweedfarms could be located. Important shipping routes at the Dutch coast [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NoordzeeScheepvaartroutes.png] With the sealevels rising due to climate change, and the seafarm's habit breaking waves, it would be beneficial to locate the farm nearby a shore that is threatend by rising sea levels.<br />
<br />
===Nutrition===<br />
<br />
From a nutritional standpoint, the main properties of seaweeds that distinguish them from higher plants are their high mineral and dietary fibre contents. The high iron and magnesium contents are of particular nutritional interest due to their metabolic or functional properties. In comparison with other sources of fibres, seaweeds contain a high proportion of soluble fibres, which exhibit original fermentation patterns in the large intestine. Red seaweeds have a high protein content, comparable to that of high-protein vegetables. Available data suggest that they have a unique amino acid pattern, complementary to that of most terrestrial vegetables.<ref name="Seaweed in food products: biochemical and nutritional aspects">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/092422449390091N Serge Mabeau, Joël Fleurence: Seaweed in food products: biochemical and nutritional aspects (1993)]</ref> Edible brown and red seaweeds could be used as a food supplement to help meet the recommended daily adult intakes of some macrominerals and trace elements.<ref name="P. Rupérez: Mineral content of edible marine seaweeds (2002)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814602001711 P. Rupérez: Mineral content of edible marine seaweeds (2002)]</ref><br />
<br />
There might be some hesitance in the use of seaweed for human nutrition, but the seaweeds which are used as biological filters and food material for farmed animals could easily be included in the human food value chain by this route.<ref name="What are the prospects for using seaweed in human nutrition and for marine animals raised through aquaculture?">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224412000544 Joël Fleurence, Michele Morançais, Justine Dumay, Priscilla Decottignies, Vincent Turpin, Mathilde Munier, Nuria Garcia-Bueno and Pascal Jaouen: What are the prospects for using seaweed in human nutrition and for marine animals raised through aquaculture? (2012)]</ref><ref name="Joël Fleurence: Seaweed proteins: biochemical, nutritional aspects and potential use (1999)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224499000151 Joël Fleurence: Seaweed proteins: biochemical, nutritional aspects and potential use (1999)]</ref><br />
<br />
As seaweed accumulates important substances from the surrounding water, it does not only accumulate the desired minerals and trace metals but it also accumulates undesirable metals and heavy metals from the surrounding environment.<ref name="Bioactive compounds in seaweed: functional food applications and legislation">[http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10811-010-9632-5 Holdt, Susan Løvstad, and Stefan Kraan. "Bioactive compounds in seaweed: functional food applications and legislation." Journal of Applied Phycology 23.3 (2011): 543-597.]</ref> This can be exploited, and seaweed can be used as a biofilter, but if the goal is nutrition it is important to not let seaweed grow in polluted water. <br />
<br />
Seaweeds are known for their richness in polysaccharides, minerals and certain vitamins,<ref name="Vegetables from the sea">[http://agris.fao.org/agris-search/search.do?recordID=XF2015021737 Arasaki, Seibun, and Teruko Arasaki. "Vegetables from the sea." Japan Publ. Inc., Tokyo 96 (1983): 251-223.]</ref> but they also contain bioactive substances like polysaccharides, proteins, lipids and polyphenols, with antibacterial, antiviral and anti-fungal properties, as well as many others.<ref name="Antioxidant potential of solvent extracts of Kappaphycus alvarezii (Doty) Doty – An edible seaweed">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814607008102 Kumar, K. Suresh, K. Ganesan, and PV Subba Rao. "Antioxidant potential of solvent extracts of Kappaphycus alvarezii (Doty) Doty–An edible seaweed." Food chemistry 107.1 (2008): 289-295.]</ref> This gives seaweed great potential as a supplement in functional food or for the extraction of compounds. Proteins, peptides and amino acids from seaweed have shown positive bioactive effects in the treatment of diabetes and cancer, and the prevention of vascular diseases. The amino acid profile of some seaweed species is similar to that of animal foods. Extracts of valuable amino acids for feed supplement could be of potential because essential amino acids cannot be replaced by other compounds.<ref name="Bioactive compounds in seaweed: functional food applications and legislation">[http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10811-010-9632-5 Holdt, Susan Løvstad, and Stefan Kraan. "Bioactive compounds in seaweed: functional food applications and legislation." Journal of Applied Phycology 23.3 (2011): 543-597.]</ref><br />
<br />
===State of the art===<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
* Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
* Pond-farms can make use of otherwise infertile and underutilized land.<br />
* Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
* Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
* Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
* Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
* The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
* Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
<br />
* Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
* Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
* Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
* Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
* Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
* Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
* Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
* Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
* Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
* Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
===Types of farms===<br />
<br />
====Anchored====<br />
<br />
====Drifting====<br />
<br />
===Tasks to be carried out on farms===<br />
'''Primary tasks'''<br />
* Seeding<br />
* Cleaning<br />
* Harvesting<br />
'''Secondary tasks'''<br />
* Checking the quality of the plants<br />
* Removing corrupt plants<br />
* Pruning<br />
<br />
==Stakeholders==<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===User===<br />
Seaweed farmers.<br />
<br />
Drawback: Introduction of our system on the mariculture market could cost the jobs of the few brave seaweed farmers we have today. These farmers operate on a small scale on a small market and would be easily competed out. To prevent this, our systems user group is are the already existing seaweed farmers that want to expand their business, and the more industrialized farmers in Asia.<br />
<br />
The users: The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
<br />
===Society===<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
<br />
===Enterprise===<br />
It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is using the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
==Maritime robotics==<br />
<br />
<br />
<i><br />
::Specifications<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
::Practical tips<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be used for building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
::Responsibility<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!</i><br />
<br />
===Types of robots===<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===Locomotion===<br />
<br />
[[File:Drifterandjet.jpg|thumb|A passive ocean drifter and a high-speed jet.]]<br />
<br />
*Jet propulsion — water is taken in and propelled out at high speed, using a directed nozzle makes this very maneuverable.<br />
*Ocean current — passively drifting along the ocean current.<br />
*Propeller — a classic ship's screw to propel forwards and backwards.<br />
*Undulation — moving the body like a fish does.<br />
*Wind — using the power of the wind to sail.<br />
<br />
===Sensing===<br />
<br />
[[File:bathymetry.jpg |thumb|Sonar can be used for bathymetry, measuring the depth of the ocean floor.]]<br />
<br />
*Acoustic Doppler current profiler — measures the speed and direction of ocean currents using the principle of “Doppler shift”.<br />
*Camera — for visual data, has a limited range.<br />
*Conductivity — together with temperature and depth information, a good estimate of the salinity may be determined.<br />
*GPS — find the position, only works above the surface of the water.<br />
*Hydrophone — listen for sounds in the water.<br />
*Oxygen — determine the oxygen levels of the water.<br />
*Pressure — determine the depth the robot is at.<br />
*Semipermeable membrane density — a passive sampling device used to monitor trace levels of organic contaminants. When placed in an aquatic environment, SPMDs accumulate hydrophobic organic compounds, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and organochlorine pesticides from the surrounding waters.<br />
*Sonar — is used to find and identify objects in water. It is also used to determine water depth (bathymetry. May disturb marine life.<br />
*Temperature — determine the temperature of the water.<br />
*pH — determine the acidity of the water.<br />
<br />
===Communication===<br />
===Energy===<br />
The ocean offers several alternative options for energy generation. When a robot can use it's own energy on the sea, it is more autonomous.<br />
Options for Alternative ocean energy:<br />
*Tidal energy<br />
*Wave energy<br />
*Salinity gradient<br />
*Tidal Range<br />
*Ocean thermal energy conversion<br />
*Tidal range<br />
<br />
==Proposed design==<br />
<br />
===Description===<br />
*'''Location''' Our own Dutch North Sea might just be to place to be. With an average temperature of 12 degrees[http://gemiddeldgezien.nl/gemiddelde-watertemperatuur-noordzee], a former deadzone that is struggling with pollution from the many estuaries, and with a country that has always struggled with living beneath a rising sealevel, the seaweed farm has a lot to offer. When we also consider the busy shipping routes in the North Sea, Zeeland would be the most suitable area.<br />
*'''Farmed type of seaweed''' The HASP will farm the Laminaria seaweed species. Because of the high demand for it can not be fulfilled with the current techniques, and because it has a low impact on the enviroment.<br />
<br />
*'''System Design'''The design of our system will be largely modelled after the traditional seaweed farms.<br />
''distance between lines''<br />
<br />
===Automation===<br />
====Seeding====<br />
Like at normal seafarming, the young seedlings will first be grown at land in a greenhouse in the summer, when the water is hot. Mid-November, when they have grown 10-15 cm, they need to be planted at the seafarm. The seedlings are attached to the vertical lines to grow out, with the upper plants receving more sunlight than the lower ones. Can one of our robots attcach the seeds to the ropes?<br />
<br />
====Control and hygiene====<br />
There are several diseases that could affect the seaweed, caused by bacteria or by the enviroment. These diseases can be recognized visually and envirmental factors can be measured. Sensors would be needed for: illumination (too much or too little light causes rot), fres/salt water level and pollution. All diseases require different treatments, for which we have to think of automated solutions.<br />
Harm done by water grazers like fish can be minimized by placing the farm in deep waters, away from the coastal fish and the creatures on the seafloor. <br />
<br />
====Harvesting====<br />
Harvesting can be started in April. The plant grows faster in winter and slower in summer, with a rate of 1.1 cm per day in May. Making up for 2.5 meters a year. The plant can regenerate when it's been trimmed, but will grow slower. The normal age with this practice does not exceed 4 years.<br />
<br />
====Drying====<br />
It seems very inefficient to dry the seaweed in the open sea, it takes a lot of space and when one wave flushes over it, all the drying will have been for nothing. For that reason, seaweed must be taken to the mainland to dry. After it has been harvested, it must be stored for a short period, before it is transported. What amount of seaweed and for how long can it be stored without rotting?<br />
<br />
====Transport====<br />
<br />
====Communication to mainland====<br />
<br />
====Mapping tasks to robots====<br />
<br />
====Energy====<br />
In order to be fully atonomous and enviromentally friendly, the HASP will have to generate it's own energy.<br />
<br />
====Scalability====<br />
Number of plants on one vertical lines:<br />
Number of lines per meter:<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
The robots behaviour underwater would generate sound. Although the underwater world might seem silent to humans, fish experience sound intensly. The effects of human generated sounds on fish might therefore be harmful. Research results vary from little to no effect, to immediate death. Because the variety of sounds and fish is so large, we will try to minimize the sound level but not take extra measures to protect the fish from our robot's noices.<br />
<br />
===Big Data and IoT===<br />
<br />
<i>The farm comes equipped with a lot of sensors to monitor its own condition and its enviroment. Using all of this data one can analyze it in real time, and after collecting more data extrapolate long-term trends. With all the robotic agents on the farm, combined with the data collected, the farm can be administrated remotely. The farm can be made smart to send out maintenance calls on its.</i><br />
<br />
====Science====<br />
<br />
<i>The data collected by the farm and its robots can be shared with scientists and governments. More farms mean more sensors and thus a larger sensor size. This data would for example be very useful to The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) on which engineers and scientist can find all the data available about the european waters. The European Commission has started Marine Knowledge 2020 with the aim to bring to bring all of the marine data from different sources together. This initiative examplifies the need for marine data.</i><br />
<br />
==Robot prototype==<br />
<br />
===Design process===<br />
The design for the prototype consists of three components, one for the movement, one for grabbing and cutting and one for the Arduino and battery. The robot moves along a cable, for our prototype we will use a bicycle chain. The robot has three gearing wheels for a stable movement along the cable. The gearing wheel in the middle is driven by an engine. The component with the Arduino and the battery is hanging below the movement-component, just like a chairlift. This component should be heavy enough to sink, this is necessary to keep the bicycle chain on tension. This is the only component that should be waterproof, because it contains the Arduino and the battery. Below this component is the cut-and-grab-component, and is joined to the mothership with rope or a telescoping arm. This rope or telescoping arm is needed for a vertical movement, the robot should be able to cut at different depths. The claw should be able to grab seaweed that might have flowed away a bit, so the claw should be able to move horizontal. This happens by a telescoping arm. The scissors should be placed above the claw, otherwise the robot would cut seaweed that is not hold by the claw.<br />
<br />
===Technical description===<br />
<br />
===Demonstration===<br />
<br />
==Business and law==<br />
<br />
In 2014, the total annual value of produced seaweed was $6.4 billion. Worldwide, 93.8% of the global total production of aquatic plants came from aquaculture. Countries in East and Southeast Asia dominate seaweed culture production.<ref name="A guide to the seaweed industry">[http://www.fao.org/3/a-y4765e.pdf A guide to the seaweed industry]</ref> About 25 million tonnes of seaweeds and other algae are harvested annually for use as food, in cosmetics and fertilizers, and are processed to extract thickening agents or used as an additive to animal feed.<ref name="The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2014">[http://www.fao.org/3/a-i3720e.pdf The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2014]</ref> For the demand of food-grade seaweed to grow, there needs to be a dietary trend towards protein-rich vegetables, which seems to be the case. Growing the demand for seaweed requires a shift in the consumer's perception of seaweed as a food. Seaweed can be processed to be used as a source of nutrients for certain processed foods. There is increasing demand for seaweed as an agricultural supply, to use as animal food. It is also possible to use seaweed as a source for certain chemicals, i.e. for use in cosmetics.<br />
<br />
===Business case===<br />
<br />
====Cost vs. profit====<br />
<br />
===Laws===<br />
<br />
====International law====<br />
<br />
====European law====<br />
<br />
====Dutch law====<br />
<br />
==Looking ahead==<br />
<br />
===Future farms===<br />
<br />
The farm we have outlined only concerns the cultivation of seaweeds. However, farms can be augmented by employing bivalves in order to filter the water of pollutants.<ref name="Biosorption and bioaccumulation of heavy metals by rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata in the Persian Gulf">[http://www.intelaquares.com/doc/7b.pdf Biosorption and bioaccumulation of heavy metals by rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata in the Persian Gulf]</ref><br />
<br />
===Recommendations===<br />
<br />
===Horizon 2020===<br />
<br />
'''Applicable areas:'''<br />
<br />
*Agriculture & forestry<br />
*Aquatic resources<br />
*Bio-based industries<br />
*Environment & climate action<br />
*Food & healthy diet<br />
*Innovation<br />
*SME (small-medium enterprise)<br />
<br />
'''Relevant research calls:'''<br />
<br />
*High value-added specialized vessel concepts enabling more efficient servicing of emerging coastal and offshore activities. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/5119-bg-02-2016-2017.html (link)] € 7 million<br />
*New sources of proteins for animal feed from co-products to address the EU protein gap. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/17081-bbi-2016-d08.html (link)] € 15 million<br />
*Promoting and supporting the eco-intensification of aquaculture production systems: inland (including fresh water), coastal zone, and offshore. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/6050-sfs-32-2017.html (link)] € 6 million<br />
<br />
'''Also'''<br />
Marine Knowledge 2020 with The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet), aims to collect a lot more data from the seas and oceans than we do at the moment.<br />
<br />
==Discussion==<br />
<br />
==Conclusion==<br />
<br />
==Sources and references==<br />
<br />
===Sources===<br />
<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Doty, M.S. & Caddy, J.F. & Santelices, B. (1987), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Juanich, Godardo L. (1988), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/ac416e00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE(1. EUCHEUMA SPP.)]<br />
*Kitadai, Yuuki & Kadowaki, Shusaki (2007), [https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf Growth, nitrogen and phosphorous uptake rates and O2 production rate of seaweeds cultured on coastal fish farms]<br />
*Kleis, Roelof (2010), [http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification]<br />
*Lacey, Stephen & Mellino, Cole (2011), [http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
* NOAA Ocean Explorer Webmaster (2013), [http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/technology/tools/tools.html NOAA Observing Systems and Sensors]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Popper, Arthur N. & Hastings, Mardi C. (2009), [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1749-4877.2008.00134.x/epdf The effects of human-generated sound on fish]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image]. <br />
*Flannery, Tim (2015), [http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/nov/20/climate-crisis-future-brighter-tim-flannery Climate crisis: seaweed, coffee and cement could save the planet] <br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
===References===<br />
<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
<!--<br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
<br />
= Group members =<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
= Preliminary brainstorm =<br />
==Benefits==<br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
<br />
===Proposals===<br />
*Floating robot<br />
**Solar panel<br />
**Lowering (anker-style) cutter<br />
**Hard to position,<br />
***Drifts<br />
***“Dijnst[dutch]”<br />
*Rover robot<br />
**Stable polypoid (crab-style)<br />
**Hard to cut above his head<br />
*Swimming robot<br />
**May become struck between the weed<br />
**Perfect mobility and can cut everywhere<br />
Combination of multiple robot’s for every seafruit a suitable robot.<br />
<br />
= Problem =<br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15). </ref><br />
<br />
<br />
= Mariculture =<br />
<br />
<i>In this section cover what mariculture is and various aspects of mariculture.</i><br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
== Environmental effects ==<br />
<br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms. These can be classified in two categories:<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
<br />
* '''Positive aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
** Pond-farms can make use of otherwise unfertile and underutilised land.<br />
** Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
** Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
** Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
** Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
** The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
** Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<br />
* '''Negative aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
** Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
** Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
** Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
** Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
** Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
** Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
** Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
** Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
** Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
These effects should be considered when deploying seaweed farms to ensure sustainable aquaculture development.<br />
<br />
= Maritime robotics =<br />
== Types of maritime robots ==<br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
<br />
== Specifications ==<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
== Practical tips ==<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
== Responsibility ==<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!<br />
<br />
= State of the art =<br />
<br />
== Robots for mariculture ==<br />
<i>In this section we link mariculture and maritime robots, we elaborate on the type of (maritime) robots that are especially useful for sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= Automation =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the automation of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
= Scaling =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the scalability of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
== Sea farm design ==<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we propose a design for an innovative high-tech sea farm.</i><br />
<br />
= Sea robot prototype =<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we showcase a prototype of a robot to be used on our cutting-edge sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= USE: stakeholders =<br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
The USE aspects:<br />
The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
Enterprise: It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
=Tasks=<br />
[[{{TALKPAGENAME}}|Logbook]]<br />
<br />
=Drive=<br />
[https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=66031F8492322E24!604219&authkey=!AOO7hi5CT65E46Y&ithint=folder%2cdocx USE Waterpret]<br />
<br />
= Sources =<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/AC416E00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE 1. EUCHEUMA SPP.]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image].<br />
*[http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification, December 23, 2010 By Roelof Kleis ]<br />
*[http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?] <br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
== References ==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
--></div>S146529https://cstwiki.wtb.tue.nl/index.php?title=PRE2015_4_Groep5&diff=27171PRE2015 4 Groep52016-05-12T13:26:49Z<p>S146529: /* Climate */</p>
<hr />
<div>__FORCETOC__<br />
<br />
[[File:HASP_logo_v0.1.png|600px|right]]<br />
<br />
== Group members ==<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
==Introduction==<br />
<br />
===Abstract===<br />
<br />
===Problem statement===<br />
<br />
The world needs to produce at least 50% more food to feed 9 billion people by 2050. But climate change could cut crop yields by more than 25%.<ref name="Food security">[http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/foodsecurity]</ref> With this in mind we need to look for novel solutions to the problem of insufficient food production. This solution will need to take the interests of users, society, and enterprise into account. Moreover, this solution needs to surpass the state of the art by employing cutting-edge technology.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15).</ref><br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
===Motivation===<br />
<br />
Nutrition is vital to sustaining life, and food security is important for political stability and human welfare. We want to address the problem of food availability due to its relevance: continuing population and consumption growth will mean that the global demand for food will increase for at least another 40 years.<ref name="Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People">[http://science.sciencemag.org/content/327/5967/812 Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People]</ref><br />
<br />
Agriculture is an integral part of the European economy and society. It provides the basis for food, feed and non-food products to meet the demands of consumers and a wide range of industries.<ref name="Horizon 2020: Agriculture & Forestry">[https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/en/area/agriculture-forestry Agriculture & Forestry]</ref> By designing a solution to the agricultural challenge we will need to take into account the needs of users: like consumers of food, society: the ecological impacts of our solution, and enterprise: the solution needs to be competitive in order to gain an economical advantage.<br />
<br />
The agricultural industry is ever advancing, not only is the biological aspect of farming being researched, there are also improvements in automation,<ref name="Agricultural Robotics and Automation">[http://www.ieee-ras.org/agricultural-robotics Agricultural Robotics and Automation]</ref> and we want to explore the automation of this industry. We want to develop a solution that allows for automation of food production beyond the state of the art, moreover the solution needs to be scalable.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
==Mariculture==<br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
Mariculture is a specialized branch of aquaculture involving the cultivation of marine organisms for food and other products in the open ocean, an enclosed section of the ocean, or in tanks, ponds or raceways which are filled with seawater. An example of the latter is the farming of marine fish, including finfish and shellfish like prawns, or oysters and seaweed in saltwater ponds.<ref name="Mariculture">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariculture Mariculture]</ref><br />
<br />
In this section we will explore mariculture, and explain why we chose it as a solution to the problem previously stated. Mariculture encompasses a wide range of organisms, from the cultivation of water-based plants to the breeding of aquatic animals. For this project we will focus on the cultivation of aquatic plants, and in particular types of seaweed.<br />
<br />
===Commonly cultivated seaweed species===<br />
<br />
*The total seaweed production features a lot of brown kelps. These weeds grow in cold water zones, they are long and have a leathery structure. They must be harvested before the water temperature rises to 21 degrees, otherwise the kelps will rot. Kombu (Laminaria Japonica) is used a lot in Japanese recipies for soups, as dried snacks, or in salads. Kombu is a dietary fiber and contains high levels of iodine. In China, 50% of the Laminaria production is meant for industrial purposes for its iodine, algin and mannitol. Due to this, laminaria are considered as one of the best renewable resources and it makes up for a major part of the maricultural sector. Japan has made effort to increase the production but due to its labour intensitive nature, the market is not expected to expand notably. [http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Laminaria_japonica/en] Wakame (Undaria) is the type of kelp you will find in your misosoup. With a subtle sweet flavour and satin-like texture it is most suitable for human consumption. The weed is a rich source of omega-3 and helps burn fatty tissue. However, it is also in the top 100 of worst invasive species in cold waters, which is partly caused by aquaculture. [ http://www.seaweed.ie/]<br />
<br />
*Gelidium amansii and Pterocladia are valuable red algae that can be found at shallow coasts. They can be used in salads and to make agar, a jelly-like substance that can be used for microbiological research and various industrial purposes. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelidium_amansii] They have been cultured in Korea since the last century, but always on a small scale. There have been various attempts to farm the algae at sea, but the slow growth rate and required non-contaminated waters made it unattractive for commercial cultivation.[https://books.google.nl/books?id=19mM4xtgfOMC&pg=PA2&lpg=PA2&dq=Pterocladia+farm&source=bl&ots=MtH0LvASHr&sig=RXZNWMEOLnv1yS-WP2fWqv6SDpo&hl=nl&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwieqMmLnsrMAhXlAsAKHVoKDzwQ6AEIRTAF#v=onepage&q=Pterocladia%20farm&f=false]<br />
<br />
*Nori or Zicai (Porphyra) are most famous for composing the sushi wraps. The red algae grow in cold and shallow waters in the intertidal zone. After growing in the sea for 50 days, the weeds can be harvested every 10-15 days. The Nori market is stable, the demand is not expected to grow or shrink in the coming years. In Japan, the annual production is valued at 1 billion US dollars.[http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Porphyra_spp/en#tcNA0112]<br />
<br />
===Mariculture as a solution===<br />
<br />
===Environment===<br />
<br />
====Dead zones====<br />
<br />
[[File:Deadzones.jpg|thumb|Dead zones in oceans around the world.]]<br />
<br />
Ocean dead zones are areas with low oxygen levels and hardly any marine life. These areas are caused by agriculture fertilizers that increase the level of nitrogen and phosphorus, also known as eutriphication. The result is a rapid increase in phytoplankton, because they are 'build' from phosphorus and nitrogen. These algal blooms cause deadzones. The number of deadzones is increasing.<br />
As a result, the fertility of the marine life drops dramatically, and in more extreme cases, fish fall unconcious and then suffocate. Slow moving creatures on the seafloor are unable to escape.<br />
Seaweed is capable of uptaking both nitrogen and phosphorus and replacing it with oxygen. For this reason seaweed is also cultivated around fishfarms. Seaweed would be a cheap although perhaps slow solution in the reviving of deadzones.[https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf]<br />
<br />
====Climate====<br />
Seaweed can assimilate a lot of CO_2. But this will not solve the CO2-problem, because the CO_2 will be released when the seaweed will be consumed. Seaweed only contributes indirectly to a better milieu. Because of the seaweed farms less forests will disappear for farmlands. This forest do contribute to a net CO_2 storage. Seaweed can also be used for the production of biomethane and electricity. So the unsustainable fuels can be replaced, this results in less CO_2 pollution.<br />
<br />
====Locations====<br />
<br />
To determine the best location for a sea-farm we have to take into account several aspects. The temperature of the seawater should be the right temperature for seaweed. For example the best temperature for growing Eucheuma is 20-25 °Celsius, but there are also species that can grow in water of 10 °Celsius. So seaweed can grow in almost every ocean. The depth of the sea does not matter for the seaweed of farm, because we will only use species that grow from the surface downwards. But for the farm itself the depth does matter. Anchoring the farm is easier in a shallow area in the ocean. Commonly these areas are near the coast, an advantage of sea-farms which are near the costs is that the transport from farm to the secondary users is cheaper. Also building and maintaining the farm is easier if it is closer to the mainland. The dead zones are also located near the seashore, so the dead zones are an extra motivation of locating the sea-farms there. A disadvantage are the shipping routes that are located in these areas. Thankfully, these routes are taken by most commercial ships. This leaves open spots near the coast where there are no passing ships and where the seaweedfarms could be located. Important shipping routes at the Dutch coast [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NoordzeeScheepvaartroutes.png] With the sealevels rising due to climate change, and the seafarm's habit breaking waves, it would be beneficial to locate the farm nearby a shore that is threatend by rising sea levels.<br />
<br />
===Nutrition===<br />
<br />
From a nutritional standpoint, the main properties of seaweeds that distinguish them from higher plants are their high mineral and dietary fibre contents. The high iron and magnesium contents are of particular nutritional interest due to their metabolic or functional properties. In comparison with other sources of fibres, seaweeds contain a high proportion of soluble fibres, which exhibit original fermentation patterns in the large intestine. Red seaweeds have a high protein content, comparable to that of high-protein vegetables. Available data suggest that they have a unique amino acid pattern, complementary to that of most terrestrial vegetables.<ref name="Seaweed in food products: biochemical and nutritional aspects">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/092422449390091N Serge Mabeau, Joël Fleurence: Seaweed in food products: biochemical and nutritional aspects (1993)]</ref> Edible brown and red seaweeds could be used as a food supplement to help meet the recommended daily adult intakes of some macrominerals and trace elements.<ref name="P. Rupérez: Mineral content of edible marine seaweeds (2002)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814602001711 P. Rupérez: Mineral content of edible marine seaweeds (2002)]</ref><br />
<br />
There might be some hesitance in the use of seaweed for human nutrition, but the seaweeds which are used as biological filters and food material for farmed animals could easily be included in the human food value chain by this route.<ref name="What are the prospects for using seaweed in human nutrition and for marine animals raised through aquaculture?">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224412000544 Joël Fleurence, Michele Morançais, Justine Dumay, Priscilla Decottignies, Vincent Turpin, Mathilde Munier, Nuria Garcia-Bueno and Pascal Jaouen: What are the prospects for using seaweed in human nutrition and for marine animals raised through aquaculture? (2012)]</ref><ref name="Joël Fleurence: Seaweed proteins: biochemical, nutritional aspects and potential use (1999)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224499000151 Joël Fleurence: Seaweed proteins: biochemical, nutritional aspects and potential use (1999)]</ref><br />
<br />
As seaweed accumulates important substances from the surrounding water, it does not only accumulate the desired minerals and trace metals but it also accumulates undesirable metals and heavy metals from the surrounding environment.<ref name="Bioactive compounds in seaweed: functional food applications and legislation">[http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10811-010-9632-5 Holdt, Susan Løvstad, and Stefan Kraan. "Bioactive compounds in seaweed: functional food applications and legislation." Journal of Applied Phycology 23.3 (2011): 543-597.]</ref> This can be exploited, and seaweed can be used as a biofilter, but if the goal is nutrition it is important to not let seaweed grow in polluted water. <br />
<br />
Seaweeds are known for their richness in polysaccharides, minerals and certain vitamins,<ref name="Vegetables from the sea">[http://agris.fao.org/agris-search/search.do?recordID=XF2015021737 Arasaki, Seibun, and Teruko Arasaki. "Vegetables from the sea." Japan Publ. Inc., Tokyo 96 (1983): 251-223.]</ref> but they also contain bioactive substances like polysaccharides, proteins, lipids and polyphenols, with antibacterial, antiviral and anti-fungal properties, as well as many others.<ref name="Antioxidant potential of solvent extracts of Kappaphycus alvarezii (Doty) Doty – An edible seaweed">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814607008102 Kumar, K. Suresh, K. Ganesan, and PV Subba Rao. "Antioxidant potential of solvent extracts of Kappaphycus alvarezii (Doty) Doty–An edible seaweed." Food chemistry 107.1 (2008): 289-295.]</ref> This gives seaweed great potential as a supplement in functional food or for the extraction of compounds. Proteins, peptides and amino acids from seaweed have shown positive bioactive effects in the treatment of diabetes and cancer, and the prevention of vascular diseases. The amino acid profile of some seaweed species is similar to that of animal foods. Extracts of valuable amino acids for feed supplement could be of potential because essential amino acids cannot be replaced by other compounds.<ref name="Bioactive compounds in seaweed: functional food applications and legislation">[http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10811-010-9632-5 Holdt, Susan Løvstad, and Stefan Kraan. "Bioactive compounds in seaweed: functional food applications and legislation." Journal of Applied Phycology 23.3 (2011): 543-597.]</ref><br />
<br />
===State of the art===<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
* Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
* Pond-farms can make use of otherwise infertile and underutilized land.<br />
* Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
* Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
* Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
* Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
* The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
* Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
<br />
* Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
* Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
* Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
* Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
* Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
* Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
* Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
* Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
* Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
* Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
===Types of farms===<br />
<br />
====Anchored====<br />
<br />
====Drifting====<br />
<br />
===Tasks to be carried out on farms===<br />
'''Primary tasks'''<br />
* Seeding<br />
* Cleaning<br />
* Harvesting<br />
'''Secondary tasks'''<br />
* Checking the quality of the plants<br />
* Removing corrupt plants<br />
* Pruning<br />
<br />
==Stakeholders==<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===User===<br />
Seaweed farmers.<br />
<br />
Drawback: Introduction of our system on the mariculture market could cost the jobs of the few brave seaweed farmers we have today. These farmers operate on a small scale on a small market and would be easily competed out. To prevent this, our systems user group is are the already existing seaweed farmers that want to expand their business, and the more industrialized farmers in Asia.<br />
<br />
The users: The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
<br />
===Society===<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
<br />
===Enterprise===<br />
It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is using the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
==Maritime robotics==<br />
<br />
<br />
<i><br />
::Specifications<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
::Practical tips<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be used for building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
::Responsibility<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!</i><br />
<br />
===Types of robots===<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===Locomotion===<br />
<br />
[[File:Drifterandjet.jpg|thumb|A passive ocean drifter and a high-speed jet.]]<br />
<br />
*Jet propulsion — water is taken in and propelled out at high speed, using a directed nozzle makes this very maneuverable.<br />
*Ocean current — passively drifting along the ocean current.<br />
*Propeller — a classic ship's screw to propel forwards and backwards.<br />
*Undulation — moving the body like a fish does.<br />
*Wind — using the power of the wind to sail.<br />
<br />
===Sensing===<br />
<br />
[[File:bathymetry.jpg |thumb|Sonar can be used for bathymetry, measuring the depth of the ocean floor.]]<br />
<br />
*Acoustic Doppler current profiler — measures the speed and direction of ocean currents using the principle of “Doppler shift”.<br />
*Camera — for visual data, has a limited range.<br />
*Conductivity — together with temperature and depth information, a good estimate of the salinity may be determined.<br />
*GPS — find the position, only works above the surface of the water.<br />
*Hydrophone — listen for sounds in the water.<br />
*Oxygen — determine the oxygen levels of the water.<br />
*Pressure — determine the depth the robot is at.<br />
*Semipermeable membrane density — a passive sampling device used to monitor trace levels of organic contaminants. When placed in an aquatic environment, SPMDs accumulate hydrophobic organic compounds, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and organochlorine pesticides from the surrounding waters.<br />
*Sonar — is used to find and identify objects in water. It is also used to determine water depth (bathymetry. May disturb marine life.<br />
*Temperature — determine the temperature of the water.<br />
*pH — determine the acidity of the water.<br />
<br />
===Communication===<br />
===Energy===<br />
The ocean offers several alternative options for energy generation. When a robot can use it's own energy on the sea, it is more autonomous.<br />
Options for Alternative ocean energy:<br />
*Tidal energy<br />
*Wave energy<br />
*Salinity gradient<br />
*Tidal Range<br />
*Ocean thermal energy conversion<br />
*Tidal range<br />
<br />
==Proposed design==<br />
<br />
===Description===<br />
*'''Location''' Our own Dutch North Sea might just be to place to be. With an average temperature of 12 degrees[http://gemiddeldgezien.nl/gemiddelde-watertemperatuur-noordzee], a former deadzone that is struggling with pollution from the many estuaries, and with a country that has always struggled with living beneath a rising sealevel, the seaweed farm has a lot to offer. When we also consider the busy shipping routes in the North Sea, Zeeland would be the most suitable area.<br />
*'''Farmed type of seaweed''' The HASP will farm the Laminaria seaweed species. Because of the high demand for it can not be fulfilled with the current techniques, and because it has a low impact on the enviroment.<br />
<br />
*'''System Design'''The design of our system will be largely modelled after the traditional seaweed farms.<br />
''distance between lines''<br />
<br />
===Automation===<br />
====Seeding====<br />
Like at normal seafarming, the young seedlings will first be grown at land in a greenhouse in the summer, when the water is hot. Mid-November, when they have grown 10-15 cm, they need to be planted at the seafarm. The seedlings are attached to the vertical lines to grow out, with the upper plants receving more sunlight than the lower ones. Can one of our robots attcach the seeds to the ropes?<br />
<br />
====Control and hygiene====<br />
There are several diseases that could affect the seaweed, caused by bacteria or by the enviroment. These diseases can be recognized visually and envirmental factors can be measured. Sensors would be needed for: illumination (too much or too little light causes rot), fres/salt water level and pollution. All diseases require different treatments, for which we have to think of automated solutions.<br />
Harm done by water grazers like fish can be minimized by placing the farm in deep waters, away from the coastal fish and the creatures on the seafloor. <br />
<br />
====Harvesting====<br />
Harvesting can be started in April. The plant grows faster in winter and slower in summer, with a rate of 1.1 cm per day in May. Making up for 2.5 meters a year. The plant can regenerate when it's been trimmed, but will grow slower. The normal age with this practice does not exceed 4 years.<br />
<br />
====Drying====<br />
It seems very inefficient to dry the seaweed in the open sea, it takes a lot of space and when one wave flushes over it, all the drying will have been for nothing. For that reason, seaweed must be taken to the mainland to dry. After it has been harvested, it must be stored for a short period, before it is transported. What amount of seaweed and for how long can it be stored without rotting?<br />
<br />
====Transport====<br />
<br />
====Communication to mainland====<br />
<br />
====Mapping tasks to robots====<br />
<br />
====Energy====<br />
In order to be fully atonomous and enviromentally friendly, the HASP will have to generate it's own energy.<br />
<br />
====Scalability====<br />
Number of plants on one vertical lines:<br />
Number of lines per meter:<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
The robots behaviour underwater would generate sound. Although the underwater world might seem silent to humans, fish experience sound intensly. The effects of human generated sounds on fish might therefore be harmful. Research results vary from little to no effect, to immediate death. Because the variety of sounds and fish is so large, we will try to minimize the sound level but not take extra measures to protect the fish from our robot's noices.<br />
<br />
===Big Data and IoT===<br />
<br />
<i>The farm comes equipped with a lot of sensors to monitor its own condition and its enviroment. Using all of this data one can analyze it in real time, and after collecting more data extrapolate long-term trends. With all the robotic agents on the farm, combined with the data collected, the farm can be administrated remotely. The farm can be made smart to send out maintenance calls on its.</i><br />
<br />
====Science====<br />
<br />
<i>The data collected by the farm and its robots can be shared with scientists and governments. More farms mean more sensors and thus a larger sensor size. This data would for example be very useful to The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) on which engineers and scientist can find all the data available about the european waters. The European Commission has started Marine Knowledge 2020 with the aim to bring to bring all of the marine data from different sources together. This initiative examplifies the need for marine data.</i><br />
<br />
==Robot prototype==<br />
<br />
===Design process===<br />
The design for the prototype consists of three components, one for the movement, one for grabbing and cutting and one for the Arduino and battery. The robot moves along a cable, for our prototype we will use a bicycle chain. The robot has three gearing wheels for a stable movement along the cable. The gearing wheel in the middle is driven by an engine. The component with the Arduino and the battery is hanging below the movement-component, just like a chairlift. This component should be heavy enough to sink, this is necessary to keep the bicycle chain on tension. This is the only component that should be waterproof, because it contains the Arduino and the battery. Below this component is the cut-and-grab-component, and is joined to the mothership with rope or a telescoping arm. This rope or telescoping arm is needed for a vertical movement, the robot should be able to cut at different depths. The claw should be able to grab seaweed that might have flowed away a bit, so the claw should be able to move horizontal. This happens by a telescoping arm. The scissors should be placed above the claw, otherwise the robot would cut seaweed that is not hold by the claw.<br />
<br />
===Technical description===<br />
<br />
===Demonstration===<br />
<br />
==Business and law==<br />
<br />
In 2014, the total annual value of produced seaweed was $6.4 billion. Worldwide, 93.8% of the global total production of aquatic plants came from aquaculture. Countries in East and Southeast Asia dominate seaweed culture production.<ref name="A guide to the seaweed industry">[http://www.fao.org/3/a-y4765e.pdf A guide to the seaweed industry]</ref> About 25 million tonnes of seaweeds and other algae are harvested annually for use as food, in cosmetics and fertilizers, and are processed to extract thickening agents or used as an additive to animal feed.<ref name="The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2014">[http://www.fao.org/3/a-i3720e.pdf The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2014]</ref> For the demand of food-grade seaweed to grow, there needs to be a dietary trend towards protein-rich vegetables, which seems to be the case. Growing the demand for seaweed requires a shift in the consumer's perception of seaweed as a food. Seaweed can be processed to be used as a source of nutrients for certain processed foods. There is increasing demand for seaweed as an agricultural supply, to use as animal food. It is also possible to use seaweed as a source for certain chemicals, i.e. for use in cosmetics.<br />
<br />
===Business case===<br />
<br />
====Cost vs. profit====<br />
<br />
===Laws===<br />
<br />
====International law====<br />
<br />
====European law====<br />
<br />
====Dutch law====<br />
<br />
==Looking ahead==<br />
<br />
===Future farms===<br />
<br />
The farm we have outlined only concerns the cultivation of seaweeds. However, farms can be augmented by employing bivalves in order to filter the water of pollutants.<ref name="Biosorption and bioaccumulation of heavy metals by rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata in the Persian Gulf">[http://www.intelaquares.com/doc/7b.pdf Biosorption and bioaccumulation of heavy metals by rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata in the Persian Gulf]</ref><br />
<br />
===Recommendations===<br />
<br />
===Horizon 2020===<br />
<br />
'''Applicable areas:'''<br />
<br />
*Agriculture & forestry<br />
*Aquatic resources<br />
*Bio-based industries<br />
*Environment & climate action<br />
*Food & healthy diet<br />
*Innovation<br />
*SME (small-medium enterprise)<br />
<br />
'''Relevant research calls:'''<br />
<br />
*High value-added specialized vessel concepts enabling more efficient servicing of emerging coastal and offshore activities. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/5119-bg-02-2016-2017.html (link)] € 7 million<br />
*New sources of proteins for animal feed from co-products to address the EU protein gap. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/17081-bbi-2016-d08.html (link)] € 15 million<br />
*Promoting and supporting the eco-intensification of aquaculture production systems: inland (including fresh water), coastal zone, and offshore. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/6050-sfs-32-2017.html (link)] € 6 million<br />
<br />
'''Also'''<br />
Marine Knowledge 2020 with The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet), aims to collect a lot more data from the seas and oceans than we do at the moment.<br />
<br />
==Discussion==<br />
<br />
==Conclusion==<br />
<br />
==Sources and references==<br />
<br />
===Sources===<br />
<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Doty, M.S. & Caddy, J.F. & Santelices, B. (1987), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Juanich, Godardo L. (1988), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/ac416e00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE(1. EUCHEUMA SPP.)]<br />
*Kitadai, Yuuki & Kadowaki, Shusaki (2007), [https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf Growth, nitrogen and phosphorous uptake rates and O2 production rate of seaweeds cultured on coastal fish farms]<br />
*Kleis, Roelof (2010), [http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification]<br />
*Lacey, Stephen & Mellino, Cole (2011), [http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
* NOAA Ocean Explorer Webmaster (2013), [http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/technology/tools/tools.html NOAA Observing Systems and Sensors]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Popper, Arthur N. & Hastings, Mardi C. (2009), [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1749-4877.2008.00134.x/epdf The effects of human-generated sound on fish]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image]. <br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
===References===<br />
<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
<!--<br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
<br />
= Group members =<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
= Preliminary brainstorm =<br />
==Benefits==<br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
<br />
===Proposals===<br />
*Floating robot<br />
**Solar panel<br />
**Lowering (anker-style) cutter<br />
**Hard to position,<br />
***Drifts<br />
***“Dijnst[dutch]”<br />
*Rover robot<br />
**Stable polypoid (crab-style)<br />
**Hard to cut above his head<br />
*Swimming robot<br />
**May become struck between the weed<br />
**Perfect mobility and can cut everywhere<br />
Combination of multiple robot’s for every seafruit a suitable robot.<br />
<br />
= Problem =<br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15). </ref><br />
<br />
<br />
= Mariculture =<br />
<br />
<i>In this section cover what mariculture is and various aspects of mariculture.</i><br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
== Environmental effects ==<br />
<br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms. These can be classified in two categories:<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
<br />
* '''Positive aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
** Pond-farms can make use of otherwise unfertile and underutilised land.<br />
** Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
** Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
** Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
** Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
** The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
** Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<br />
* '''Negative aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
** Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
** Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
** Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
** Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
** Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
** Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
** Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
** Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
** Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
These effects should be considered when deploying seaweed farms to ensure sustainable aquaculture development.<br />
<br />
= Maritime robotics =<br />
== Types of maritime robots ==<br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
<br />
== Specifications ==<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
== Practical tips ==<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
== Responsibility ==<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!<br />
<br />
= State of the art =<br />
<br />
== Robots for mariculture ==<br />
<i>In this section we link mariculture and maritime robots, we elaborate on the type of (maritime) robots that are especially useful for sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= Automation =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the automation of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
= Scaling =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the scalability of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
== Sea farm design ==<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we propose a design for an innovative high-tech sea farm.</i><br />
<br />
= Sea robot prototype =<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we showcase a prototype of a robot to be used on our cutting-edge sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= USE: stakeholders =<br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
The USE aspects:<br />
The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
Enterprise: It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
=Tasks=<br />
[[{{TALKPAGENAME}}|Logbook]]<br />
<br />
=Drive=<br />
[https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=66031F8492322E24!604219&authkey=!AOO7hi5CT65E46Y&ithint=folder%2cdocx USE Waterpret]<br />
<br />
= Sources =<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/AC416E00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE 1. EUCHEUMA SPP.]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image].<br />
*[http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification, December 23, 2010 By Roelof Kleis ]<br />
*[http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?] <br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
== References ==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
--></div>S146529https://cstwiki.wtb.tue.nl/index.php?title=PRE2015_4_Groep5&diff=27168PRE2015 4 Groep52016-05-12T12:59:22Z<p>S146529: /* Climate */</p>
<hr />
<div>__FORCETOC__<br />
<br />
[[File:HASP_logo_v0.1.png|600px|right]]<br />
<br />
== Group members ==<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
==Introduction==<br />
<br />
===Abstract===<br />
<br />
===Problem statement===<br />
<br />
The world needs to produce at least 50% more food to feed 9 billion people by 2050. But climate change could cut crop yields by more than 25%.<ref name="Food security">[http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/foodsecurity]</ref> With this in mind we need to look for novel solutions to the problem of insufficient food production. This solution will need to take the interests of users, society, and enterprise into account. Moreover, this solution needs to surpass the state of the art by employing cutting-edge technology.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15).</ref><br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
===Motivation===<br />
<br />
Nutrition is vital to sustaining life, and food security is important for political stability and human welfare. We want to address the problem of food availability due to its relevance: continuing population and consumption growth will mean that the global demand for food will increase for at least another 40 years.<ref name="Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People">[http://science.sciencemag.org/content/327/5967/812 Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People]</ref><br />
<br />
Agriculture is an integral part of the European economy and society. It provides the basis for food, feed and non-food products to meet the demands of consumers and a wide range of industries.<ref name="Horizon 2020: Agriculture & Forestry">[https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/en/area/agriculture-forestry Agriculture & Forestry]</ref> By designing a solution to the agricultural challenge we will need to take into account the needs of users: like consumers of food, society: the ecological impacts of our solution, and enterprise: the solution needs to be competitive in order to gain an economical advantage.<br />
<br />
The agricultural industry is ever advancing, not only is the biological aspect of farming being researched, there are also improvements in automation,<ref name="Agricultural Robotics and Automation">[http://www.ieee-ras.org/agricultural-robotics Agricultural Robotics and Automation]</ref> and we want to explore the automation of this industry. We want to develop a solution that allows for automation of food production beyond the state of the art, moreover the solution needs to be scalable.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
==Mariculture==<br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
Mariculture is a specialized branch of aquaculture involving the cultivation of marine organisms for food and other products in the open ocean, an enclosed section of the ocean, or in tanks, ponds or raceways which are filled with seawater. An example of the latter is the farming of marine fish, including finfish and shellfish like prawns, or oysters and seaweed in saltwater ponds.<ref name="Mariculture">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariculture Mariculture]</ref><br />
<br />
In this section we will explore mariculture, and explain why we chose it as a solution to the problem previously stated. Mariculture encompasses a wide range of organisms, from the cultivation of water-based plants to the breeding of aquatic animals. For this project we will focus on the cultivation of aquatic plants, and in particular types of seaweed.<br />
<br />
===Commonly cultivated seaweed species===<br />
<br />
*The total seaweed production features a lot of brown kelps. These weeds grow in cold water zones, they are long and have a leathery structure. They must be harvested before the water temperature rises to 21 degrees, otherwise the kelps will rot. Kombu (Laminaria Japonica) is used a lot in Japanese recipies for soups, as dried snacks, or in salads. Kombu is a dietary fiber and contains high levels of iodine. In China, 50% of the Laminaria production is meant for industrial purposes for its iodine, algin and mannitol. Due to this, laminaria are considered as one of the best renewable resources and it makes up for a major part of the maricultural sector. Japan has made effort to increase the production but due to its labour intensitive nature, the market is not expected to expand notably. [http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Laminaria_japonica/en] Wakame (Undaria) is the type of kelp you will find in your misosoup. With a subtle sweet flavour and satin-like texture it is most suitable for human consumption. The weed is a rich source of omega-3 and helps burn fatty tissue. However, it is also in the top 100 of worst invasive species in cold waters, which is partly caused by aquaculture. [ http://www.seaweed.ie/]<br />
<br />
*Gelidium amansii and Pterocladia are valuable red algae that can be found at shallow coasts. They can be used in salads and to make agar, a jelly-like substance that can be used for microbiological research and various industrial purposes. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelidium_amansii] They have been cultured in Korea since the last century, but always on a small scale. There have been various attempts to farm the algae at sea, but the slow growth rate and required non-contaminated waters made it unattractive for commercial cultivation.[https://books.google.nl/books?id=19mM4xtgfOMC&pg=PA2&lpg=PA2&dq=Pterocladia+farm&source=bl&ots=MtH0LvASHr&sig=RXZNWMEOLnv1yS-WP2fWqv6SDpo&hl=nl&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwieqMmLnsrMAhXlAsAKHVoKDzwQ6AEIRTAF#v=onepage&q=Pterocladia%20farm&f=false]<br />
<br />
*Nori or Zicai (Porphyra) are most famous for composing the sushi wraps. The red algae grow in cold and shallow waters in the intertidal zone. After growing in the sea for 50 days, the weeds can be harvested every 10-15 days. The Nori market is stable, the demand is not expected to grow or shrink in the coming years. In Japan, the annual production is valued at 1 billion US dollars.[http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Porphyra_spp/en#tcNA0112]<br />
<br />
===Mariculture as a solution===<br />
<br />
===Environment===<br />
<br />
====Dead zones====<br />
<br />
[[File:Deadzones.jpg|thumb|Dead zones in oceans around the world.]]<br />
<br />
Ocean dead zones are areas with low oxygen levels and hardly any marine life. These areas are caused by agriculture fertilizers that increase the level of nitrogen and phosphorus, also known as eutriphication. The result is a rapid increase in phytoplankton, because they are 'build' from phosphorus and nitrogen. These algal blooms cause deadzones. The number of deadzones is increasing.<br />
As a result, the fertility of the marine life drops dramatically, and in more extreme cases, fish fall unconcious and then suffocate. Slow moving creatures on the seafloor are unable to escape.<br />
Seaweed is capable of uptaking both nitrogen and phosphorus and replacing it with oxygen. For this reason seaweed is also cultivated around fishfarms. Seaweed would be a cheap although perhaps slow solution in the reviving of deadzones.[https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf]<br />
<br />
====Climate====<br />
Seaweed can assimilate a lot of CO_2. But this will not solve the CO2-problem, because the CO_2 will be released when the seaweed will be consumed. Seaweed only contributes indirectly to a better milieu. Because of the seaweed farms less forests will disappear for farmlands. This forest do contribute to a net CO_2 storage.<br />
<br />
====Locations====<br />
<br />
To determine the best location for a sea-farm we have to take into account several aspects. The temperature of the seawater should be the right temperature for seaweed. For example the best temperature for growing Eucheuma is 20-25 °Celsius, but there are also species that can grow in water of 10 °Celsius. So seaweed can grow in almost every ocean. The depth of the sea does not matter for the seaweed of farm, because we will only use species that grow from the surface downwards. But for the farm itself the depth does matter. Anchoring the farm is easier in a shallow area in the ocean. Commonly these areas are near the coast, an advantage of sea-farms which are near the costs is that the transport from farm to the secondary users is cheaper. Also building and maintaining the farm is easier if it is closer to the mainland. The dead zones are also located near the seashore, so the dead zones are an extra motivation of locating the sea-farms there. A disadvantage are the shipping routes that are located in these areas. Thankfully, these routes are taken by most commercial ships. This leaves open spots near the coast where there are no passing ships and where the seaweedfarms could be located. Important shipping routes at the Dutch coast [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NoordzeeScheepvaartroutes.png] With the sealevels rising due to climate change, and the seafarm's habit breaking waves, it would be beneficial to locate the farm nearby a shore that is threatend by rising sea levels.<br />
<br />
===Nutrition===<br />
<br />
From a nutritional standpoint, the main properties of seaweeds that distinguish them from higher plants are their high mineral and dietary fibre contents. The high iron and magnesium contents are of particular nutritional interest due to their metabolic or functional properties. In comparison with other sources of fibres, seaweeds contain a high proportion of soluble fibres, which exhibit original fermentation patterns in the large intestine. Red seaweeds have a high protein content, comparable to that of high-protein vegetables. Available data suggest that they have a unique amino acid pattern, complementary to that of most terrestrial vegetables.<ref name="Seaweed in food products: biochemical and nutritional aspects">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/092422449390091N Serge Mabeau, Joël Fleurence: Seaweed in food products: biochemical and nutritional aspects (1993)]</ref> Edible brown and red seaweeds could be used as a food supplement to help meet the recommended daily adult intakes of some macrominerals and trace elements.<ref name="P. Rupérez: Mineral content of edible marine seaweeds (2002)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814602001711 P. Rupérez: Mineral content of edible marine seaweeds (2002)]</ref><br />
<br />
There might be some hesitance in the use of seaweed for human nutrition, but the seaweeds which are used as biological filters and food material for farmed animals could easily be included in the human food value chain by this route.<ref name="Joël Fleurence, Michele Morançais, Justine Dumay, Priscilla Decottignies, Vincent Turpin, Mathilde Munier, Nuria Garcia-Bueno and Pascal Jaouen<br />
: What are the prospects for using seaweed in human nutrition and for marine animals raised through aquaculture? (2012)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224412000544 Joël Fleurence, Michele Morançais, Justine Dumay, Priscilla Decottignies, Vincent Turpin, Mathilde Munier, Nuria Garcia-Bueno and Pascal Jaouen<br />
: What are the prospects for using seaweed in human nutrition and for marine animals raised through aquaculture? (2012)]</ref><ref name="Joël Fleurence: Seaweed proteins: biochemical, nutritional aspects and potential use (1999)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224499000151 Joël Fleurence: Seaweed proteins: biochemical, nutritional aspects and potential use (1999)]</ref><br />
<br />
As seaweed accumulates important substances from the surrounding water, it does not only accumulate the desired minerals and trace metals but it also accumulates undesirable metals and heavy metals from the surrounding environment.<ref name="Bioactive compounds in seaweed: functional food applications and legislation">[http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10811-010-9632-5 Holdt, Susan Løvstad, and Stefan Kraan. "Bioactive compounds in seaweed: functional food applications and legislation." Journal of Applied Phycology 23.3 (2011): 543-597.]</ref> This can be exploited, and seaweed can be used as a biofilter, but if the goal is nutrition it is important to not let seaweed grow in polluted water. <br />
<br />
Seaweeds are known for their richness in polysaccharides, minerals and certain vitamins,<ref name="Vegetables from the sea">[http://agris.fao.org/agris-search/search.do?recordID=XF2015021737 Arasaki, Seibun, and Teruko Arasaki. "Vegetables from the sea." Japan Publ. Inc., Tokyo 96 (1983): 251-223.]</ref> but they also contain bioactive substances like polysaccharides, proteins, lipids and polyphenols, with antibacterial, antiviral and anti-fungal properties, as well as many others.<ref name="Antioxidant potential of solvent extracts of Kappaphycus alvarezii (Doty) Doty – An edible seaweed">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814607008102 Kumar, K. Suresh, K. Ganesan, and PV Subba Rao. "Antioxidant potential of solvent extracts of Kappaphycus alvarezii (Doty) Doty–An edible seaweed." Food chemistry 107.1 (2008): 289-295.]</ref> This gives seaweed great potential as a supplement in functional food or for the extraction of compounds. Proteins, peptides and amino acids from seaweed have shown positive bioactive effects in the treatment of diabetes and cancer, and the prevention of vascular diseases. The amino acid profile of some seaweed species is similar to that of animal foods. Extracts of valuable amino acids for feed supplement could be of potential because essential amino acids cannot be replaced by other compounds.<ref name="Bioactive compounds in seaweed: functional food applications and legislation">[http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10811-010-9632-5 Holdt, Susan Løvstad, and Stefan Kraan. "Bioactive compounds in seaweed: functional food applications and legislation." Journal of Applied Phycology 23.3 (2011): 543-597.]</ref><br />
<br />
===State of the art===<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
* Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
* Pond-farms can make use of otherwise infertile and underutilized land.<br />
* Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
* Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
* Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
* Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
* The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
* Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
<br />
* Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
* Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
* Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
* Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
* Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
* Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
* Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
* Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
* Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
* Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
===Types of farms===<br />
<br />
====Anchored====<br />
<br />
====Drifting====<br />
<br />
===Tasks to be carried out on farms===<br />
'''Primary tasks'''<br />
* Seeding<br />
* Cleaning<br />
* Harvesting<br />
'''Secondary tasks'''<br />
* Checking the quality of the plants<br />
* Removing corrupt plants<br />
* Pruning<br />
<br />
==Stakeholders==<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===User===<br />
Seaweed farmers.<br />
<br />
Drawback: Introduction of our system on the mariculture market could cost the jobs of the few brave seaweed farmers we have today. These farmers operate on a small scale on a small market and would be easily competed out. To prevent this, our systems user group is are the already existing seaweed farmers that want to expand their business, and the more industrialized farmers in Asia.<br />
<br />
The users: The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
<br />
===Society===<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
<br />
===Enterprise===<br />
It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is using the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
==Maritime robotics==<br />
<br />
<br />
<i><br />
::Specifications<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
::Practical tips<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be used for building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
::Responsibility<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!</i><br />
<br />
===Types of robots===<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===Locomotion===<br />
<br />
[[File:Drifterandjet.jpg|thumb|A passive ocean drifter and a high-speed jet.]]<br />
<br />
*Jet propulsion — water is taken in and propelled out at high speed, using a directed nozzle makes this very maneuverable.<br />
*Ocean current — passively drifting along the ocean current.<br />
*Propeller — a classic ship's screw to propel forwards and backwards.<br />
*Undulation — moving the body like a fish does.<br />
*Wind — using the power of the wind to sail.<br />
<br />
===Sensing===<br />
<br />
[[File:bathymetry.jpg |thumb|Sonar can be used for bathymetry, measuring the depth of the ocean floor.]]<br />
<br />
*Acoustic Doppler current profiler — measures the speed and direction of ocean currents using the principle of “Doppler shift”.<br />
*Camera — for visual data, has a limited range.<br />
*Conductivity — together with temperature and depth information, a good estimate of the salinity may be determined.<br />
*GPS — find the position, only works above the surface of the water.<br />
*Hydrophone — listen for sounds in the water.<br />
*Oxygen — determine the oxygen levels of the water.<br />
*Pressure — determine the depth the robot is at.<br />
*Semipermeable membrane density — a passive sampling device used to monitor trace levels of organic contaminants. When placed in an aquatic environment, SPMDs accumulate hydrophobic organic compounds, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and organochlorine pesticides from the surrounding waters.<br />
*Sonar — is used to find and identify objects in water. It is also used to determine water depth (bathymetry. May disturb marine life.<br />
*Temperature — determine the temperature of the water.<br />
*pH — determine the acidity of the water.<br />
<br />
===Communication===<br />
===Energy===<br />
The ocean offers several alternative options for energy generation. When a robot can use it's own energy on the sea, it is more autonomous.<br />
Options for Alternative ocean energy:<br />
*Tidal energy<br />
*Wave energy<br />
*Salinity gradient<br />
*Tidal Range<br />
*Ocean thermal energy conversion<br />
*Tidal range<br />
<br />
==Proposed design==<br />
<br />
===Description===<br />
*'''Location''' Our own Dutch North Sea might just be to place to be. With an average temperature of 12 degrees[http://gemiddeldgezien.nl/gemiddelde-watertemperatuur-noordzee], a former deadzone that is struggling with pollution from the many estuaries, and with a country that has always struggled with living beneath a rising sealevel, the seaweed farm has a lot to offer. When we also consider the busy shipping routes in the North Sea, Zeeland would be the most suitable area.<br />
*'''Farmed type of seaweed''' The HASP will farm the Laminaria seaweed species. Because of the high demand for it can not be fulfilled with the current techniques, and because it has a low impact on the enviroment.<br />
<br />
*'''System Design'''The design of our system will be largely modelled after the traditional seaweed farms.<br />
''distance between lines''<br />
<br />
===Automation===<br />
====Seeding====<br />
Like at normal seafarming, the young seedlings will first be grown at land in a greenhouse in the summer, when the water is hot. Mid-November, when they have grown 10-15 cm, they need to be planted at the seafarm. The seedlings are attached to the vertical lines to grow out, with the upper plants receving more sunlight than the lower ones. Can one of our robots attcach the seeds to the ropes?<br />
<br />
====Control and hygiene====<br />
There are several diseases that could affect the seaweed, caused by bacteria or by the enviroment. These diseases can be recognized visually and envirmental factors can be measured. Sensors would be needed for: illumination (too much or too little light causes rot), fres/salt water level and pollution. All diseases require different treatments, for which we have to think of automated solutions.<br />
Harm done by water grazers like fish can be minimized by placing the farm in deep waters, away from the coastal fish and the creatures on the seafloor. <br />
<br />
====Harvesting====<br />
Harvesting can be started in April. The plant grows faster in winter and slower in summer, with a rate of 1.1 cm per day in May. Making up for 2.5 meters a year. The plant can regenerate when it's been trimmed, but will grow slower. The normal age with this practice does not exceed 4 years.<br />
<br />
====Drying====<br />
It seems very inefficient to dry the seaweed in the open sea, it takes a lot of space and when one wave flushes over it, all the drying will have been for nothing. For that reason, seaweed must be taken to the mainland to dry. After it has been harvested, it must be stored for a short period, before it is transported. What amount of seaweed and for how long can it be stored without rotting?<br />
<br />
====Transport====<br />
<br />
====Communication to mainland====<br />
<br />
====Mapping tasks to robots====<br />
<br />
====Energy====<br />
In order to be fully atonomous and enviromentally friendly, the HASP will have to generate it's own energy.<br />
<br />
====Scalability====<br />
Number of plants on one vertical lines:<br />
Number of lines per meter:<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
The robots behaviour underwater would generate sound. Although the underwater world might seem silent to humans, fish experience sound intensly. The effects of human generated sounds on fish might therefore be harmful. Research results vary from little to no effect, to immediate death. Because the variety of sounds and fish is so large, we will try to minimize the sound level but not take extra measures to protect the fish from our robot's noices.<br />
<br />
===Big Data and IoT===<br />
<br />
<i>The farm comes equipped with a lot of sensors to monitor its own condition and its enviroment. Using all of this data one can analyze it in real time, and after collecting more data extrapolate long-term trends. With all the robotic agents on the farm, combined with the data collected, the farm can be administrated remotely. The farm can be made smart to send out maintenance calls on its.</i><br />
<br />
====Science====<br />
<br />
<i>The data collected by the farm and its robots can be shared with scientists and governments. More farms mean more sensors and thus a larger sensor size. This data would for example be very useful to The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) on which engineers and scientist can find all the data available about the european waters. The European Commission has started Marine Knowledge 2020 with the aim to bring to bring all of the marine data from different sources together. This initiative examplifies the need for marine data.</i><br />
<br />
==Robot prototype==<br />
<br />
===Design process===<br />
The design for the prototype consists of three components, one for the movement, one for grabbing and cutting and one for the Arduino and battery. The robot moves along a cable, for our prototype we will use a bicycle chain. The robot has three gearing wheels for a stable movement along the cable. The gearing wheel in the middle is driven by an engine. The component with the Arduino and the battery is hanging below the movement-component, just like a chairlift. This component should be heavy enough to sink, this is necessary to keep the bicycle chain on tension. This is the only component that should be waterproof, because it contains the Arduino and the battery. Below this component is the cut-and-grab-component, and is joined to the mothership with rope or a telescoping arm. This rope or telescoping arm is needed for a vertical movement, the robot should be able to cut at different depths. The claw should be able to grab seaweed that might have flowed away a bit, so the claw should be able to move horizontal. This happens by a telescoping arm. The scissors should be placed above the claw, otherwise the robot would cut seaweed that is not hold by the claw.<br />
<br />
===Technical description===<br />
<br />
===Demonstration===<br />
<br />
==Business and law==<br />
<br />
In 2014, the total annual value of produced seaweed was $6.4 billion. Worldwide, 93.8% of the global total production of aquatic plants came from aquaculture. Countries in East and Southeast Asia dominate seaweed culture production.<ref name="A guide to the seaweed industry">[http://www.fao.org/3/a-y4765e.pdf A guide to the seaweed industry]</ref> About 25 million tonnes of seaweeds and other algae are harvested annually for use as food, in cosmetics and fertilizers, and are processed to extract thickening agents or used as an additive to animal feed.<ref name="The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2014">[http://www.fao.org/3/a-i3720e.pdf The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2014]</ref> For the demand of food-grade seaweed to grow, there needs to be a dietary trend towards protein-rich vegetables, which seems to be the case. Growing the demand for seaweed requires a shift in the consumer's perception of seaweed as a food. Seaweed can be processed to be used as a source of nutrients for certain processed foods. There is increasing demand for seaweed as an agricultural supply, to use as animal food. It is also possible to use seaweed as a source for certain chemicals, i.e. for use in cosmetics.<br />
<br />
===Business case===<br />
<br />
====Cost vs. profit====<br />
<br />
===Laws===<br />
<br />
====International law====<br />
<br />
====European law====<br />
<br />
====Dutch law====<br />
<br />
==Looking ahead==<br />
<br />
===Future farms===<br />
<br />
The farm we have outlined only concerns the cultivation of seaweeds. However, farms can be augmented by employing bivalves in order to filter the water of pollutants.<ref name="Biosorption and bioaccumulation of heavy metals by rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata in the Persian Gulf">[http://www.intelaquares.com/doc/7b.pdf Biosorption and bioaccumulation of heavy metals by rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata in the Persian Gulf]</ref><br />
<br />
===Recommendations===<br />
<br />
===Horizon 2020===<br />
<br />
'''Applicable areas:'''<br />
<br />
*Agriculture & forestry<br />
*Aquatic resources<br />
*Bio-based industries<br />
*Environment & climate action<br />
*Food & healthy diet<br />
*Innovation<br />
*SME (small-medium enterprise)<br />
<br />
'''Relevant research calls:'''<br />
<br />
*High value-added specialized vessel concepts enabling more efficient servicing of emerging coastal and offshore activities. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/5119-bg-02-2016-2017.html (link)] € 7 million<br />
*New sources of proteins for animal feed from co-products to address the EU protein gap. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/17081-bbi-2016-d08.html (link)] € 15 million<br />
*Promoting and supporting the eco-intensification of aquaculture production systems: inland (including fresh water), coastal zone, and offshore. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/6050-sfs-32-2017.html (link)] € 6 million<br />
<br />
'''Also'''<br />
Marine Knowledge 2020 with The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet), aims to collect a lot more data from the seas and oceans than we do at the moment.<br />
<br />
==Discussion==<br />
<br />
==Conclusion==<br />
<br />
==Sources and references==<br />
<br />
===Sources===<br />
<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Doty, M.S. & Caddy, J.F. & Santelices, B. (1987), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Juanich, Godardo L. (1988), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/ac416e00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE(1. EUCHEUMA SPP.)]<br />
*Kitadai, Yuuki & Kadowaki, Shusaki (2007), [https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf Growth, nitrogen and phosphorous uptake rates and O2 production rate of seaweeds cultured on coastal fish farms]<br />
*Kleis, Roelof (2010), [http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification]<br />
*Lacey, Stephen & Mellino, Cole (2011), [http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
* NOAA Ocean Explorer Webmaster (2013), [http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/technology/tools/tools.html NOAA Observing Systems and Sensors]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Popper, Arthur N. & Hastings, Mardi C. (2009), [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1749-4877.2008.00134.x/epdf The effects of human-generated sound on fish]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image]. <br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
===References===<br />
<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
<!--<br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
<br />
= Group members =<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
= Preliminary brainstorm =<br />
==Benefits==<br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
<br />
===Proposals===<br />
*Floating robot<br />
**Solar panel<br />
**Lowering (anker-style) cutter<br />
**Hard to position,<br />
***Drifts<br />
***“Dijnst[dutch]”<br />
*Rover robot<br />
**Stable polypoid (crab-style)<br />
**Hard to cut above his head<br />
*Swimming robot<br />
**May become struck between the weed<br />
**Perfect mobility and can cut everywhere<br />
Combination of multiple robot’s for every seafruit a suitable robot.<br />
<br />
= Problem =<br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15). </ref><br />
<br />
<br />
= Mariculture =<br />
<br />
<i>In this section cover what mariculture is and various aspects of mariculture.</i><br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
== Environmental effects ==<br />
<br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms. These can be classified in two categories:<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
<br />
* '''Positive aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
** Pond-farms can make use of otherwise unfertile and underutilised land.<br />
** Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
** Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
** Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
** Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
** The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
** Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<br />
* '''Negative aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
** Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
** Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
** Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
** Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
** Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
** Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
** Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
** Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
** Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
These effects should be considered when deploying seaweed farms to ensure sustainable aquaculture development.<br />
<br />
= Maritime robotics =<br />
== Types of maritime robots ==<br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
<br />
== Specifications ==<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
== Practical tips ==<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
== Responsibility ==<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!<br />
<br />
= State of the art =<br />
<br />
== Robots for mariculture ==<br />
<i>In this section we link mariculture and maritime robots, we elaborate on the type of (maritime) robots that are especially useful for sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= Automation =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the automation of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
= Scaling =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the scalability of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
== Sea farm design ==<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we propose a design for an innovative high-tech sea farm.</i><br />
<br />
= Sea robot prototype =<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we showcase a prototype of a robot to be used on our cutting-edge sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= USE: stakeholders =<br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
The USE aspects:<br />
The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
Enterprise: It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
=Tasks=<br />
[[{{TALKPAGENAME}}|Logbook]]<br />
<br />
=Drive=<br />
[https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=66031F8492322E24!604219&authkey=!AOO7hi5CT65E46Y&ithint=folder%2cdocx USE Waterpret]<br />
<br />
= Sources =<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/AC416E00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE 1. EUCHEUMA SPP.]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image].<br />
*[http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification, December 23, 2010 By Roelof Kleis ]<br />
*[http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?] <br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
== References ==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
--></div>S146529https://cstwiki.wtb.tue.nl/index.php?title=PRE2015_4_Groep5&diff=27161PRE2015 4 Groep52016-05-12T12:37:54Z<p>S146529: /* Locations */</p>
<hr />
<div>__FORCETOC__<br />
<br />
[[File:HASP_logo_v0.1.png|600px|right]]<br />
<br />
== Group members ==<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
==Introduction==<br />
<br />
===Abstract===<br />
<br />
===Problem statement===<br />
<br />
The world needs to produce at least 50% more food to feed 9 billion people by 2050. But climate change could cut crop yields by more than 25%.<ref name="Food security">[http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/foodsecurity]</ref> With this in mind we need to look for novel solutions to the problem of insufficient food production. This solution will need to take the interests of users, society, and enterprise into account. Moreover, this solution needs to surpass the state of the art by employing cutting-edge technology.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15).</ref><br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
===Motivation===<br />
<br />
Nutrition is vital to sustaining life, and food security is important for political stability and human welfare. We want to address the problem of food availability due to its relevance: continuing population and consumption growth will mean that the global demand for food will increase for at least another 40 years.<ref name="Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People">[http://science.sciencemag.org/content/327/5967/812 Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People]</ref><br />
<br />
Agriculture is an integral part of the European economy and society. It provides the basis for food, feed and non-food products to meet the demands of consumers and a wide range of industries.<ref name="Horizon 2020: Agriculture & Forestry">[https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/en/area/agriculture-forestry Agriculture & Forestry]</ref> By designing a solution to the agricultural challenge we will need to take into account the needs of users: like consumers of food, society: the ecological impacts of our solution, and enterprise: the solution needs to be competitive in order to gain an economical advantage.<br />
<br />
The agricultural industry is ever advancing, not only is the biological aspect of farming being researched, there are also improvements in automation,<ref name="Agricultural Robotics and Automation">[http://www.ieee-ras.org/agricultural-robotics Agricultural Robotics and Automation]</ref> and we want to explore the automation of this industry. We want to develop a solution that allows for automation of food production beyond the state of the art, moreover the solution needs to be scalable.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
==Mariculture==<br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
Mariculture is a specialized branch of aquaculture involving the cultivation of marine organisms for food and other products in the open ocean, an enclosed section of the ocean, or in tanks, ponds or raceways which are filled with seawater. An example of the latter is the farming of marine fish, including finfish and shellfish like prawns, or oysters and seaweed in saltwater ponds.<ref name="Mariculture">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariculture Mariculture]</ref><br />
<br />
In this section we will explore mariculture, and explain why we chose it as a solution to the problem previously stated. Mariculture encompasses a wide range of organisms, from the cultivation of water-based plants to the breeding of aquatic animals. For this project we will focus on the cultivation of aquatic plants, and in particular types of seaweed.<br />
<br />
===Commonly cultivated seaweed species===<br />
<br />
*The total seaweed production features a lot of brown kelps. These weeds grow in cold water zones, they are long and have a leathery structure. They must be harvested before the water temperature rises to 21 degrees, otherwise the kelps will rot. Kombu (Laminaria Japonica) is used a lot in Japanese recipies for soups, as dried snacks, or in salads. Kombu is a dietary fiber and contains high levels of iodine. In China, 50% of the Laminaria production is meant for industrial purposes for its iodine, algin and mannitol. Due to this, laminaria are considered as one of the best renewable resources and it makes up for a major part of the maricultural sector. Japan has made effort to increase the production but due to its labour intensitive nature, the market is not expected to expand notably. [http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Laminaria_japonica/en] Wakame (Undaria) is the type of kelp you will find in your misosoup. With a subtle sweet flavour and satin-like texture it is most suitable for human consumption. The weed is a rich source of omega-3 and helps burn fatty tissue. However, it is also in the top 100 of worst invasive species in cold waters, which is partly caused by aquaculture. [ http://www.seaweed.ie/]<br />
<br />
*Gelidium amansii and Pterocladia are valuable red algae that can be found at shallow coasts. They can be used in salads and to make agar, a jelly-like substance that can be used for microbiological research and various industrial purposes. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelidium_amansii] They have been cultured in Korea since the last century, but always on a small scale. There have been various attempts to farm the algae at sea, but the slow growth rate and required non-contaminated waters made it unattractive for commercial cultivation.[https://books.google.nl/books?id=19mM4xtgfOMC&pg=PA2&lpg=PA2&dq=Pterocladia+farm&source=bl&ots=MtH0LvASHr&sig=RXZNWMEOLnv1yS-WP2fWqv6SDpo&hl=nl&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwieqMmLnsrMAhXlAsAKHVoKDzwQ6AEIRTAF#v=onepage&q=Pterocladia%20farm&f=false]<br />
<br />
*Nori or Zicai (Porphyra) are most famous for composing the sushi wraps. The red algae grow in cold and shallow waters in the intertidal zone. After growing in the sea for 50 days, the weeds can be harvested every 10-15 days. The Nori market is stable, the demand is not expected to grow or shrink in the coming years. In Japan, the annual production is valued at 1 billion US dollars.[http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Porphyra_spp/en#tcNA0112]<br />
<br />
===Mariculture as a solution===<br />
<br />
===Environment===<br />
<br />
====Dead zones====<br />
<br />
[[File:Deadzones.jpg|thumb|Dead zones in oceans around the world.]]<br />
<br />
Ocean dead zones are areas with low oxygen levels and hardly any marine life. These areas are caused by agriculture fertilizers that increase the level of nitrogen and phosphorus, also known as eutriphication. The result is a rapid increase in phytoplankton, because they are 'build' from phosphorus and nitrogen. These algal blooms cause deadzones. The number of deadzones is increasing.<br />
As a result, the fertility of the marine life drops dramatically, and in more extreme cases, fish fall unconcious and then suffocate. Slow moving creatures on the seafloor are unable to escape.<br />
Seaweed is capable of uptaking both nitrogen and phosphorus and replacing it with oxygen. For this reason seaweed is also cultivated around fishfarms. Seaweed would be a cheap although perhaps slow solution in the reviving of deadzones.[https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf]<br />
<br />
====Climate====<br />
<br />
====Locations====<br />
<br />
To determine the best location for a sea-farm we have to take into account several aspects. The temperature of the seawater should be the right temperature for seaweed. For example the best temperature for growing Eucheuma is 20-25 °Celsius, but there are also species that can grow in water of 10 °Celsius. So seaweed can grow in almost every ocean. The depth of the sea does not matter for the seaweed of farm, because we will only use species that grow from the surface downwards. But for the farm itself the depth does matter. Anchoring the farm is easier in a shallow area in the ocean. Commonly these areas are near the coast, an advantage of sea-farms which are near the costs is that the transport from farm to the secondary users is cheaper. Also building and maintaining the farm is easier if it is closer to the mainland. The dead zones are also located near the seashore, so the dead zones are an extra motivation of locating the sea-farms there. A disadvantage are the shipping routes that are located in these areas. Thankfully, these routes are taken by most commercial ships. This leaves open spots near the coast where there are no passing ships and where the seaweedfarms could be located. Important shipping routes at the Dutch coast [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NoordzeeScheepvaartroutes.png] With the sealevels rising due to climate change, and the seafarm's habit breaking waves, it would be beneficial to locate the farm nearby a shore that is threatend by rising sea levels.<br />
<br />
===Nutrition===<br />
<br />
From a nutritional standpoint, the main properties of seaweeds that distinguish them from higher plants are their high mineral and dietary fibre contents. The high iron and magnesium contents are of particular nutritional interest due to their metabolic or functional properties. In comparison with other sources of fibres, seaweeds contain a high proportion of soluble fibres, which exhibit original fermentation patterns in the large intestine. Red seaweeds have a high protein content, comparable to that of high-protein vegetables. Available data suggest that they have a unique amino acid pattern, complementary to that of most terrestrial vegetables.<ref name="Seaweed in food products: biochemical and nutritional aspects">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/092422449390091N Serge Mabeau, Joël Fleurence: Seaweed in food products: biochemical and nutritional aspects (1993)]</ref> Edible brown and red seaweeds could be used as a food supplement to help meet the recommended daily adult intakes of some macrominerals and trace elements. <ref name="P. Rupérez: Mineral content of edible marine seaweeds (2002)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814602001711 P. Rupérez: Mineral content of edible marine seaweeds (2002)]</ref><br />
<br />
There might be some hesitance in the use of seaweed for human nutrition, but he seaweeds which are used as biological filters and food material for farmed animals could easily be included in the human food value chain by this route.<ref name="Joël Fleurence, Michele Morançais, Justine Dumay, Priscilla Decottignies, Vincent Turpin, Mathilde Munier, Nuria Garcia-Bueno and Pascal Jaouen<br />
: What are the prospects for using seaweed in human nutrition and for marine animals raised through aquaculture? (2012)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224412000544 Joël Fleurence, Michele Morançais, Justine Dumay, Priscilla Decottignies, Vincent Turpin, Mathilde Munier, Nuria Garcia-Bueno and Pascal Jaouen<br />
: What are the prospects for using seaweed in human nutrition and for marine animals raised through aquaculture? (2012)]</ref><ref name="Joël Fleurence: Seaweed proteins: biochemical, nutritional aspects and potential use (1999)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224499000151 Joël Fleurence: Seaweed proteins: biochemical, nutritional aspects and potential use (1999)]</ref><br />
<br />
===State of the art===<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
* Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
* Pond-farms can make use of otherwise infertile and underutilized land.<br />
* Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
* Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
* Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
* Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
* The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
* Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
<br />
* Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
* Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
* Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
* Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
* Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
* Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
* Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
* Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
* Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
* Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
===Types of farms===<br />
<br />
====Anchored====<br />
<br />
====Drifting====<br />
<br />
===Tasks to be carried out on farms===<br />
'''Primary tasks'''<br />
* Seeding<br />
* Cleaning<br />
* Harvesting<br />
'''Secondary tasks'''<br />
* Checking the quality of the plants<br />
* Removing corrupt plants<br />
* Pruning<br />
<br />
==Stakeholders==<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===User===<br />
Seaweed farmers.<br />
<br />
Drawback: Introduction of our system on the mariculture market could cost the jobs of the few brave seaweed farmers we have today. These farmers operate on a small scale on a small market and would be easily competed out. To prevent this, our systems user group is are the already existing seaweed farmers that want to expand their business, and the more industrialized farmers in Asia.<br />
<br />
The users: The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
<br />
===Society===<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
<br />
===Enterprise===<br />
It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is using the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
==Maritime robotics==<br />
<br />
<br />
<i><br />
::Specifications<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
::Practical tips<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be used for building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
::Responsibility<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!</i><br />
<br />
===Types of robots===<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===Locomotion===<br />
<br />
[[File:Drifterandjet.jpg|thumb|A passive ocean drifter and a high-speed jet.]]<br />
<br />
*Jet propulsion — water is taken in and propelled out at high speed, using a directed nozzle makes this very maneuverable.<br />
*Ocean current — passively drifting along the ocean current.<br />
*Propeller — a classic ship's screw to propel forwards and backwards.<br />
*Undulation — moving the body like a fish does.<br />
*Wind — using the power of the wind to sail.<br />
<br />
===Sensing===<br />
<br />
[[File:bathymetry.jpg |thumb|Sonar can be used for bathymetry, measuring the depth of the ocean floor.]]<br />
<br />
*Acoustic Doppler current profiler — measures the speed and direction of ocean currents using the principle of “Doppler shift”.<br />
*Camera — for visual data, has a limited range.<br />
*Conductivity — together with temperature and depth information, a good estimate of the salinity may be determined.<br />
*GPS — find the position, only works above the surface of the water.<br />
*Hydrophone — listen for sounds in the water.<br />
*Oxygen — determine the oxygen levels of the water.<br />
*Pressure — determine the depth the robot is at.<br />
*Semipermeable membrane density — a passive sampling device used to monitor trace levels of organic contaminants. When placed in an aquatic environment, SPMDs accumulate hydrophobic organic compounds, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and organochlorine pesticides from the surrounding waters.<br />
*Sonar — is used to find and identify objects in water. It is also used to determine water depth (bathymetry. May disturb marine life.<br />
*Temperature — determine the temperature of the water.<br />
*pH — determine the acidity of the water.<br />
<br />
===Communication===<br />
===Energy===<br />
The ocean offers several alternative options for energy generation. When a robot can use it's own energy on the sea, it is more autonomous.<br />
Options for Alternative ocean energy:<br />
*Tidal energy<br />
*Wave energy<br />
*Salinity gradient<br />
*Tidal Range<br />
*Ocean thermal energy conversion<br />
*Tidal range<br />
<br />
==Proposed design==<br />
<br />
===Description===<br />
*'''Location''' Our own Dutch North Sea might just be to place to be. With an average temperature of 12 degrees[http://gemiddeldgezien.nl/gemiddelde-watertemperatuur-noordzee], a former deadzone that is struggling with pollution from the many estuaries, and with a country that has always struggled with living beneath a rising sealevel, the seaweed farm has a lot to offer. When we also consider the busy shipping routes in the North Sea, Zeeland would be the most suitable area.<br />
*'''Farmed type of seaweed''' The HASP will farm the Laminaria seaweed species. Because of the high demand for it can not be fulfilled with the current techniques, and because it has a low impact on the enviroment.<br />
<br />
*'''System Design'''The design of our system will be largely modelled after the traditional seaweed farms.<br />
''distance between lines''<br />
<br />
===Automation===<br />
====Seeding====<br />
Like at normal seafarming, the young seedlings will first be grown at land in a greenhouse in the summer, when the water is hot. Mid-November, when they have grown 10-15 cm, they need to be planted at the seafarm. The seedlings are attached to the vertical lines to grow out, with the upper plants receving more sunlight than the lower ones. Can one of our robots attcach the seeds to the ropes?<br />
<br />
====Control and hygiene====<br />
There are several diseases that could affect the seaweed, caused by bacteria or by the enviroment. These diseases can be recognized visually and envirmental factors can be measured. Sensors would be needed for: illumination (too much or too little light causes rot), fres/salt water level and pollution. All diseases require different treatments, for which we have to think of automated solutions.<br />
Harm done by water grazers like fish can be minimized by placing the farm in deep waters, away from the coastal fish and the creatures on the seafloor. <br />
<br />
====Harvesting====<br />
Harvesting can be started in April. The plant grows faster in winter and slower in summer, with a rate of 1.1 cm per day in May. Making up for 2.5 meters a year. The plant can regenerate when it's been trimmed, but will grow slower. The normal age with this practice does not exceed 4 years.<br />
<br />
====Drying====<br />
It seems very inefficient to dry the seaweed in the open sea, it takes a lot of space and when one wave flushes over it, all the drying will have been for nothing. For that reason, seaweed must be taken to the mainland to dry. After it has been harvested, it must be stored for a short period, before it is transported. What amount of seaweed and for how long can it be stored without rotting?<br />
<br />
====Transport====<br />
<br />
====Communication to mainland====<br />
<br />
====Mapping tasks to robots====<br />
<br />
====Energy====<br />
In order to be fully atonomous and enviromentally friendly, the HASP will have to generate it's own energy.<br />
<br />
====Scalability====<br />
Number of plants on one vertical lines:<br />
Number of lines per meter:<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
The robots behaviour underwater would generate sound. Although the underwater world might seem silent to humans, fish experience sound intensly. The effects of human generated sounds on fish might therefore be harmful. Research results vary from little to no effect, to immediate death. Because the variety of sounds and fish is so large, we will try to minimize the sound level but not take extra measures to protect the fish from our robot's noices.<br />
<br />
===Big Data and IoT===<br />
<br />
<i>The farm comes equipped with a lot of sensors to monitor its own condition and its enviroment. Using all of this data one can analyze it in real time, and after collecting more data extrapolate long-term trends. With all the robotic agents on the farm, combined with the data collected, the farm can be administrated remotely. The farm can be made smart to send out maintenance calls on its.</i><br />
<br />
====Science====<br />
<br />
<i>The data collected by the farm and its robots can be shared with scientists and governments. More farms mean more sensors and thus a larger sensor size. This data would for example be very useful to The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) on which engineers and scientist can find all the data available about the european waters. The European Commission has started Marine Knowledge 2020 with the aim to bring to bring all of the marine data from different sources together. This initiative examplifies the need for marine data.</i><br />
<br />
==Robot prototype==<br />
<br />
===Design process===<br />
The design for the prototype consists of three components, one for the movement, one for grabbing and cutting and one for the Arduino and battery. The robot moves along a cable, for our prototype we will use a bicycle chain. The robot has three gearing wheels for a stable movement along the cable. The gearing wheel in the middle is driven by an engine. The component with the Arduino and the battery is hanging below the movement-component, just like a chairlift. This component should be heavy enough to sink, this is necessary to keep the bicycle chain on tension. This is the only component that should be waterproof, because it contains the Arduino and the battery. Below this component is the cut-and-grab-component, and is joined to the mothership with rope or a telescoping arm. This rope or telescoping arm is needed for a vertical movement, the robot should be able to cut at different depths. The claw should be able to grab seaweed that might have flowed away a bit, so the claw should be able to move horizontal. This happens by a telescoping arm. The scissors should be placed above the claw, otherwise the robot would cut seaweed that is not hold by the claw.<br />
<br />
===Technical description===<br />
<br />
===Demonstration===<br />
<br />
==Business and law==<br />
<br />
In 2014, the total annual value of produced seaweed was $6.4 billion. Worldwide, 93.8% of the global total production of aquatic plants came from aquaculture. Countries in East and Southeast Asia dominate seaweed culture production.<ref name="A guide to the seaweed industry">[http://www.fao.org/3/a-y4765e.pdf A guide to the seaweed industry]</ref> About 25 million tonnes of seaweeds and other algae are harvested annually for use as food, in cosmetics and fertilizers, and are processed to extract thickening agents or used as an additive to animal feed.<ref name="The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2014">[http://www.fao.org/3/a-i3720e.pdf The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2014]</ref> For the demand of food-grade seaweed to grow, there needs to be a dietary trend towards protein-rich vegetables, which seems to be the case. Growing the demand for seaweed requires a shift in the consumer's perception of seaweed as a food. Seaweed can be processed to be used as a source of nutrients for certain processed foods. There is increasing demand for seaweed as an agricultural supply, to use as animal food. It is also possible to use seaweed as a source for certain chemicals, i.e. for use in cosmetics.<br />
<br />
===Business case===<br />
<br />
====Cost vs. profit====<br />
<br />
===Laws===<br />
<br />
====International law====<br />
<br />
====European law====<br />
<br />
====Dutch law====<br />
<br />
==Looking ahead==<br />
<br />
===Future farms===<br />
<br />
The farm we have outlined only concerns the cultivation of seaweeds. However, farms can be augmented by employing bivalves in order to filter the water of pollutants.<ref name="Biosorption and bioaccumulation of heavy metals by rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata in the Persian Gulf">[http://www.intelaquares.com/doc/7b.pdf Biosorption and bioaccumulation of heavy metals by rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata in the Persian Gulf]</ref><br />
<br />
===Recommendations===<br />
<br />
===Horizon 2020===<br />
<br />
'''Applicable areas:'''<br />
<br />
*Agriculture & forestry<br />
*Aquatic resources<br />
*Bio-based industries<br />
*Environment & climate action<br />
*Food & healthy diet<br />
*Innovation<br />
*SME (small-medium enterprise)<br />
<br />
'''Relevant research calls:'''<br />
<br />
*High value-added specialized vessel concepts enabling more efficient servicing of emerging coastal and offshore activities. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/5119-bg-02-2016-2017.html (link)] € 7 million<br />
*New sources of proteins for animal feed from co-products to address the EU protein gap. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/17081-bbi-2016-d08.html (link)] € 15 million<br />
*Promoting and supporting the eco-intensification of aquaculture production systems: inland (including fresh water), coastal zone, and offshore. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/6050-sfs-32-2017.html (link)] € 6 million<br />
<br />
'''Also'''<br />
Marine Knowledge 2020 with The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet), aims to collect a lot more data from the seas and oceans than we do at the moment.<br />
<br />
==Discussion==<br />
<br />
==Conclusion==<br />
<br />
==Sources and references==<br />
<br />
===Sources===<br />
<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Doty, M.S. & Caddy, J.F. & Santelices, B. (1987), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Juanich, Godardo L. (1988), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/ac416e00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE(1. EUCHEUMA SPP.)]<br />
*Kitadai, Yuuki & Kadowaki, Shusaki (2007), [https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf Growth, nitrogen and phosphorous uptake rates and O2 production rate of seaweeds cultured on coastal fish farms]<br />
*Kleis, Roelof (2010), [http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification]<br />
*Lacey, Stephen & Mellino, Cole (2011), [http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
* NOAA Ocean Explorer Webmaster (2013), [http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/technology/tools/tools.html NOAA Observing Systems and Sensors]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Popper, Arthur N. & Hastings, Mardi C. (2009), [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1749-4877.2008.00134.x/epdf The effects of human-generated sound on fish]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image]. <br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
===References===<br />
<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
<!--<br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
<br />
= Group members =<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
= Preliminary brainstorm =<br />
==Benefits==<br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
<br />
===Proposals===<br />
*Floating robot<br />
**Solar panel<br />
**Lowering (anker-style) cutter<br />
**Hard to position,<br />
***Drifts<br />
***“Dijnst[dutch]”<br />
*Rover robot<br />
**Stable polypoid (crab-style)<br />
**Hard to cut above his head<br />
*Swimming robot<br />
**May become struck between the weed<br />
**Perfect mobility and can cut everywhere<br />
Combination of multiple robot’s for every seafruit a suitable robot.<br />
<br />
= Problem =<br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15). </ref><br />
<br />
<br />
= Mariculture =<br />
<br />
<i>In this section cover what mariculture is and various aspects of mariculture.</i><br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
== Environmental effects ==<br />
<br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms. These can be classified in two categories:<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
<br />
* '''Positive aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
** Pond-farms can make use of otherwise unfertile and underutilised land.<br />
** Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
** Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
** Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
** Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
** The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
** Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<br />
* '''Negative aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
** Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
** Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
** Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
** Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
** Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
** Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
** Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
** Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
** Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
These effects should be considered when deploying seaweed farms to ensure sustainable aquaculture development.<br />
<br />
= Maritime robotics =<br />
== Types of maritime robots ==<br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
<br />
== Specifications ==<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
== Practical tips ==<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
== Responsibility ==<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!<br />
<br />
= State of the art =<br />
<br />
== Robots for mariculture ==<br />
<i>In this section we link mariculture and maritime robots, we elaborate on the type of (maritime) robots that are especially useful for sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= Automation =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the automation of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
= Scaling =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the scalability of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
== Sea farm design ==<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we propose a design for an innovative high-tech sea farm.</i><br />
<br />
= Sea robot prototype =<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we showcase a prototype of a robot to be used on our cutting-edge sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= USE: stakeholders =<br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
The USE aspects:<br />
The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
Enterprise: It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
=Tasks=<br />
[[{{TALKPAGENAME}}|Logbook]]<br />
<br />
=Drive=<br />
[https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=66031F8492322E24!604219&authkey=!AOO7hi5CT65E46Y&ithint=folder%2cdocx USE Waterpret]<br />
<br />
= Sources =<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/AC416E00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE 1. EUCHEUMA SPP.]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image].<br />
*[http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification, December 23, 2010 By Roelof Kleis ]<br />
*[http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?] <br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
== References ==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
--></div>S146529https://cstwiki.wtb.tue.nl/index.php?title=PRE2015_4_Groep5&diff=27159PRE2015 4 Groep52016-05-12T12:35:12Z<p>S146529: /* Enterprise */</p>
<hr />
<div>__FORCETOC__<br />
<br />
[[File:HASP_logo_v0.1.png|600px|right]]<br />
<br />
== Group members ==<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
==Introduction==<br />
<br />
===Abstract===<br />
<br />
===Problem statement===<br />
<br />
The world needs to produce at least 50% more food to feed 9 billion people by 2050. But climate change could cut crop yields by more than 25%.<ref name="Food security">[http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/foodsecurity]</ref> With this in mind we need to look for novel solutions to the problem of insufficient food production. This solution will need to take the interests of users, society, and enterprise into account. Moreover, this solution needs to surpass the state of the art by employing cutting-edge technology.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15).</ref><br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
===Motivation===<br />
<br />
Nutrition is vital to sustaining life, and food security is important for political stability and human welfare. We want to address the problem of food availability due to its relevance: continuing population and consumption growth will mean that the global demand for food will increase for at least another 40 years.<ref name="Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People">[http://science.sciencemag.org/content/327/5967/812 Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People]</ref><br />
<br />
Agriculture is an integral part of the European economy and society. It provides the basis for food, feed and non-food products to meet the demands of consumers and a wide range of industries.<ref name="Horizon 2020: Agriculture & Forestry">[https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/en/area/agriculture-forestry Agriculture & Forestry]</ref> By designing a solution to the agricultural challenge we will need to take into account the needs of users: like consumers of food, society: the ecological impacts of our solution, and enterprise: the solution needs to be competitive in order to gain an economical advantage.<br />
<br />
The agricultural industry is ever advancing, not only is the biological aspect of farming being researched, there are also improvements in automation,<ref name="Agricultural Robotics and Automation">[http://www.ieee-ras.org/agricultural-robotics Agricultural Robotics and Automation]</ref> and we want to explore the automation of this industry. We want to develop a solution that allows for automation of food production beyond the state of the art, moreover the solution needs to be scalable.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
==Mariculture==<br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
Mariculture is a specialized branch of aquaculture involving the cultivation of marine organisms for food and other products in the open ocean, an enclosed section of the ocean, or in tanks, ponds or raceways which are filled with seawater. An example of the latter is the farming of marine fish, including finfish and shellfish like prawns, or oysters and seaweed in saltwater ponds.<ref name="Mariculture">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariculture Mariculture]</ref><br />
<br />
In this section we will explore mariculture, and explain why we chose it as a solution to the problem previously stated. Mariculture encompasses a wide range of organisms, from the cultivation of water-based plants to the breeding of aquatic animals. For this project we will focus on the cultivation of aquatic plants, and in particular types of seaweed.<br />
<br />
===Commonly cultivated seaweed species===<br />
<br />
*The total seaweed production features a lot of brown kelps. These weeds grow in cold water zones, they are long and have a leathery structure. They must be harvested before the water temperature rises to 21 degrees, otherwise the kelps will rot. Kombu (Laminaria Japonica) is used a lot in Japanese recipies for soups, as dried snacks, or in salads. Kombu is a dietary fiber and contains high levels of iodine. In China, 50% of the Laminaria production is meant for industrial purposes for its iodine, algin and mannitol. Due to this, laminaria are considered as one of the best renewable resources and it makes up for a major part of the maricultural sector. Japan has made effort to increase the production but due to its labour intensitive nature, the market is not expected to expand notably. [http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Laminaria_japonica/en] Wakame (Undaria) is the type of kelp you will find in your misosoup. With a subtle sweet flavour and satin-like texture it is most suitable for human consumption. The weed is a rich source of omega-3 and helps burn fatty tissue. However, it is also in the top 100 of worst invasive species in cold waters, which is partly caused by aquaculture. [ http://www.seaweed.ie/]<br />
<br />
*Gelidium amansii and Pterocladia are valuable red algae that can be found at shallow coasts. They can be used in salads and to make agar, a jelly-like substance that can be used for microbiological research and various industrial purposes. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelidium_amansii] They have been cultured in Korea since the last century, but always on a small scale. There have been various attempts to farm the algae at sea, but the slow growth rate and required non-contaminated waters made it unattractive for commercial cultivation.[https://books.google.nl/books?id=19mM4xtgfOMC&pg=PA2&lpg=PA2&dq=Pterocladia+farm&source=bl&ots=MtH0LvASHr&sig=RXZNWMEOLnv1yS-WP2fWqv6SDpo&hl=nl&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwieqMmLnsrMAhXlAsAKHVoKDzwQ6AEIRTAF#v=onepage&q=Pterocladia%20farm&f=false]<br />
<br />
*Nori or Zicai (Porphyra) are most famous for composing the sushi wraps. The red algae grow in cold and shallow waters in the intertidal zone. After growing in the sea for 50 days, the weeds can be harvested every 10-15 days. The Nori market is stable, the demand is not expected to grow or shrink in the coming years. In Japan, the annual production is valued at 1 billion US dollars.[http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Porphyra_spp/en#tcNA0112]<br />
<br />
===Mariculture as a solution===<br />
<br />
===Environment===<br />
<br />
====Dead zones====<br />
<br />
[[File:Deadzones.jpg|thumb|Dead zones in oceans around the world.]]<br />
<br />
Ocean dead zones are areas with low oxygen levels and hardly any marine life. These areas are caused by agriculture fertilizers that increase the level of nitrogen and phosphorus, also known as eutriphication. The result is a rapid increase in phytoplankton, because they are 'build' from phosphorus and nitrogen. These algal blooms cause deadzones. The number of deadzones is increasing.<br />
As a result, the fertility of the marine life drops dramatically, and in more extreme cases, fish fall unconcious and then suffocate. Slow moving creatures on the seafloor are unable to escape.<br />
Seaweed is capable of uptaking both nitrogen and phosphorus and replacing it with oxygen. For this reason seaweed is also cultivated around fishfarms. Seaweed would be a cheap although perhaps slow solution in the reviving of deadzones.[https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf]<br />
<br />
====Climate====<br />
<br />
====Locations====<br />
<br />
To determine the best location for a sea-farm we have to take into account several aspects. The temperature of the seawater should be the right temperature for seaweed. For example the best temperature for growing Eucheuma is 20-25 °Celsius, but there are also species that can grow in water of 10 °Celsius. So seaweed can grow in almost every ocean. The depth of the sea does not matter for the seaweed because it grows from the surface downwards. But for the farm itself the depth does matter. Anchoring the farm is easier in a shallow area in the ocean. Commonly these areas are near the coast, an advantage of sea-farms which are near the costs is that the transport from farm to the secondary users is cheaper. Also building and maintaining the farm is easier if it is closer to the mainland. The dead zones are also located near the seashore, so the dead zones are an extra motivation of locating the sea-farms there. A disadvantage are the shipping routes that are located in these areas. Thankfully, these routes are taken by most commercial ships. This leaves open spots near the coast where there are no passing ships and where the seaweedfarms could be located. Important shipping routes at the Dutch coast [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NoordzeeScheepvaartroutes.png] With the sealevels rising due to climate change, and the seafarm's habit breaking waves, it would be beneficial to locate the farm nearby a shore that is threatend by rising sea levels.<br />
<br />
===Nutrition===<br />
<br />
From a nutritional standpoint, the main properties of seaweeds that distinguish them from higher plants are their high mineral and dietary fibre contents. The high iron and magnesium contents are of particular nutritional interest due to their metabolic or functional properties. In comparison with other sources of fibres, seaweeds contain a high proportion of soluble fibres, which exhibit original fermentation patterns in the large intestine. Red seaweeds have a high protein content, comparable to that of high-protein vegetables. Available data suggest that they have a unique amino acid pattern, complementary to that of most terrestrial vegetables.<ref name="Seaweed in food products: biochemical and nutritional aspects">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/092422449390091N Serge Mabeau, Joël Fleurence: Seaweed in food products: biochemical and nutritional aspects (1993)]</ref> Edible brown and red seaweeds could be used as a food supplement to help meet the recommended daily adult intakes of some macrominerals and trace elements. <ref name="P. Rupérez: Mineral content of edible marine seaweeds (2002)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814602001711 P. Rupérez: Mineral content of edible marine seaweeds (2002)]</ref><br />
<br />
There might be some hesitance in the use of seaweed for human nutrition, but he seaweeds which are used as biological filters and food material for farmed animals could easily be included in the human food value chain by this route.<ref name="Joël Fleurence, Michele Morançais, Justine Dumay, Priscilla Decottignies, Vincent Turpin, Mathilde Munier, Nuria Garcia-Bueno and Pascal Jaouen<br />
: What are the prospects for using seaweed in human nutrition and for marine animals raised through aquaculture? (2012)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224412000544 Joël Fleurence, Michele Morançais, Justine Dumay, Priscilla Decottignies, Vincent Turpin, Mathilde Munier, Nuria Garcia-Bueno and Pascal Jaouen<br />
: What are the prospects for using seaweed in human nutrition and for marine animals raised through aquaculture? (2012)]</ref><ref name="Joël Fleurence: Seaweed proteins: biochemical, nutritional aspects and potential use (1999)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224499000151 Joël Fleurence: Seaweed proteins: biochemical, nutritional aspects and potential use (1999)]</ref><br />
<br />
===State of the art===<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
* Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
* Pond-farms can make use of otherwise infertile and underutilized land.<br />
* Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
* Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
* Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
* Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
* The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
* Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
<br />
* Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
* Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
* Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
* Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
* Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
* Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
* Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
* Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
* Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
* Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
===Types of farms===<br />
<br />
====Anchored====<br />
<br />
====Drifting====<br />
<br />
===Tasks to be carried out on farms===<br />
'''Primary tasks'''<br />
* Seeding<br />
* Cleaning<br />
* Harvesting<br />
'''Secondary tasks'''<br />
* Checking the quality of the plants<br />
* Removing corrupt plants<br />
* Pruning<br />
<br />
==Stakeholders==<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===User===<br />
Seaweed farmers.<br />
<br />
Drawback: Introduction of our system on the mariculture market could cost the jobs of the few brave seaweed farmers we have today. These farmers operate on a small scale on a small market and would be easily competed out. To prevent this, our systems user group is are the already existing seaweed farmers that want to expand their business, and the more industrialized farmers in Asia.<br />
<br />
The users: The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
<br />
===Society===<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
<br />
===Enterprise===<br />
It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is using the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
==Maritime robotics==<br />
<br />
<br />
<i><br />
::Specifications<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
::Practical tips<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be used for building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
::Responsibility<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!</i><br />
<br />
===Types of robots===<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===Locomotion===<br />
<br />
[[File:Drifterandjet.jpg|thumb|A passive ocean drifter and a high-speed jet.]]<br />
<br />
*Jet propulsion — water is taken in and propelled out at high speed, using a directed nozzle makes this very maneuverable.<br />
*Ocean current — passively drifting along the ocean current.<br />
*Propeller — a classic ship's screw to propel forwards and backwards.<br />
*Undulation — moving the body like a fish does.<br />
*Wind — using the power of the wind to sail.<br />
<br />
===Sensing===<br />
<br />
[[File:bathymetry.jpg |thumb|Sonar can be used for bathymetry, measuring the depth of the ocean floor.]]<br />
<br />
*Acoustic Doppler current profiler — measures the speed and direction of ocean currents using the principle of “Doppler shift”.<br />
*Camera — for visual data, has a limited range.<br />
*Conductivity — together with temperature and depth information, a good estimate of the salinity may be determined.<br />
*GPS — find the position, only works above the surface of the water.<br />
*Hydrophone — listen for sounds in the water.<br />
*Oxygen — determine the oxygen levels of the water.<br />
*Pressure — determine the depth the robot is at.<br />
*Semipermeable membrane density — a passive sampling device used to monitor trace levels of organic contaminants. When placed in an aquatic environment, SPMDs accumulate hydrophobic organic compounds, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and organochlorine pesticides from the surrounding waters.<br />
*Sonar — is used to find and identify objects in water. It is also used to determine water depth (bathymetry. May disturb marine life.<br />
*Temperature — determine the temperature of the water.<br />
*pH — determine the acidity of the water.<br />
<br />
===Communication===<br />
===Energy===<br />
The ocean offers several alternative options for energy generation. When a robot can use it's own energy on the sea, it is more autonomous.<br />
Options for Alternative ocean energy:<br />
*Tidal energy<br />
*Wave energy<br />
*Salinity gradient<br />
*Tidal Range<br />
*Ocean thermal energy conversion<br />
*Tidal range<br />
<br />
==Proposed design==<br />
<br />
===Description===<br />
*'''Location''' Our own Dutch North Sea might just be to place to be. With an average temperature of 12 degrees[http://gemiddeldgezien.nl/gemiddelde-watertemperatuur-noordzee], a former deadzone that is struggling with pollution from the many estuaries, and with a country that has always struggled with living beneath a rising sealevel, the seaweed farm has a lot to offer. When we also consider the busy shipping routes in the North Sea, Zeeland would be the most suitable area.<br />
*'''Farmed type of seaweed''' The HASP will farm the Laminaria seaweed species. Because of the high demand for it can not be fulfilled with the current techniques, and because it has a low impact on the enviroment.<br />
<br />
*'''System Design'''The design of our system will be largely modelled after the traditional seaweed farms.<br />
''distance between lines''<br />
<br />
===Automation===<br />
====Seeding====<br />
Like at normal seafarming, the young seedlings will first be grown at land in a greenhouse in the summer, when the water is hot. Mid-November, when they have grown 10-15 cm, they need to be planted at the seafarm. The seedlings are attached to the vertical lines to grow out, with the upper plants receving more sunlight than the lower ones. Can one of our robots attcach the seeds to the ropes?<br />
<br />
====Control and hygiene====<br />
There are several diseases that could affect the seaweed, caused by bacteria or by the enviroment. These diseases can be recognized visually and envirmental factors can be measured. Sensors would be needed for: illumination (too much or too little light causes rot), fres/salt water level and pollution. All diseases require different treatments, for which we have to think of automated solutions.<br />
Harm done by water grazers like fish can be minimized by placing the farm in deep waters, away from the coastal fish and the creatures on the seafloor. <br />
<br />
====Harvesting====<br />
Harvesting can be started in April. The plant grows faster in winter and slower in summer, with a rate of 1.1 cm per day in May. Making up for 2.5 meters a year. The plant can regenerate when it's been trimmed, but will grow slower. The normal age with this practice does not exceed 4 years.<br />
<br />
====Drying====<br />
It seems very inefficient to dry the seaweed in the open sea, it takes a lot of space and when one wave flushes over it, all the drying will have been for nothing. For that reason, seaweed must be taken to the mainland to dry. After it has been harvested, it must be stored for a short period, before it is transported. What amount of seaweed and for how long can it be stored without rotting?<br />
<br />
====Transport====<br />
<br />
====Communication to mainland====<br />
<br />
====Mapping tasks to robots====<br />
<br />
====Energy====<br />
In order to be fully atonomous and enviromentally friendly, the HASP will have to generate it's own energy.<br />
<br />
====Scalability====<br />
Number of plants on one vertical lines:<br />
Number of lines per meter:<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
The robots behaviour underwater would generate sound. Although the underwater world might seem silent to humans, fish experience sound intensly. The effects of human generated sounds on fish might therefore be harmful. Research results vary from little to no effect, to immediate death. Because the variety of sounds and fish is so large, we will try to minimize the sound level but not take extra measures to protect the fish from our robot's noices.<br />
<br />
===Big Data and IoT===<br />
<br />
<i>The farm comes equipped with a lot of sensors to monitor its own condition and its enviroment. Using all of this data one can analyze it in real time, and after collecting more data extrapolate long-term trends. With all the robotic agents on the farm, combined with the data collected, the farm can be administrated remotely. The farm can be made smart to send out maintenance calls on its.</i><br />
<br />
====Science====<br />
<br />
<i>The data collected by the farm and its robots can be shared with scientists and governments. More farms mean more sensors and thus a larger sensor size. This data would for example be very useful to The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) on which engineers and scientist can find all the data available about the european waters. The European Commission has started Marine Knowledge 2020 with the aim to bring to bring all of the marine data from different sources together. This initiative examplifies the need for marine data.</i><br />
<br />
==Robot prototype==<br />
<br />
===Design process===<br />
The design for the prototype consists of three components, one for the movement, one for grabbing and cutting and one for the Arduino and battery. The robot moves along a cable, for our prototype we will use a bicycle chain. The robot has three gearing wheels for a stable movement along the cable. The gearing wheel in the middle is driven by an engine. The component with the Arduino and the battery is hanging below the movement-component, just like a chairlift. This component should be heavy enough to sink, this is necessary to keep the bicycle chain on tension. This is the only component that should be waterproof, because it contains the Arduino and the battery. Below this component is the cut-and-grab-component, and is joined to the mothership with rope or a telescoping arm. This rope or telescoping arm is needed for a vertical movement, the robot should be able to cut at different depths. The claw should be able to grab seaweed that might have flowed away a bit, so the claw should be able to move horizontal. This happens by a telescoping arm. The scissors should be placed above the claw, otherwise the robot would cut seaweed that is not hold by the claw.<br />
<br />
===Technical description===<br />
<br />
===Demonstration===<br />
<br />
==Business and law==<br />
<br />
In 2014, the total annual value of produced seaweed was $6.4 billion. Worldwide, 93.8% of the global total production of aquatic plants came from aquaculture. Countries in East and Southeast Asia dominate seaweed culture production.<ref name="A guide to the seaweed industry">[http://www.fao.org/3/a-y4765e.pdf A guide to the seaweed industry]</ref> About 25 million tonnes of seaweeds and other algae are harvested annually for use as food, in cosmetics and fertilizers, and are processed to extract thickening agents or used as an additive to animal feed.<ref name="The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2014">[http://www.fao.org/3/a-i3720e.pdf The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2014]</ref> For the demand of food-grade seaweed to grow, there needs to be a dietary trend towards protein-rich vegetables, which seems to be the case. Growing the demand for seaweed requires a shift in the consumer's perception of seaweed as a food. Seaweed can be processed to be used as a source of nutrients for certain processed foods. There is increasing demand for seaweed as an agricultural supply, to use as animal food. It is also possible to use seaweed as a source for certain chemicals, i.e. for use in cosmetics.<br />
<br />
===Business case===<br />
<br />
====Cost vs. profit====<br />
<br />
===Laws===<br />
<br />
====International law====<br />
<br />
====European law====<br />
<br />
====Dutch law====<br />
<br />
==Looking ahead==<br />
<br />
===Future farms===<br />
<br />
The farm we have outlined only concerns the cultivation of seaweeds. However, farms can be augmented by employing bivalves in order to filter the water of pollutants.<ref name="Biosorption and bioaccumulation of heavy metals by rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata in the Persian Gulf">[http://www.intelaquares.com/doc/7b.pdf Biosorption and bioaccumulation of heavy metals by rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata in the Persian Gulf]</ref><br />
<br />
===Recommendations===<br />
<br />
===Horizon 2020===<br />
<br />
'''Applicable areas:'''<br />
<br />
*Agriculture & forestry<br />
*Aquatic resources<br />
*Bio-based industries<br />
*Environment & climate action<br />
*Food & healthy diet<br />
*Innovation<br />
*SME (small-medium enterprise)<br />
<br />
'''Relevant research calls:'''<br />
<br />
*High value-added specialized vessel concepts enabling more efficient servicing of emerging coastal and offshore activities. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/5119-bg-02-2016-2017.html (link)] € 7 million<br />
*New sources of proteins for animal feed from co-products to address the EU protein gap. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/17081-bbi-2016-d08.html (link)] € 15 million<br />
*Promoting and supporting the eco-intensification of aquaculture production systems: inland (including fresh water), coastal zone, and offshore. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/6050-sfs-32-2017.html (link)] € 6 million<br />
<br />
'''Also'''<br />
Marine Knowledge 2020 with The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet), aims to collect a lot more data from the seas and oceans than we do at the moment.<br />
<br />
==Discussion==<br />
<br />
==Conclusion==<br />
<br />
==Sources and references==<br />
<br />
===Sources===<br />
<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Doty, M.S. & Caddy, J.F. & Santelices, B. (1987), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Juanich, Godardo L. (1988), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/ac416e00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE(1. EUCHEUMA SPP.)]<br />
*Kitadai, Yuuki & Kadowaki, Shusaki (2007), [https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf Growth, nitrogen and phosphorous uptake rates and O2 production rate of seaweeds cultured on coastal fish farms]<br />
*Kleis, Roelof (2010), [http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification]<br />
*Lacey, Stephen & Mellino, Cole (2011), [http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
* NOAA Ocean Explorer Webmaster (2013), [http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/technology/tools/tools.html NOAA Observing Systems and Sensors]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Popper, Arthur N. & Hastings, Mardi C. (2009), [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1749-4877.2008.00134.x/epdf The effects of human-generated sound on fish]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image]. <br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
===References===<br />
<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
<!--<br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
<br />
= Group members =<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
= Preliminary brainstorm =<br />
==Benefits==<br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
<br />
===Proposals===<br />
*Floating robot<br />
**Solar panel<br />
**Lowering (anker-style) cutter<br />
**Hard to position,<br />
***Drifts<br />
***“Dijnst[dutch]”<br />
*Rover robot<br />
**Stable polypoid (crab-style)<br />
**Hard to cut above his head<br />
*Swimming robot<br />
**May become struck between the weed<br />
**Perfect mobility and can cut everywhere<br />
Combination of multiple robot’s for every seafruit a suitable robot.<br />
<br />
= Problem =<br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15). </ref><br />
<br />
<br />
= Mariculture =<br />
<br />
<i>In this section cover what mariculture is and various aspects of mariculture.</i><br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
== Environmental effects ==<br />
<br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms. These can be classified in two categories:<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
<br />
* '''Positive aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
** Pond-farms can make use of otherwise unfertile and underutilised land.<br />
** Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
** Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
** Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
** Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
** The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
** Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<br />
* '''Negative aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
** Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
** Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
** Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
** Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
** Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
** Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
** Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
** Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
** Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
These effects should be considered when deploying seaweed farms to ensure sustainable aquaculture development.<br />
<br />
= Maritime robotics =<br />
== Types of maritime robots ==<br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
<br />
== Specifications ==<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
== Practical tips ==<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
== Responsibility ==<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!<br />
<br />
= State of the art =<br />
<br />
== Robots for mariculture ==<br />
<i>In this section we link mariculture and maritime robots, we elaborate on the type of (maritime) robots that are especially useful for sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= Automation =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the automation of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
= Scaling =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the scalability of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
== Sea farm design ==<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we propose a design for an innovative high-tech sea farm.</i><br />
<br />
= Sea robot prototype =<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we showcase a prototype of a robot to be used on our cutting-edge sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= USE: stakeholders =<br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
The USE aspects:<br />
The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
Enterprise: It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
=Tasks=<br />
[[{{TALKPAGENAME}}|Logbook]]<br />
<br />
=Drive=<br />
[https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=66031F8492322E24!604219&authkey=!AOO7hi5CT65E46Y&ithint=folder%2cdocx USE Waterpret]<br />
<br />
= Sources =<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/AC416E00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE 1. EUCHEUMA SPP.]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image].<br />
*[http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification, December 23, 2010 By Roelof Kleis ]<br />
*[http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?] <br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
== References ==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
--></div>S146529https://cstwiki.wtb.tue.nl/index.php?title=PRE2015_4_Groep5&diff=27158PRE2015 4 Groep52016-05-12T12:32:55Z<p>S146529: /* Maritime robotics */</p>
<hr />
<div>__FORCETOC__<br />
<br />
[[File:HASP_logo_v0.1.png|600px|right]]<br />
<br />
== Group members ==<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
==Introduction==<br />
<br />
===Abstract===<br />
<br />
===Problem statement===<br />
<br />
The world needs to produce at least 50% more food to feed 9 billion people by 2050. But climate change could cut crop yields by more than 25%.<ref name="Food security">[http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/foodsecurity]</ref> With this in mind we need to look for novel solutions to the problem of insufficient food production. This solution will need to take the interests of users, society, and enterprise into account. Moreover, this solution needs to surpass the state of the art by employing cutting-edge technology.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15).</ref><br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
===Motivation===<br />
<br />
Nutrition is vital to sustaining life, and food security is important for political stability and human welfare. We want to address the problem of food availability due to its relevance: continuing population and consumption growth will mean that the global demand for food will increase for at least another 40 years.<ref name="Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People">[http://science.sciencemag.org/content/327/5967/812 Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People]</ref><br />
<br />
Agriculture is an integral part of the European economy and society. It provides the basis for food, feed and non-food products to meet the demands of consumers and a wide range of industries.<ref name="Horizon 2020: Agriculture & Forestry">[https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/en/area/agriculture-forestry Agriculture & Forestry]</ref> By designing a solution to the agricultural challenge we will need to take into account the needs of users: like consumers of food, society: the ecological impacts of our solution, and enterprise: the solution needs to be competitive in order to gain an economical advantage.<br />
<br />
The agricultural industry is ever advancing, not only is the biological aspect of farming being researched, there are also improvements in automation,<ref name="Agricultural Robotics and Automation">[http://www.ieee-ras.org/agricultural-robotics Agricultural Robotics and Automation]</ref> and we want to explore the automation of this industry. We want to develop a solution that allows for automation of food production beyond the state of the art, moreover the solution needs to be scalable.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
==Mariculture==<br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
Mariculture is a specialized branch of aquaculture involving the cultivation of marine organisms for food and other products in the open ocean, an enclosed section of the ocean, or in tanks, ponds or raceways which are filled with seawater. An example of the latter is the farming of marine fish, including finfish and shellfish like prawns, or oysters and seaweed in saltwater ponds.<ref name="Mariculture">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariculture Mariculture]</ref><br />
<br />
In this section we will explore mariculture, and explain why we chose it as a solution to the problem previously stated. Mariculture encompasses a wide range of organisms, from the cultivation of water-based plants to the breeding of aquatic animals. For this project we will focus on the cultivation of aquatic plants, and in particular types of seaweed.<br />
<br />
===Commonly cultivated seaweed species===<br />
<br />
*The total seaweed production features a lot of brown kelps. These weeds grow in cold water zones, they are long and have a leathery structure. They must be harvested before the water temperature rises to 21 degrees, otherwise the kelps will rot. Kombu (Laminaria Japonica) is used a lot in Japanese recipies for soups, as dried snacks, or in salads. Kombu is a dietary fiber and contains high levels of iodine. In China, 50% of the Laminaria production is meant for industrial purposes for its iodine, algin and mannitol. Due to this, laminaria are considered as one of the best renewable resources and it makes up for a major part of the maricultural sector. Japan has made effort to increase the production but due to its labour intensitive nature, the market is not expected to expand notably. [http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Laminaria_japonica/en] Wakame (Undaria) is the type of kelp you will find in your misosoup. With a subtle sweet flavour and satin-like texture it is most suitable for human consumption. The weed is a rich source of omega-3 and helps burn fatty tissue. However, it is also in the top 100 of worst invasive species in cold waters, which is partly caused by aquaculture. [ http://www.seaweed.ie/]<br />
<br />
*Gelidium amansii and Pterocladia are valuable red algae that can be found at shallow coasts. They can be used in salads and to make agar, a jelly-like substance that can be used for microbiological research and various industrial purposes. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelidium_amansii] They have been cultured in Korea since the last century, but always on a small scale. There have been various attempts to farm the algae at sea, but the slow growth rate and required non-contaminated waters made it unattractive for commercial cultivation.[https://books.google.nl/books?id=19mM4xtgfOMC&pg=PA2&lpg=PA2&dq=Pterocladia+farm&source=bl&ots=MtH0LvASHr&sig=RXZNWMEOLnv1yS-WP2fWqv6SDpo&hl=nl&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwieqMmLnsrMAhXlAsAKHVoKDzwQ6AEIRTAF#v=onepage&q=Pterocladia%20farm&f=false]<br />
<br />
*Nori or Zicai (Porphyra) are most famous for composing the sushi wraps. The red algae grow in cold and shallow waters in the intertidal zone. After growing in the sea for 50 days, the weeds can be harvested every 10-15 days. The Nori market is stable, the demand is not expected to grow or shrink in the coming years. In Japan, the annual production is valued at 1 billion US dollars.[http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Porphyra_spp/en#tcNA0112]<br />
<br />
===Mariculture as a solution===<br />
<br />
===Environment===<br />
<br />
====Dead zones====<br />
<br />
[[File:Deadzones.jpg|thumb|Dead zones in oceans around the world.]]<br />
<br />
Ocean dead zones are areas with low oxygen levels and hardly any marine life. These areas are caused by agriculture fertilizers that increase the level of nitrogen and phosphorus, also known as eutriphication. The result is a rapid increase in phytoplankton, because they are 'build' from phosphorus and nitrogen. These algal blooms cause deadzones. The number of deadzones is increasing.<br />
As a result, the fertility of the marine life drops dramatically, and in more extreme cases, fish fall unconcious and then suffocate. Slow moving creatures on the seafloor are unable to escape.<br />
Seaweed is capable of uptaking both nitrogen and phosphorus and replacing it with oxygen. For this reason seaweed is also cultivated around fishfarms. Seaweed would be a cheap although perhaps slow solution in the reviving of deadzones.[https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf]<br />
<br />
====Climate====<br />
<br />
====Locations====<br />
<br />
To determine the best location for a sea-farm we have to take into account several aspects. The temperature of the seawater should be the right temperature for seaweed. For example the best temperature for growing Eucheuma is 20-25 °Celsius, but there are also species that can grow in water of 10 °Celsius. So seaweed can grow in almost every ocean. The depth of the sea does not matter for the seaweed because it grows from the surface downwards. But for the farm itself the depth does matter. Anchoring the farm is easier in a shallow area in the ocean. Commonly these areas are near the coast, an advantage of sea-farms which are near the costs is that the transport from farm to the secondary users is cheaper. Also building and maintaining the farm is easier if it is closer to the mainland. The dead zones are also located near the seashore, so the dead zones are an extra motivation of locating the sea-farms there. A disadvantage are the shipping routes that are located in these areas. Thankfully, these routes are taken by most commercial ships. This leaves open spots near the coast where there are no passing ships and where the seaweedfarms could be located. Important shipping routes at the Dutch coast [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NoordzeeScheepvaartroutes.png] With the sealevels rising due to climate change, and the seafarm's habit breaking waves, it would be beneficial to locate the farm nearby a shore that is threatend by rising sea levels.<br />
<br />
===Nutrition===<br />
<br />
From a nutritional standpoint, the main properties of seaweeds that distinguish them from higher plants are their high mineral and dietary fibre contents. The high iron and magnesium contents are of particular nutritional interest due to their metabolic or functional properties. In comparison with other sources of fibres, seaweeds contain a high proportion of soluble fibres, which exhibit original fermentation patterns in the large intestine. Red seaweeds have a high protein content, comparable to that of high-protein vegetables. Available data suggest that they have a unique amino acid pattern, complementary to that of most terrestrial vegetables.<ref name="Seaweed in food products: biochemical and nutritional aspects">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/092422449390091N Serge Mabeau, Joël Fleurence: Seaweed in food products: biochemical and nutritional aspects (1993)]</ref> Edible brown and red seaweeds could be used as a food supplement to help meet the recommended daily adult intakes of some macrominerals and trace elements. <ref name="P. Rupérez: Mineral content of edible marine seaweeds (2002)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814602001711 P. Rupérez: Mineral content of edible marine seaweeds (2002)]</ref><br />
<br />
There might be some hesitance in the use of seaweed for human nutrition, but he seaweeds which are used as biological filters and food material for farmed animals could easily be included in the human food value chain by this route.<ref name="Joël Fleurence, Michele Morançais, Justine Dumay, Priscilla Decottignies, Vincent Turpin, Mathilde Munier, Nuria Garcia-Bueno and Pascal Jaouen<br />
: What are the prospects for using seaweed in human nutrition and for marine animals raised through aquaculture? (2012)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224412000544 Joël Fleurence, Michele Morançais, Justine Dumay, Priscilla Decottignies, Vincent Turpin, Mathilde Munier, Nuria Garcia-Bueno and Pascal Jaouen<br />
: What are the prospects for using seaweed in human nutrition and for marine animals raised through aquaculture? (2012)]</ref><ref name="Joël Fleurence: Seaweed proteins: biochemical, nutritional aspects and potential use (1999)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224499000151 Joël Fleurence: Seaweed proteins: biochemical, nutritional aspects and potential use (1999)]</ref><br />
<br />
===State of the art===<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
* Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
* Pond-farms can make use of otherwise infertile and underutilized land.<br />
* Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
* Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
* Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
* Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
* The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
* Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
<br />
* Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
* Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
* Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
* Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
* Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
* Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
* Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
* Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
* Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
* Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
===Types of farms===<br />
<br />
====Anchored====<br />
<br />
====Drifting====<br />
<br />
===Tasks to be carried out on farms===<br />
'''Primary tasks'''<br />
* Seeding<br />
* Cleaning<br />
* Harvesting<br />
'''Secondary tasks'''<br />
* Checking the quality of the plants<br />
* Removing corrupt plants<br />
* Pruning<br />
<br />
==Stakeholders==<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===User===<br />
Seaweed farmers.<br />
<br />
Drawback: Introduction of our system on the mariculture market could cost the jobs of the few brave seaweed farmers we have today. These farmers operate on a small scale on a small market and would be easily competed out. To prevent this, our systems user group is are the already existing seaweed farmers that want to expand their business, and the more industrialized farmers in Asia.<br />
<br />
The users: The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
<br />
===Society===<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
<br />
===Enterprise===<br />
It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
==Maritime robotics==<br />
<br />
<br />
<i><br />
::Specifications<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
::Practical tips<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be used for building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
::Responsibility<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!</i><br />
<br />
===Types of robots===<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===Locomotion===<br />
<br />
[[File:Drifterandjet.jpg|thumb|A passive ocean drifter and a high-speed jet.]]<br />
<br />
*Jet propulsion — water is taken in and propelled out at high speed, using a directed nozzle makes this very maneuverable.<br />
*Ocean current — passively drifting along the ocean current.<br />
*Propeller — a classic ship's screw to propel forwards and backwards.<br />
*Undulation — moving the body like a fish does.<br />
*Wind — using the power of the wind to sail.<br />
<br />
===Sensing===<br />
<br />
[[File:bathymetry.jpg |thumb|Sonar can be used for bathymetry, measuring the depth of the ocean floor.]]<br />
<br />
*Acoustic Doppler current profiler — measures the speed and direction of ocean currents using the principle of “Doppler shift”.<br />
*Camera — for visual data, has a limited range.<br />
*Conductivity — together with temperature and depth information, a good estimate of the salinity may be determined.<br />
*GPS — find the position, only works above the surface of the water.<br />
*Hydrophone — listen for sounds in the water.<br />
*Oxygen — determine the oxygen levels of the water.<br />
*Pressure — determine the depth the robot is at.<br />
*Semipermeable membrane density — a passive sampling device used to monitor trace levels of organic contaminants. When placed in an aquatic environment, SPMDs accumulate hydrophobic organic compounds, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and organochlorine pesticides from the surrounding waters.<br />
*Sonar — is used to find and identify objects in water. It is also used to determine water depth (bathymetry. May disturb marine life.<br />
*Temperature — determine the temperature of the water.<br />
*pH — determine the acidity of the water.<br />
<br />
===Communication===<br />
===Energy===<br />
The ocean offers several alternative options for energy generation. When a robot can use it's own energy on the sea, it is more autonomous.<br />
Options for Alternative ocean energy:<br />
*Tidal energy<br />
*Wave energy<br />
*Salinity gradient<br />
*Tidal Range<br />
*Ocean thermal energy conversion<br />
*Tidal range<br />
<br />
==Proposed design==<br />
<br />
===Description===<br />
*'''Location''' Our own Dutch North Sea might just be to place to be. With an average temperature of 12 degrees[http://gemiddeldgezien.nl/gemiddelde-watertemperatuur-noordzee], a former deadzone that is struggling with pollution from the many estuaries, and with a country that has always struggled with living beneath a rising sealevel, the seaweed farm has a lot to offer. When we also consider the busy shipping routes in the North Sea, Zeeland would be the most suitable area.<br />
*'''Farmed type of seaweed''' The HASP will farm the Laminaria seaweed species. Because of the high demand for it can not be fulfilled with the current techniques, and because it has a low impact on the enviroment.<br />
<br />
*'''System Design'''The design of our system will be largely modelled after the traditional seaweed farms.<br />
''distance between lines''<br />
<br />
===Automation===<br />
====Seeding====<br />
Like at normal seafarming, the young seedlings will first be grown at land in a greenhouse in the summer, when the water is hot. Mid-November, when they have grown 10-15 cm, they need to be planted at the seafarm. The seedlings are attached to the vertical lines to grow out, with the upper plants receving more sunlight than the lower ones. Can one of our robots attcach the seeds to the ropes?<br />
<br />
====Control and hygiene====<br />
There are several diseases that could affect the seaweed, caused by bacteria or by the enviroment. These diseases can be recognized visually and envirmental factors can be measured. Sensors would be needed for: illumination (too much or too little light causes rot), fres/salt water level and pollution. All diseases require different treatments, for which we have to think of automated solutions.<br />
Harm done by water grazers like fish can be minimized by placing the farm in deep waters, away from the coastal fish and the creatures on the seafloor. <br />
<br />
====Harvesting====<br />
Harvesting can be started in April. The plant grows faster in winter and slower in summer, with a rate of 1.1 cm per day in May. Making up for 2.5 meters a year. The plant can regenerate when it's been trimmed, but will grow slower. The normal age with this practice does not exceed 4 years.<br />
<br />
====Drying====<br />
It seems very inefficient to dry the seaweed in the open sea, it takes a lot of space and when one wave flushes over it, all the drying will have been for nothing. For that reason, seaweed must be taken to the mainland to dry. After it has been harvested, it must be stored for a short period, before it is transported. What amount of seaweed and for how long can it be stored without rotting?<br />
<br />
====Transport====<br />
<br />
====Communication to mainland====<br />
<br />
====Mapping tasks to robots====<br />
<br />
====Energy====<br />
In order to be fully atonomous and enviromentally friendly, the HASP will have to generate it's own energy.<br />
<br />
====Scalability====<br />
Number of plants on one vertical lines:<br />
Number of lines per meter:<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
The robots behaviour underwater would generate sound. Although the underwater world might seem silent to humans, fish experience sound intensly. The effects of human generated sounds on fish might therefore be harmful. Research results vary from little to no effect, to immediate death. Because the variety of sounds and fish is so large, we will try to minimize the sound level but not take extra measures to protect the fish from our robot's noices.<br />
<br />
===Big Data and IoT===<br />
<br />
<i>The farm comes equipped with a lot of sensors to monitor its own condition and its enviroment. Using all of this data one can analyze it in real time, and after collecting more data extrapolate long-term trends. With all the robotic agents on the farm, combined with the data collected, the farm can be administrated remotely. The farm can be made smart to send out maintenance calls on its.</i><br />
<br />
====Science====<br />
<br />
<i>The data collected by the farm and its robots can be shared with scientists and governments. More farms mean more sensors and thus a larger sensor size. This data would for example be very useful to The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) on which engineers and scientist can find all the data available about the european waters. The European Commission has started Marine Knowledge 2020 with the aim to bring to bring all of the marine data from different sources together. This initiative examplifies the need for marine data.</i><br />
<br />
==Robot prototype==<br />
<br />
===Design process===<br />
The design for the prototype consists of three components, one for the movement, one for grabbing and cutting and one for the Arduino and battery. The robot moves along a cable, for our prototype we will use a bicycle chain. The robot has three gearing wheels for a stable movement along the cable. The gearing wheel in the middle is driven by an engine. The component with the Arduino and the battery is hanging below the movement-component, just like a chairlift. This component should be heavy enough to sink, this is necessary to keep the bicycle chain on tension. This is the only component that should be waterproof, because it contains the Arduino and the battery. Below this component is the cut-and-grab-component, and is joined to the mothership with rope or a telescoping arm. This rope or telescoping arm is needed for a vertical movement, the robot should be able to cut at different depths. The claw should be able to grab seaweed that might have flowed away a bit, so the claw should be able to move horizontal. This happens by a telescoping arm. The scissors should be placed above the claw, otherwise the robot would cut seaweed that is not hold by the claw.<br />
<br />
===Technical description===<br />
<br />
===Demonstration===<br />
<br />
==Business and law==<br />
<br />
In 2014, the total annual value of produced seaweed was $6.4 billion. Worldwide, 93.8% of the global total production of aquatic plants came from aquaculture. Countries in East and Southeast Asia dominate seaweed culture production.<ref name="A guide to the seaweed industry">[http://www.fao.org/3/a-y4765e.pdf A guide to the seaweed industry]</ref> About 25 million tonnes of seaweeds and other algae are harvested annually for use as food, in cosmetics and fertilizers, and are processed to extract thickening agents or used as an additive to animal feed.<ref name="The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2014">[http://www.fao.org/3/a-i3720e.pdf The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2014]</ref> For the demand of food-grade seaweed to grow, there needs to be a dietary trend towards protein-rich vegetables, which seems to be the case. Growing the demand for seaweed requires a shift in the consumer's perception of seaweed as a food. Seaweed can be processed to be used as a source of nutrients for certain processed foods. There is increasing demand for seaweed as an agricultural supply, to use as animal food. It is also possible to use seaweed as a source for certain chemicals, i.e. for use in cosmetics.<br />
<br />
===Business case===<br />
<br />
====Cost vs. profit====<br />
<br />
===Laws===<br />
<br />
====International law====<br />
<br />
====European law====<br />
<br />
====Dutch law====<br />
<br />
==Looking ahead==<br />
<br />
===Future farms===<br />
<br />
The farm we have outlined only concerns the cultivation of seaweeds. However, farms can be augmented by employing bivalves in order to filter the water of pollutants.<ref name="Biosorption and bioaccumulation of heavy metals by rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata in the Persian Gulf">[http://www.intelaquares.com/doc/7b.pdf Biosorption and bioaccumulation of heavy metals by rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata in the Persian Gulf]</ref><br />
<br />
===Recommendations===<br />
<br />
===Horizon 2020===<br />
<br />
'''Applicable areas:'''<br />
<br />
*Agriculture & forestry<br />
*Aquatic resources<br />
*Bio-based industries<br />
*Environment & climate action<br />
*Food & healthy diet<br />
*Innovation<br />
*SME (small-medium enterprise)<br />
<br />
'''Relevant research calls:'''<br />
<br />
*High value-added specialized vessel concepts enabling more efficient servicing of emerging coastal and offshore activities. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/5119-bg-02-2016-2017.html (link)] € 7 million<br />
*New sources of proteins for animal feed from co-products to address the EU protein gap. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/17081-bbi-2016-d08.html (link)] € 15 million<br />
*Promoting and supporting the eco-intensification of aquaculture production systems: inland (including fresh water), coastal zone, and offshore. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/6050-sfs-32-2017.html (link)] € 6 million<br />
<br />
'''Also'''<br />
Marine Knowledge 2020 with The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet), aims to collect a lot more data from the seas and oceans than we do at the moment.<br />
<br />
==Discussion==<br />
<br />
==Conclusion==<br />
<br />
==Sources and references==<br />
<br />
===Sources===<br />
<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Doty, M.S. & Caddy, J.F. & Santelices, B. (1987), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Juanich, Godardo L. (1988), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/ac416e00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE(1. EUCHEUMA SPP.)]<br />
*Kitadai, Yuuki & Kadowaki, Shusaki (2007), [https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf Growth, nitrogen and phosphorous uptake rates and O2 production rate of seaweeds cultured on coastal fish farms]<br />
*Kleis, Roelof (2010), [http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification]<br />
*Lacey, Stephen & Mellino, Cole (2011), [http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
* NOAA Ocean Explorer Webmaster (2013), [http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/technology/tools/tools.html NOAA Observing Systems and Sensors]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Popper, Arthur N. & Hastings, Mardi C. (2009), [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1749-4877.2008.00134.x/epdf The effects of human-generated sound on fish]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image]. <br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
===References===<br />
<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
<!--<br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
<br />
= Group members =<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
= Preliminary brainstorm =<br />
==Benefits==<br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
<br />
===Proposals===<br />
*Floating robot<br />
**Solar panel<br />
**Lowering (anker-style) cutter<br />
**Hard to position,<br />
***Drifts<br />
***“Dijnst[dutch]”<br />
*Rover robot<br />
**Stable polypoid (crab-style)<br />
**Hard to cut above his head<br />
*Swimming robot<br />
**May become struck between the weed<br />
**Perfect mobility and can cut everywhere<br />
Combination of multiple robot’s for every seafruit a suitable robot.<br />
<br />
= Problem =<br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15). </ref><br />
<br />
<br />
= Mariculture =<br />
<br />
<i>In this section cover what mariculture is and various aspects of mariculture.</i><br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
== Environmental effects ==<br />
<br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms. These can be classified in two categories:<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
<br />
* '''Positive aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
** Pond-farms can make use of otherwise unfertile and underutilised land.<br />
** Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
** Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
** Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
** Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
** The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
** Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<br />
* '''Negative aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
** Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
** Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
** Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
** Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
** Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
** Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
** Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
** Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
** Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
These effects should be considered when deploying seaweed farms to ensure sustainable aquaculture development.<br />
<br />
= Maritime robotics =<br />
== Types of maritime robots ==<br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
<br />
== Specifications ==<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
== Practical tips ==<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
== Responsibility ==<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!<br />
<br />
= State of the art =<br />
<br />
== Robots for mariculture ==<br />
<i>In this section we link mariculture and maritime robots, we elaborate on the type of (maritime) robots that are especially useful for sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= Automation =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the automation of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
= Scaling =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the scalability of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
== Sea farm design ==<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we propose a design for an innovative high-tech sea farm.</i><br />
<br />
= Sea robot prototype =<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we showcase a prototype of a robot to be used on our cutting-edge sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= USE: stakeholders =<br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
The USE aspects:<br />
The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
Enterprise: It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
=Tasks=<br />
[[{{TALKPAGENAME}}|Logbook]]<br />
<br />
=Drive=<br />
[https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=66031F8492322E24!604219&authkey=!AOO7hi5CT65E46Y&ithint=folder%2cdocx USE Waterpret]<br />
<br />
= Sources =<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/AC416E00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE 1. EUCHEUMA SPP.]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image].<br />
*[http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification, December 23, 2010 By Roelof Kleis ]<br />
*[http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?] <br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
== References ==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
--></div>S146529https://cstwiki.wtb.tue.nl/index.php?title=PRE2015_4_Groep5&diff=27155PRE2015 4 Groep52016-05-12T12:10:44Z<p>S146529: /* Design process */</p>
<hr />
<div>__FORCETOC__<br />
<br />
[[File:HASP_logo_v0.1.png|600px|right]]<br />
<br />
== Group members ==<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
==Introduction==<br />
<br />
===Abstract===<br />
<br />
===Problem statement===<br />
<br />
The world needs to produce at least 50% more food to feed 9 billion people by 2050. But climate change could cut crop yields by more than 25%.<ref name="Food security">[http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/foodsecurity]</ref> With this in mind we need to look for novel solutions to the problem of insufficient food production. This solution will need to take the interests of users, society, and enterprise into account. Moreover, this solution needs to surpass the state of the art by employing cutting-edge technology.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15).</ref><br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
===Motivation===<br />
<br />
Nutrition is vital to sustaining life, and food security is important for political stability and human welfare. We want to address the problem of food availability due to its relevance: continuing population and consumption growth will mean that the global demand for food will increase for at least another 40 years.<ref name="Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People">[http://science.sciencemag.org/content/327/5967/812 Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People]</ref><br />
<br />
Agriculture is an integral part of the European economy and society. It provides the basis for food, feed and non-food products to meet the demands of consumers and a wide range of industries.<ref name="Horizon 2020: Agriculture & Forestry">[https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/en/area/agriculture-forestry Agriculture & Forestry]</ref> By designing a solution to the agricultural challenge we will need to take into account the needs of users: like consumers of food, society: the ecological impacts of our solution, and enterprise: the solution needs to be competitive in order to gain an economical advantage.<br />
<br />
The agricultural industry is ever advancing, not only is the biological aspect of farming being researched, there are also improvements in automation,<ref name="Agricultural Robotics and Automation">[http://www.ieee-ras.org/agricultural-robotics Agricultural Robotics and Automation]</ref> and we want to explore the automation of this industry. We want to develop a solution that allows for automation of food production beyond the state of the art, moreover the solution needs to be scalable.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
==Mariculture==<br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
Mariculture is a specialized branch of aquaculture involving the cultivation of marine organisms for food and other products in the open ocean, an enclosed section of the ocean, or in tanks, ponds or raceways which are filled with seawater. An example of the latter is the farming of marine fish, including finfish and shellfish like prawns, or oysters and seaweed in saltwater ponds.<ref name="Mariculture">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariculture Mariculture]</ref><br />
<br />
In this section we will explore mariculture, and explain why we chose it as a solution to the problem previously stated. Mariculture encompasses a wide range of organisms, from the cultivation of water-based plants to the breeding of aquatic animals. For this project we will focus on the cultivation of aquatic plants, and in particular types of seaweed.<br />
<br />
===Commonly cultivated seaweed species===<br />
<br />
*The total seaweed production features a lot of brown kelps. These weeds grow in cold water zones, they are long and have a leathery structure. They must be harvested before the water temperature rises to 21 degrees, otherwise the kelps will rot. Kombu (Laminaria Japonica) is used a lot in Japanese recipies for soups, as dried snacks, or in salads. Kombu is a dietary fiber and contains high levels of iodine. In China, 50% of the Laminaria production is meant for industrial purposes for its iodine, algin and mannitol. Due to this, laminaria are considered as one of the best renewable resources and it makes up for a major part of the maricultural sector. Japan has made effort to increase the production but due to its labour intensitive nature, the market is not expected to expand notably. [http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Laminaria_japonica/en] Wakame (Undaria) is the type of kelp you will find in your misosoup. With a subtle sweet flavour and satin-like texture it is most suitable for human consumption. The weed is a rich source of omega-3 and helps burn fatty tissue. However, it is also in the top 100 of worst invasive species in cold waters, which is partly caused by aquaculture. [ http://www.seaweed.ie/]<br />
<br />
*Gelidium amansii and Pterocladia are valuable red algae that can be found at shallow coasts. They can be used in salads and to make agar, a jelly-like substance that can be used for microbiological research and various industrial purposes. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelidium_amansii] They have been cultured in Korea since the last century, but always on a small scale. There have been various attempts to farm the algae at sea, but the slow growth rate and required non-contaminated waters made it unattractive for commercial cultivation.[https://books.google.nl/books?id=19mM4xtgfOMC&pg=PA2&lpg=PA2&dq=Pterocladia+farm&source=bl&ots=MtH0LvASHr&sig=RXZNWMEOLnv1yS-WP2fWqv6SDpo&hl=nl&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwieqMmLnsrMAhXlAsAKHVoKDzwQ6AEIRTAF#v=onepage&q=Pterocladia%20farm&f=false]<br />
<br />
*Nori or Zicai (Porphyra) are most famous for composing the sushi wraps. The red algae grow in cold and shallow waters in the intertidal zone. After growing in the sea for 50 days, the weeds can be harvested every 10-15 days. The Nori market is stable, the demand is not expected to grow or shrink in the coming years. In Japan, the annual production is valued at 1 billion US dollars.[http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Porphyra_spp/en#tcNA0112]<br />
<br />
===Mariculture as a solution===<br />
<br />
===Environment===<br />
<br />
====Dead zones====<br />
<br />
[[File:Deadzones.jpg|thumb|Dead zones in oceans around the world.]]<br />
<br />
Ocean dead zones are areas with low oxygen levels and hardly any marine life. These areas are caused by agriculture fertilizers that increase the level of nitrogen and phosphorus, also known as eutriphication. The result is a rapid increase in phytoplankton, because they are 'build' from phosphorus and nitrogen. These algal blooms cause deadzones. The number of deadzones is increasing.<br />
As a result, the fertility of the marine life drops dramatically, and in more extreme cases, fish fall unconcious and then suffocate. Slow moving creatures on the seafloor are unable to escape.<br />
Seaweed is capable of uptaking both nitrogen and phosphorus and replacing it with oxygen. For this reason seaweed is also cultivated around fishfarms. Seaweed would be a cheap although perhaps slow solution in the reviving of deadzones.[https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf]<br />
<br />
====Climate====<br />
<br />
====Locations====<br />
<br />
To determine the best location for a sea-farm we have to take into account several aspects. The temperature of the seawater should be the right temperature for seaweed. For example the best temperature for growing Eucheuma is 20-25 °Celsius, but there are also species that can grow in water of 10 °Celsius. So seaweed can grow in almost every ocean. The depth of the sea does not matter for the seaweed because it grows from the surface downwards. But for the farm itself the depth does matter. Anchoring the farm is easier in a shallow area in the ocean. Commonly these areas are near the coast, an advantage of sea-farms which are near the costs is that the transport from farm to the secondary users is cheaper. Also building and maintaining the farm is easier if it is closer to the mainland. The dead zones are also located near the seashore, so the dead zones are an extra motivation of locating the sea-farms there. A disadvantage are the shipping routes that are located in these areas. Thankfully, these routes are taken by most commercial ships. This leaves open spots near the coast where there are no passing ships and where the seaweedfarms could be located. Important shipping routes at the Dutch coast [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NoordzeeScheepvaartroutes.png] With the sealevels rising due to climate change, and the seafarm's habit breaking waves, it would be beneficial to locate the farm nearby a shore that is threatend by rising sea levels.<br />
<br />
===Nutrition===<br />
<br />
From a nutritional standpoint, the main properties of seaweeds that distinguish them from higher plants are their high mineral and dietary fibre contents. The high iron and magnesium contents are of particular nutritional interest due to their metabolic or functional properties. In comparison with other sources of fibres, seaweeds contain a high proportion of soluble fibres, which exhibit original fermentation patterns in the large intestine. Red seaweeds have a high protein content, comparable to that of high-protein vegetables. Available data suggest that they have a unique amino acid pattern, complementary to that of most terrestrial vegetables.<ref name="Seaweed in food products: biochemical and nutritional aspects">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/092422449390091N Serge Mabeau, Joël Fleurence: Seaweed in food products: biochemical and nutritional aspects (1993)]</ref> Edible brown and red seaweeds could be used as a food supplement to help meet the recommended daily adult intakes of some macrominerals and trace elements. <ref name="P. Rupérez: Mineral content of edible marine seaweeds (2002)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814602001711 P. Rupérez: Mineral content of edible marine seaweeds (2002)]</ref><br />
<br />
There might be some hesitance in the use of seaweed for human nutrition, but he seaweeds which are used as biological filters and food material for farmed animals could easily be included in the human food value chain by this route.<ref name="Joël Fleurence, Michele Morançais, Justine Dumay, Priscilla Decottignies, Vincent Turpin, Mathilde Munier, Nuria Garcia-Bueno and Pascal Jaouen<br />
: What are the prospects for using seaweed in human nutrition and for marine animals raised through aquaculture? (2012)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224412000544 Joël Fleurence, Michele Morançais, Justine Dumay, Priscilla Decottignies, Vincent Turpin, Mathilde Munier, Nuria Garcia-Bueno and Pascal Jaouen<br />
: What are the prospects for using seaweed in human nutrition and for marine animals raised through aquaculture? (2012)]</ref><ref name="Joël Fleurence: Seaweed proteins: biochemical, nutritional aspects and potential use (1999)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224499000151 Joël Fleurence: Seaweed proteins: biochemical, nutritional aspects and potential use (1999)]</ref><br />
<br />
===State of the art===<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
* Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
* Pond-farms can make use of otherwise infertile and underutilized land.<br />
* Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
* Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
* Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
* Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
* The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
* Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
<br />
* Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
* Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
* Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
* Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
* Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
* Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
* Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
* Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
* Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
* Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
===Types of farms===<br />
<br />
====Anchored====<br />
<br />
====Drifting====<br />
<br />
===Tasks to be carried out on farms===<br />
'''Primary tasks'''<br />
* Seeding<br />
* Cleaning<br />
* Harvesting<br />
'''Secondary tasks'''<br />
* Checking the quality of the plants<br />
* Removing corrupt plants<br />
* Pruning<br />
<br />
==Stakeholders==<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===User===<br />
Seaweed farmers.<br />
<br />
Drawback: Introduction of our system on the mariculture market could cost the jobs of the few brave seaweed farmers we have today. These farmers operate on a small scale on a small market and would be easily competed out. To prevent this, our systems user group is are the already existing seaweed farmers that want to expand their business, and the more industrialized farmers in Asia.<br />
<br />
The users: The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
<br />
===Society===<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
<br />
===Enterprise===<br />
It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
==Maritime robotics==<br />
<br />
<br />
<i><br />
::Specifications<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
::Practical tips<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
::Responsibility<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!</i><br />
<br />
===Types of robots===<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===Locomotion===<br />
<br />
[[File:Drifterandjet.jpg|thumb|A passive ocean drifter and a high-speed jet.]]<br />
<br />
*Jet propulsion — water is taken in and propelled out at high speed, using a directed nozzle makes this very maneuverable.<br />
*Ocean current — passively drifting along the ocean current.<br />
*Propeller — a classic ship's screw to propel forwards and backwards.<br />
*Undulation — moving the body like a fish does.<br />
*Wind — using the power of the wind to sail.<br />
<br />
===Sensing===<br />
<br />
[[File:bathymetry.jpg |thumb|Sonar can be used for bathymetry, measuring the depth of the ocean floor.]]<br />
<br />
*Acoustic Doppler current profiler — measures the speed and direction of ocean currents using the principle of “Doppler shift”.<br />
*Camera — for visual data, has a limited range.<br />
*Conductivity — together with temperature and depth information, a good estimate of the salinity may be determined.<br />
*GPS — find the position, only works above the surface of the water.<br />
*Hydrophone — listen for sounds in the water.<br />
*Oxygen — determine the oxygen levels of the water.<br />
*Pressure — determine the depth the robot is at.<br />
*Semipermeable membrane density — a passive sampling device used to monitor trace levels of organic contaminants. When placed in an aquatic environment, SPMDs accumulate hydrophobic organic compounds, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and organochlorine pesticides from the surrounding waters.<br />
*Sonar — is used to find and identify objects in water. It is also used to determine water depth (bathymetry. May disturb marine life.<br />
*Temperature — determine the temperature of the water.<br />
*pH — determine the acidity of the water.<br />
<br />
===Communication===<br />
===Energy===<br />
The ocean offers several alternative options for energy generation. When a robot can use it's own energy on the sea, it is more autonomous.<br />
Options for Alternative ocean energy:<br />
*Tidal energy<br />
*Wave energy<br />
*Salinity gradient<br />
*Tidal Range<br />
*Ocean thermal energy conversion<br />
*Tidal range<br />
<br />
==Proposed design==<br />
<br />
===Description===<br />
*'''Location''' Our own Dutch North Sea might just be to place to be. With an average temperature of 12 degrees[http://gemiddeldgezien.nl/gemiddelde-watertemperatuur-noordzee], a former deadzone that is struggling with pollution from the many estuaries, and with a country that has always struggled with living beneath a rising sealevel, the seaweed farm has a lot to offer. When we also consider the busy shipping routes in the North Sea, Zeeland would be the most suitable area.<br />
*'''Farmed type of seaweed''' The HASP will farm the Laminaria seaweed species. Because of the high demand for it can not be fulfilled with the current techniques, and because it has a low impact on the enviroment.<br />
<br />
*'''System Design'''The design of our system will be largely modelled after the traditional seaweed farms.<br />
''distance between lines''<br />
<br />
===Automation===<br />
====Seeding====<br />
Like at normal seafarming, the young seedlings will first be grown at land in a greenhouse in the summer, when the water is hot. Mid-November, when they have grown 10-15 cm, they need to be planted at the seafarm. The seedlings are attached to the vertical lines to grow out, with the upper plants receving more sunlight than the lower ones. Can one of our robots attcach the seeds to the ropes?<br />
<br />
====Control and hygiene====<br />
There are several diseases that could affect the seaweed, caused by bacteria or by the enviroment. These diseases can be recognized visually and envirmental factors can be measured. Sensors would be needed for: illumination (too much or too little light causes rot), fres/salt water level and pollution. All diseases require different treatments, for which we have to think of automated solutions.<br />
Harm done by water grazers like fish can be minimized by placing the farm in deep waters, away from the coastal fish and the creatures on the seafloor. <br />
<br />
====Harvesting====<br />
Harvesting can be started in April. The plant grows faster in winter and slower in summer, with a rate of 1.1 cm per day in May. Making up for 2.5 meters a year. The plant can regenerate when it's been trimmed, but will grow slower. The normal age with this practice does not exceed 4 years.<br />
<br />
====Drying====<br />
It seems very inefficient to dry the seaweed in the open sea, it takes a lot of space and when one wave flushes over it, all the drying will have been for nothing. For that reason, seaweed must be taken to the mainland to dry. After it has been harvested, it must be stored for a short period, before it is transported. What amount of seaweed and for how long can it be stored without rotting?<br />
<br />
====Transport====<br />
<br />
====Communication to mainland====<br />
<br />
====Mapping tasks to robots====<br />
<br />
====Energy====<br />
In order to be fully atonomous and enviromentally friendly, the HASP will have to generate it's own energy.<br />
<br />
====Scalability====<br />
Number of plants on one vertical lines:<br />
Number of lines per meter:<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
The robots behaviour underwater would generate sound. Although the underwater world might seem silent to humans, fish experience sound intensly. The effects of human generated sounds on fish might therefore be harmful. Research results vary from little to no effect, to immediate death. Because the variety of sounds and fish is so large, we will try to minimize the sound level but not take extra measures to protect the fish from our robot's noices.<br />
<br />
===Big Data and IoT===<br />
<br />
<i>The farm comes equipped with a lot of sensors to monitor its own condition and its enviroment. Using all of this data one can analyze it in real time, and after collecting more data extrapolate long-term trends. With all the robotic agents on the farm, combined with the data collected, the farm can be administrated remotely. The farm can be made smart to send out maintenance calls on its.</i><br />
<br />
====Science====<br />
<br />
<i>The data collected by the farm and its robots can be shared with scientists and governments. More farms mean more sensors and thus a larger sensor size. This data would for example be very useful to The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) on which engineers and scientist can find all the data available about the european waters. The European Commission has started Marine Knowledge 2020 with the aim to bring to bring all of the marine data from different sources together. This initiative examplifies the need for marine data.</i><br />
<br />
==Robot prototype==<br />
<br />
===Design process===<br />
The design for the prototype consists of three components, one for the movement, one for grabbing and cutting and one for the Arduino and battery. The robot moves along a cable, for our prototype we will use a bicycle chain. The robot has three gearing wheels for a stable movement along the cable. The gearing wheel in the middle is driven by an engine. The component with the Arduino and the battery is hanging below the movement-component, just like a chairlift. This component should be heavy enough to sink, this is necessary to keep the bicycle chain on tension. This is the only component that should be waterproof, because it contains the Arduino and the battery. Below this component is the cut-and-grab-component, and is joined to the mothership with rope or a telescoping arm. This rope or telescoping arm is needed for a vertical movement, the robot should be able to cut at different depths. The claw should be able to grab seaweed that might have flowed away a bit, so the claw should be able to move horizontal. This happens by a telescoping arm. The scissors should be placed above the claw, otherwise the robot would cut seaweed that is not hold by the claw.<br />
<br />
===Technical description===<br />
<br />
===Demonstration===<br />
<br />
==Business and law==<br />
<br />
In 2014, the total annual value of produced seaweed was $6.4 billion. Worldwide, 93.8% of the global total production of aquatic plants came from aquaculture. Countries in East and Southeast Asia dominate seaweed culture production.<ref name="A guide to the seaweed industry">[http://www.fao.org/3/a-y4765e.pdf A guide to the seaweed industry]</ref> About 25 million tonnes of seaweeds and other algae are harvested annually for use as food, in cosmetics and fertilizers, and are processed to extract thickening agents or used as an additive to animal feed.<ref name="The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2014">[http://www.fao.org/3/a-i3720e.pdf The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2014]</ref> For the demand of food-grade seaweed to grow, there needs to be a dietary trend towards protein-rich vegetables, which seems to be the case. Growing the demand for seaweed requires a shift in the consumer's perception of seaweed as a food. Seaweed can be processed to be used as a source of nutrients for certain processed foods. There is increasing demand for seaweed as an agricultural supply, to use as animal food. It is also possible to use seaweed as a source for certain chemicals, i.e. for use in cosmetics.<br />
<br />
===Business case===<br />
<br />
====Cost vs. profit====<br />
<br />
===Laws===<br />
<br />
====International law====<br />
<br />
====European law====<br />
<br />
====Dutch law====<br />
<br />
==Looking ahead==<br />
<br />
===Future farms===<br />
<br />
The farm we have outlined only concerns the cultivation of seaweeds. However, farms can be augmented by employing bivalves in order to filter the water of pollutants.<ref name="Biosorption and bioaccumulation of heavy metals by rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata in the Persian Gulf">[http://www.intelaquares.com/doc/7b.pdf Biosorption and bioaccumulation of heavy metals by rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata in the Persian Gulf]</ref><br />
<br />
===Recommendations===<br />
<br />
===Horizon 2020===<br />
<br />
'''Applicable areas:'''<br />
<br />
*Agriculture & forestry<br />
*Aquatic resources<br />
*Bio-based industries<br />
*Environment & climate action<br />
*Food & healthy diet<br />
*Innovation<br />
*SME (small-medium enterprise)<br />
<br />
'''Relevant research calls:'''<br />
<br />
*High value-added specialized vessel concepts enabling more efficient servicing of emerging coastal and offshore activities. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/5119-bg-02-2016-2017.html (link)] € 7 million<br />
*New sources of proteins for animal feed from co-products to address the EU protein gap. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/17081-bbi-2016-d08.html (link)] € 15 million<br />
*Promoting and supporting the eco-intensification of aquaculture production systems: inland (including fresh water), coastal zone, and offshore. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/6050-sfs-32-2017.html (link)] € 6 million<br />
<br />
'''Also'''<br />
Marine Knowledge 2020 with The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet), aims to collect a lot more data from the seas and oceans than we do at the moment.<br />
<br />
==Discussion==<br />
<br />
==Conclusion==<br />
<br />
==Sources and references==<br />
<br />
===Sources===<br />
<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Doty, M.S. & Caddy, J.F. & Santelices, B. (1987), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Juanich, Godardo L. (1988), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/ac416e00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE(1. EUCHEUMA SPP.)]<br />
*Kitadai, Yuuki & Kadowaki, Shusaki (2007), [https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf Growth, nitrogen and phosphorous uptake rates and O2 production rate of seaweeds cultured on coastal fish farms]<br />
*Kleis, Roelof (2010), [http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification]<br />
*Lacey, Stephen & Mellino, Cole (2011), [http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
* NOAA Ocean Explorer Webmaster (2013), [http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/technology/tools/tools.html NOAA Observing Systems and Sensors]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Popper, Arthur N. & Hastings, Mardi C. (2009), [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1749-4877.2008.00134.x/epdf The effects of human-generated sound on fish]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image]. <br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
===References===<br />
<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
<!--<br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
<br />
= Group members =<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
= Preliminary brainstorm =<br />
==Benefits==<br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
<br />
===Proposals===<br />
*Floating robot<br />
**Solar panel<br />
**Lowering (anker-style) cutter<br />
**Hard to position,<br />
***Drifts<br />
***“Dijnst[dutch]”<br />
*Rover robot<br />
**Stable polypoid (crab-style)<br />
**Hard to cut above his head<br />
*Swimming robot<br />
**May become struck between the weed<br />
**Perfect mobility and can cut everywhere<br />
Combination of multiple robot’s for every seafruit a suitable robot.<br />
<br />
= Problem =<br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15). </ref><br />
<br />
<br />
= Mariculture =<br />
<br />
<i>In this section cover what mariculture is and various aspects of mariculture.</i><br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
== Environmental effects ==<br />
<br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms. These can be classified in two categories:<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
<br />
* '''Positive aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
** Pond-farms can make use of otherwise unfertile and underutilised land.<br />
** Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
** Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
** Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
** Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
** The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
** Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<br />
* '''Negative aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
** Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
** Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
** Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
** Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
** Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
** Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
** Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
** Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
** Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
These effects should be considered when deploying seaweed farms to ensure sustainable aquaculture development.<br />
<br />
= Maritime robotics =<br />
== Types of maritime robots ==<br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
<br />
== Specifications ==<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
== Practical tips ==<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
== Responsibility ==<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!<br />
<br />
= State of the art =<br />
<br />
== Robots for mariculture ==<br />
<i>In this section we link mariculture and maritime robots, we elaborate on the type of (maritime) robots that are especially useful for sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= Automation =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the automation of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
= Scaling =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the scalability of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
== Sea farm design ==<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we propose a design for an innovative high-tech sea farm.</i><br />
<br />
= Sea robot prototype =<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we showcase a prototype of a robot to be used on our cutting-edge sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= USE: stakeholders =<br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
The USE aspects:<br />
The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
Enterprise: It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
=Tasks=<br />
[[{{TALKPAGENAME}}|Logbook]]<br />
<br />
=Drive=<br />
[https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=66031F8492322E24!604219&authkey=!AOO7hi5CT65E46Y&ithint=folder%2cdocx USE Waterpret]<br />
<br />
= Sources =<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/AC416E00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE 1. EUCHEUMA SPP.]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image].<br />
*[http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification, December 23, 2010 By Roelof Kleis ]<br />
*[http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?] <br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
== References ==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
--></div>S146529https://cstwiki.wtb.tue.nl/index.php?title=PRE2015_4_Groep5&diff=27154PRE2015 4 Groep52016-05-12T12:07:40Z<p>S146529: /* User */</p>
<hr />
<div>__FORCETOC__<br />
<br />
[[File:HASP_logo_v0.1.png|600px|right]]<br />
<br />
== Group members ==<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
==Introduction==<br />
<br />
===Abstract===<br />
<br />
===Problem statement===<br />
<br />
The world needs to produce at least 50% more food to feed 9 billion people by 2050. But climate change could cut crop yields by more than 25%.<ref name="Food security">[http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/foodsecurity]</ref> With this in mind we need to look for novel solutions to the problem of insufficient food production. This solution will need to take the interests of users, society, and enterprise into account. Moreover, this solution needs to surpass the state of the art by employing cutting-edge technology.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15).</ref><br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
===Motivation===<br />
<br />
Nutrition is vital to sustaining life, and food security is important for political stability and human welfare. We want to address the problem of food availability due to its relevance: continuing population and consumption growth will mean that the global demand for food will increase for at least another 40 years.<ref name="Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People">[http://science.sciencemag.org/content/327/5967/812 Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People]</ref><br />
<br />
Agriculture is an integral part of the European economy and society. It provides the basis for food, feed and non-food products to meet the demands of consumers and a wide range of industries.<ref name="Horizon 2020: Agriculture & Forestry">[https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/en/area/agriculture-forestry Agriculture & Forestry]</ref> By designing a solution to the agricultural challenge we will need to take into account the needs of users: like consumers of food, society: the ecological impacts of our solution, and enterprise: the solution needs to be competitive in order to gain an economical advantage.<br />
<br />
The agricultural industry is ever advancing, not only is the biological aspect of farming being researched, there are also improvements in automation,<ref name="Agricultural Robotics and Automation">[http://www.ieee-ras.org/agricultural-robotics Agricultural Robotics and Automation]</ref> and we want to explore the automation of this industry. We want to develop a solution that allows for automation of food production beyond the state of the art, moreover the solution needs to be scalable.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
==Mariculture==<br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
Mariculture is a specialized branch of aquaculture involving the cultivation of marine organisms for food and other products in the open ocean, an enclosed section of the ocean, or in tanks, ponds or raceways which are filled with seawater. An example of the latter is the farming of marine fish, including finfish and shellfish like prawns, or oysters and seaweed in saltwater ponds.<ref name="Mariculture">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariculture Mariculture]</ref><br />
<br />
In this section we will explore mariculture, and explain why we chose it as a solution to the problem previously stated. Mariculture encompasses a wide range of organisms, from the cultivation of water-based plants to the breeding of aquatic animals. For this project we will focus on the cultivation of aquatic plants, and in particular types of seaweed.<br />
<br />
===Commonly cultivated seaweed species===<br />
<br />
*The total seaweed production features a lot of brown kelps. These weeds grow in cold water zones, they are long and have a leathery structure. They must be harvested before the water temperature rises to 21 degrees, otherwise the kelps will rot. Kombu (Laminaria Japonica) is used a lot in Japanese recipies for soups, as dried snacks, or in salads. Kombu is a dietary fiber and contains high levels of iodine. In China, 50% of the Laminaria production is meant for industrial purposes for its iodine, algin and mannitol. Due to this, laminaria are considered as one of the best renewable resources and it makes up for a major part of the maricultural sector. Japan has made effort to increase the production but due to its labour intensitive nature, the market is not expected to expand notably. [http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Laminaria_japonica/en] Wakame (Undaria) is the type of kelp you will find in your misosoup. With a subtle sweet flavour and satin-like texture it is most suitable for human consumption. The weed is a rich source of omega-3 and helps burn fatty tissue. However, it is also in the top 100 of worst invasive species in cold waters, which is partly caused by aquaculture. [ http://www.seaweed.ie/]<br />
<br />
*Gelidium amansii and Pterocladia are valuable red algae that can be found at shallow coasts. They can be used in salads and to make agar, a jelly-like substance that can be used for microbiological research and various industrial purposes. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelidium_amansii] They have been cultured in Korea since the last century, but always on a small scale. There have been various attempts to farm the algae at sea, but the slow growth rate and required non-contaminated waters made it unattractive for commercial cultivation.[https://books.google.nl/books?id=19mM4xtgfOMC&pg=PA2&lpg=PA2&dq=Pterocladia+farm&source=bl&ots=MtH0LvASHr&sig=RXZNWMEOLnv1yS-WP2fWqv6SDpo&hl=nl&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwieqMmLnsrMAhXlAsAKHVoKDzwQ6AEIRTAF#v=onepage&q=Pterocladia%20farm&f=false]<br />
<br />
*Nori or Zicai (Porphyra) are most famous for composing the sushi wraps. The red algae grow in cold and shallow waters in the intertidal zone. After growing in the sea for 50 days, the weeds can be harvested every 10-15 days. The Nori market is stable, the demand is not expected to grow or shrink in the coming years. In Japan, the annual production is valued at 1 billion US dollars.[http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Porphyra_spp/en#tcNA0112]<br />
<br />
===Mariculture as a solution===<br />
<br />
===Environment===<br />
<br />
====Dead zones====<br />
<br />
[[File:Deadzones.jpg|thumb|Dead zones in oceans around the world.]]<br />
<br />
Ocean dead zones are areas with low oxygen levels and hardly any marine life. These areas are caused by agriculture fertilizers that increase the level of nitrogen and phosphorus, also known as eutriphication. The result is a rapid increase in phytoplankton, because they are 'build' from phosphorus and nitrogen. These algal blooms cause deadzones. The number of deadzones is increasing.<br />
As a result, the fertility of the marine life drops dramatically, and in more extreme cases, fish fall unconcious and then suffocate. Slow moving creatures on the seafloor are unable to escape.<br />
Seaweed is capable of uptaking both nitrogen and phosphorus and replacing it with oxygen. For this reason seaweed is also cultivated around fishfarms. Seaweed would be a cheap although perhaps slow solution in the reviving of deadzones.[https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf]<br />
<br />
====Climate====<br />
<br />
====Locations====<br />
<br />
To determine the best location for a sea-farm we have to take into account several aspects. The temperature of the seawater should be the right temperature for seaweed. For example the best temperature for growing Eucheuma is 20-25 °Celsius, but there are also species that can grow in water of 10 °Celsius. So seaweed can grow in almost every ocean. The depth of the sea does not matter for the seaweed because it grows from the surface downwards. But for the farm itself the depth does matter. Anchoring the farm is easier in a shallow area in the ocean. Commonly these areas are near the coast, an advantage of sea-farms which are near the costs is that the transport from farm to the secondary users is cheaper. Also building and maintaining the farm is easier if it is closer to the mainland. The dead zones are also located near the seashore, so the dead zones are an extra motivation of locating the sea-farms there. A disadvantage are the shipping routes that are located in these areas. Thankfully, these routes are taken by most commercial ships. This leaves open spots near the coast where there are no passing ships and where the seaweedfarms could be located. Important shipping routes at the Dutch coast [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NoordzeeScheepvaartroutes.png] With the sealevels rising due to climate change, and the seafarm's habit breaking waves, it would be beneficial to locate the farm nearby a shore that is threatend by rising sea levels.<br />
<br />
===Nutrition===<br />
<br />
From a nutritional standpoint, the main properties of seaweeds that distinguish them from higher plants are their high mineral and dietary fibre contents. The high iron and magnesium contents are of particular nutritional interest due to their metabolic or functional properties. In comparison with other sources of fibres, seaweeds contain a high proportion of soluble fibres, which exhibit original fermentation patterns in the large intestine. Red seaweeds have a high protein content, comparable to that of high-protein vegetables. Available data suggest that they have a unique amino acid pattern, complementary to that of most terrestrial vegetables.<ref name="Seaweed in food products: biochemical and nutritional aspects">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/092422449390091N Serge Mabeau, Joël Fleurence: Seaweed in food products: biochemical and nutritional aspects (1993)]</ref> Edible brown and red seaweeds could be used as a food supplement to help meet the recommended daily adult intakes of some macrominerals and trace elements. <ref name="P. Rupérez: Mineral content of edible marine seaweeds (2002)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814602001711 P. Rupérez: Mineral content of edible marine seaweeds (2002)]</ref><br />
<br />
There might be some hesitance in the use of seaweed for human nutrition, but he seaweeds which are used as biological filters and food material for farmed animals could easily be included in the human food value chain by this route.<ref name="Joël Fleurence, Michele Morançais, Justine Dumay, Priscilla Decottignies, Vincent Turpin, Mathilde Munier, Nuria Garcia-Bueno and Pascal Jaouen<br />
: What are the prospects for using seaweed in human nutrition and for marine animals raised through aquaculture? (2012)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224412000544 Joël Fleurence, Michele Morançais, Justine Dumay, Priscilla Decottignies, Vincent Turpin, Mathilde Munier, Nuria Garcia-Bueno and Pascal Jaouen<br />
: What are the prospects for using seaweed in human nutrition and for marine animals raised through aquaculture? (2012)]</ref><ref name="Joël Fleurence: Seaweed proteins: biochemical, nutritional aspects and potential use (1999)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224499000151 Joël Fleurence: Seaweed proteins: biochemical, nutritional aspects and potential use (1999)]</ref><br />
<br />
===State of the art===<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
* Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
* Pond-farms can make use of otherwise infertile and underutilized land.<br />
* Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
* Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
* Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
* Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
* The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
* Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
<br />
* Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
* Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
* Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
* Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
* Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
* Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
* Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
* Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
* Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
* Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
===Types of farms===<br />
<br />
====Anchored====<br />
<br />
====Drifting====<br />
<br />
===Tasks to be carried out on farms===<br />
'''Primary tasks'''<br />
* Seeding<br />
* Cleaning<br />
* Harvesting<br />
'''Secondary tasks'''<br />
* Checking the quality of the plants<br />
* Removing corrupt plants<br />
* Pruning<br />
<br />
==Stakeholders==<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===User===<br />
Seaweed farmers.<br />
<br />
Drawback: Introduction of our system on the mariculture market could cost the jobs of the few brave seaweed farmers we have today. These farmers operate on a small scale on a small market and would be easily competed out. To prevent this, our systems user group is are the already existing seaweed farmers that want to expand their business, and the more industrialized farmers in Asia.<br />
<br />
The users: The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
<br />
===Society===<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
<br />
===Enterprise===<br />
It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
==Maritime robotics==<br />
<br />
<br />
<i><br />
::Specifications<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
::Practical tips<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
::Responsibility<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!</i><br />
<br />
===Types of robots===<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===Locomotion===<br />
<br />
[[File:Drifterandjet.jpg|thumb|A passive ocean drifter and a high-speed jet.]]<br />
<br />
*Jet propulsion — water is taken in and propelled out at high speed, using a directed nozzle makes this very maneuverable.<br />
*Ocean current — passively drifting along the ocean current.<br />
*Propeller — a classic ship's screw to propel forwards and backwards.<br />
*Undulation — moving the body like a fish does.<br />
*Wind — using the power of the wind to sail.<br />
<br />
===Sensing===<br />
<br />
[[File:bathymetry.jpg |thumb|Sonar can be used for bathymetry, measuring the depth of the ocean floor.]]<br />
<br />
*Acoustic Doppler current profiler — measures the speed and direction of ocean currents using the principle of “Doppler shift”.<br />
*Camera — for visual data, has a limited range.<br />
*Conductivity — together with temperature and depth information, a good estimate of the salinity may be determined.<br />
*GPS — find the position, only works above the surface of the water.<br />
*Hydrophone — listen for sounds in the water.<br />
*Oxygen — determine the oxygen levels of the water.<br />
*Pressure — determine the depth the robot is at.<br />
*Semipermeable membrane density — a passive sampling device used to monitor trace levels of organic contaminants. When placed in an aquatic environment, SPMDs accumulate hydrophobic organic compounds, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and organochlorine pesticides from the surrounding waters.<br />
*Sonar — is used to find and identify objects in water. It is also used to determine water depth (bathymetry. May disturb marine life.<br />
*Temperature — determine the temperature of the water.<br />
*pH — determine the acidity of the water.<br />
<br />
===Communication===<br />
===Energy===<br />
The ocean offers several alternative options for energy generation. When a robot can use it's own energy on the sea, it is more autonomous.<br />
Options for Alternative ocean energy:<br />
*Tidal energy<br />
*Wave energy<br />
*Salinity gradient<br />
*Tidal Range<br />
*Ocean thermal energy conversion<br />
*Tidal range<br />
<br />
==Proposed design==<br />
<br />
===Description===<br />
*'''Location''' Our own Dutch North Sea might just be to place to be. With an average temperature of 12 degrees[http://gemiddeldgezien.nl/gemiddelde-watertemperatuur-noordzee], a former deadzone that is struggling with pollution from the many estuaries, and with a country that has always struggled with living beneath a rising sealevel, the seaweed farm has a lot to offer. When we also consider the busy shipping routes in the North Sea, Zeeland would be the most suitable area.<br />
*'''Farmed type of seaweed''' The HASP will farm the Laminaria seaweed species. Because of the high demand for it can not be fulfilled with the current techniques, and because it has a low impact on the enviroment.<br />
<br />
*'''System Design'''The design of our system will be largely modelled after the traditional seaweed farms.<br />
''distance between lines''<br />
<br />
===Automation===<br />
====Seeding====<br />
Like at normal seafarming, the young seedlings will first be grown at land in a greenhouse in the summer, when the water is hot. Mid-November, when they have grown 10-15 cm, they need to be planted at the seafarm. The seedlings are attached to the vertical lines to grow out, with the upper plants receving more sunlight than the lower ones. Can one of our robots attcach the seeds to the ropes?<br />
<br />
====Control and hygiene====<br />
There are several diseases that could affect the seaweed, caused by bacteria or by the enviroment. These diseases can be recognized visually and envirmental factors can be measured. Sensors would be needed for: illumination (too much or too little light causes rot), fres/salt water level and pollution. All diseases require different treatments, for which we have to think of automated solutions.<br />
Harm done by water grazers like fish can be minimized by placing the farm in deep waters, away from the coastal fish and the creatures on the seafloor. <br />
<br />
====Harvesting====<br />
Harvesting can be started in April. The plant grows faster in winter and slower in summer, with a rate of 1.1 cm per day in May. Making up for 2.5 meters a year. The plant can regenerate when it's been trimmed, but will grow slower. The normal age with this practice does not exceed 4 years.<br />
<br />
====Drying====<br />
It seems very inefficient to dry the seaweed in the open sea, it takes a lot of space and when one wave flushes over it, all the drying will have been for nothing. For that reason, seaweed must be taken to the mainland to dry. After it has been harvested, it must be stored for a short period, before it is transported. What amount of seaweed and for how long can it be stored without rotting?<br />
<br />
====Transport====<br />
<br />
====Communication to mainland====<br />
<br />
====Mapping tasks to robots====<br />
<br />
====Energy====<br />
In order to be fully atonomous and enviromentally friendly, the HASP will have to generate it's own energy.<br />
<br />
====Scalability====<br />
Number of plants on one vertical lines:<br />
Number of lines per meter:<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
The robots behaviour underwater would generate sound. Although the underwater world might seem silent to humans, fish experience sound intensly. The effects of human generated sounds on fish might therefore be harmful. Research results vary from little to no effect, to immediate death. Because the variety of sounds and fish is so large, we will try to minimize the sound level but not take extra measures to protect the fish from our robot's noices.<br />
<br />
===Big Data and IoT===<br />
<br />
<i>The farm comes equipped with a lot of sensors to monitor its own condition and its enviroment. Using all of this data one can analyze it in real time, and after collecting more data extrapolate long-term trends. With all the robotic agents on the farm, combined with the data collected, the farm can be administrated remotely. The farm can be made smart to send out maintenance calls on its.</i><br />
<br />
====Science====<br />
<br />
<i>The data collected by the farm and its robots can be shared with scientists and governments. More farms mean more sensors and thus a larger sensor size. This data would for example be very useful to The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) on which engineers and scientist can find all the data available about the european waters. The European Commission has started Marine Knowledge 2020 with the aim to bring to bring all of the marine data from different sources together. This initiative examplifies the need for marine data.</i><br />
<br />
==Robot prototype==<br />
<br />
===Design process===<br />
The design for the prototype consists of three components, one for the movement, one for grabbing and cutting and one for the Arduino and battery. The robot moves along a cable, for our prototype we will use a bicycle chain. The robot has three gearing wheels for a stable movement along the cable. The gearing wheel in the middle is driven by an engine. The component with the Arduino and the battery is hanging below the movement-component, just like a chairlift. This component should be heavy enough to sink, this is necessary to keep the bicycle chain on tension. Below this component is the cut-and-grab-component, and is joined to the mothership with rope or a telescoping arm. This rope or telescoping arm is needed for a vertical movement, the robot should be able to cut at different depths. The claw should be able to grab seaweed that might have flowed away a bit, so the claw should be able to move horizontal. This happens by a telescoping arm. The scissors should be placed above the claw, otherwise the robot would cut seaweed that is not hold by the claw.<br />
<br />
===Technical description===<br />
<br />
===Demonstration===<br />
<br />
==Business and law==<br />
<br />
In 2014, the total annual value of produced seaweed was $6.4 billion. Worldwide, 93.8% of the global total production of aquatic plants came from aquaculture. Countries in East and Southeast Asia dominate seaweed culture production.<ref name="A guide to the seaweed industry">[http://www.fao.org/3/a-y4765e.pdf A guide to the seaweed industry]</ref> About 25 million tonnes of seaweeds and other algae are harvested annually for use as food, in cosmetics and fertilizers, and are processed to extract thickening agents or used as an additive to animal feed.<ref name="The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2014">[http://www.fao.org/3/a-i3720e.pdf The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2014]</ref> For the demand of food-grade seaweed to grow, there needs to be a dietary trend towards protein-rich vegetables, which seems to be the case. Growing the demand for seaweed requires a shift in the consumer's perception of seaweed as a food. Seaweed can be processed to be used as a source of nutrients for certain processed foods. There is increasing demand for seaweed as an agricultural supply, to use as animal food. It is also possible to use seaweed as a source for certain chemicals, i.e. for use in cosmetics.<br />
<br />
===Business case===<br />
<br />
====Cost vs. profit====<br />
<br />
===Laws===<br />
<br />
====International law====<br />
<br />
====European law====<br />
<br />
====Dutch law====<br />
<br />
==Looking ahead==<br />
<br />
===Future farms===<br />
<br />
The farm we have outlined only concerns the cultivation of seaweeds. However, farms can be augmented by employing bivalves in order to filter the water of pollutants.<ref name="Biosorption and bioaccumulation of heavy metals by rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata in the Persian Gulf">[http://www.intelaquares.com/doc/7b.pdf Biosorption and bioaccumulation of heavy metals by rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata in the Persian Gulf]</ref><br />
<br />
===Recommendations===<br />
<br />
===Horizon 2020===<br />
<br />
'''Applicable areas:'''<br />
<br />
*Agriculture & forestry<br />
*Aquatic resources<br />
*Bio-based industries<br />
*Environment & climate action<br />
*Food & healthy diet<br />
*Innovation<br />
*SME (small-medium enterprise)<br />
<br />
'''Relevant research calls:'''<br />
<br />
*High value-added specialized vessel concepts enabling more efficient servicing of emerging coastal and offshore activities. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/5119-bg-02-2016-2017.html (link)] € 7 million<br />
*New sources of proteins for animal feed from co-products to address the EU protein gap. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/17081-bbi-2016-d08.html (link)] € 15 million<br />
*Promoting and supporting the eco-intensification of aquaculture production systems: inland (including fresh water), coastal zone, and offshore. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/6050-sfs-32-2017.html (link)] € 6 million<br />
<br />
'''Also'''<br />
Marine Knowledge 2020 with The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet), aims to collect a lot more data from the seas and oceans than we do at the moment.<br />
<br />
==Discussion==<br />
<br />
==Conclusion==<br />
<br />
==Sources and references==<br />
<br />
===Sources===<br />
<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Doty, M.S. & Caddy, J.F. & Santelices, B. (1987), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Juanich, Godardo L. (1988), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/ac416e00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE(1. EUCHEUMA SPP.)]<br />
*Kitadai, Yuuki & Kadowaki, Shusaki (2007), [https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf Growth, nitrogen and phosphorous uptake rates and O2 production rate of seaweeds cultured on coastal fish farms]<br />
*Kleis, Roelof (2010), [http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification]<br />
*Lacey, Stephen & Mellino, Cole (2011), [http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
* NOAA Ocean Explorer Webmaster (2013), [http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/technology/tools/tools.html NOAA Observing Systems and Sensors]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Popper, Arthur N. & Hastings, Mardi C. (2009), [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1749-4877.2008.00134.x/epdf The effects of human-generated sound on fish]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image]. <br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
===References===<br />
<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
<!--<br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
<br />
= Group members =<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
= Preliminary brainstorm =<br />
==Benefits==<br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
<br />
===Proposals===<br />
*Floating robot<br />
**Solar panel<br />
**Lowering (anker-style) cutter<br />
**Hard to position,<br />
***Drifts<br />
***“Dijnst[dutch]”<br />
*Rover robot<br />
**Stable polypoid (crab-style)<br />
**Hard to cut above his head<br />
*Swimming robot<br />
**May become struck between the weed<br />
**Perfect mobility and can cut everywhere<br />
Combination of multiple robot’s for every seafruit a suitable robot.<br />
<br />
= Problem =<br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15). </ref><br />
<br />
<br />
= Mariculture =<br />
<br />
<i>In this section cover what mariculture is and various aspects of mariculture.</i><br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
== Environmental effects ==<br />
<br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms. These can be classified in two categories:<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
<br />
* '''Positive aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
** Pond-farms can make use of otherwise unfertile and underutilised land.<br />
** Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
** Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
** Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
** Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
** The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
** Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<br />
* '''Negative aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
** Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
** Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
** Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
** Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
** Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
** Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
** Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
** Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
** Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
These effects should be considered when deploying seaweed farms to ensure sustainable aquaculture development.<br />
<br />
= Maritime robotics =<br />
== Types of maritime robots ==<br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
<br />
== Specifications ==<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
== Practical tips ==<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
== Responsibility ==<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!<br />
<br />
= State of the art =<br />
<br />
== Robots for mariculture ==<br />
<i>In this section we link mariculture and maritime robots, we elaborate on the type of (maritime) robots that are especially useful for sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= Automation =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the automation of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
= Scaling =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the scalability of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
== Sea farm design ==<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we propose a design for an innovative high-tech sea farm.</i><br />
<br />
= Sea robot prototype =<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we showcase a prototype of a robot to be used on our cutting-edge sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= USE: stakeholders =<br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
The USE aspects:<br />
The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
Enterprise: It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
=Tasks=<br />
[[{{TALKPAGENAME}}|Logbook]]<br />
<br />
=Drive=<br />
[https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=66031F8492322E24!604219&authkey=!AOO7hi5CT65E46Y&ithint=folder%2cdocx USE Waterpret]<br />
<br />
= Sources =<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/AC416E00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE 1. EUCHEUMA SPP.]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image].<br />
*[http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification, December 23, 2010 By Roelof Kleis ]<br />
*[http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?] <br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
== References ==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
--></div>S146529https://cstwiki.wtb.tue.nl/index.php?title=PRE2015_4_Groep5&diff=27153PRE2015 4 Groep52016-05-12T12:07:17Z<p>S146529: /* Stakeholders */</p>
<hr />
<div>__FORCETOC__<br />
<br />
[[File:HASP_logo_v0.1.png|600px|right]]<br />
<br />
== Group members ==<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
==Introduction==<br />
<br />
===Abstract===<br />
<br />
===Problem statement===<br />
<br />
The world needs to produce at least 50% more food to feed 9 billion people by 2050. But climate change could cut crop yields by more than 25%.<ref name="Food security">[http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/foodsecurity]</ref> With this in mind we need to look for novel solutions to the problem of insufficient food production. This solution will need to take the interests of users, society, and enterprise into account. Moreover, this solution needs to surpass the state of the art by employing cutting-edge technology.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15).</ref><br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
===Motivation===<br />
<br />
Nutrition is vital to sustaining life, and food security is important for political stability and human welfare. We want to address the problem of food availability due to its relevance: continuing population and consumption growth will mean that the global demand for food will increase for at least another 40 years.<ref name="Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People">[http://science.sciencemag.org/content/327/5967/812 Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People]</ref><br />
<br />
Agriculture is an integral part of the European economy and society. It provides the basis for food, feed and non-food products to meet the demands of consumers and a wide range of industries.<ref name="Horizon 2020: Agriculture & Forestry">[https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/en/area/agriculture-forestry Agriculture & Forestry]</ref> By designing a solution to the agricultural challenge we will need to take into account the needs of users: like consumers of food, society: the ecological impacts of our solution, and enterprise: the solution needs to be competitive in order to gain an economical advantage.<br />
<br />
The agricultural industry is ever advancing, not only is the biological aspect of farming being researched, there are also improvements in automation,<ref name="Agricultural Robotics and Automation">[http://www.ieee-ras.org/agricultural-robotics Agricultural Robotics and Automation]</ref> and we want to explore the automation of this industry. We want to develop a solution that allows for automation of food production beyond the state of the art, moreover the solution needs to be scalable.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
==Mariculture==<br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
Mariculture is a specialized branch of aquaculture involving the cultivation of marine organisms for food and other products in the open ocean, an enclosed section of the ocean, or in tanks, ponds or raceways which are filled with seawater. An example of the latter is the farming of marine fish, including finfish and shellfish like prawns, or oysters and seaweed in saltwater ponds.<ref name="Mariculture">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariculture Mariculture]</ref><br />
<br />
In this section we will explore mariculture, and explain why we chose it as a solution to the problem previously stated. Mariculture encompasses a wide range of organisms, from the cultivation of water-based plants to the breeding of aquatic animals. For this project we will focus on the cultivation of aquatic plants, and in particular types of seaweed.<br />
<br />
===Commonly cultivated seaweed species===<br />
<br />
*The total seaweed production features a lot of brown kelps. These weeds grow in cold water zones, they are long and have a leathery structure. They must be harvested before the water temperature rises to 21 degrees, otherwise the kelps will rot. Kombu (Laminaria Japonica) is used a lot in Japanese recipies for soups, as dried snacks, or in salads. Kombu is a dietary fiber and contains high levels of iodine. In China, 50% of the Laminaria production is meant for industrial purposes for its iodine, algin and mannitol. Due to this, laminaria are considered as one of the best renewable resources and it makes up for a major part of the maricultural sector. Japan has made effort to increase the production but due to its labour intensitive nature, the market is not expected to expand notably. [http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Laminaria_japonica/en] Wakame (Undaria) is the type of kelp you will find in your misosoup. With a subtle sweet flavour and satin-like texture it is most suitable for human consumption. The weed is a rich source of omega-3 and helps burn fatty tissue. However, it is also in the top 100 of worst invasive species in cold waters, which is partly caused by aquaculture. [ http://www.seaweed.ie/]<br />
<br />
*Gelidium amansii and Pterocladia are valuable red algae that can be found at shallow coasts. They can be used in salads and to make agar, a jelly-like substance that can be used for microbiological research and various industrial purposes. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelidium_amansii] They have been cultured in Korea since the last century, but always on a small scale. There have been various attempts to farm the algae at sea, but the slow growth rate and required non-contaminated waters made it unattractive for commercial cultivation.[https://books.google.nl/books?id=19mM4xtgfOMC&pg=PA2&lpg=PA2&dq=Pterocladia+farm&source=bl&ots=MtH0LvASHr&sig=RXZNWMEOLnv1yS-WP2fWqv6SDpo&hl=nl&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwieqMmLnsrMAhXlAsAKHVoKDzwQ6AEIRTAF#v=onepage&q=Pterocladia%20farm&f=false]<br />
<br />
*Nori or Zicai (Porphyra) are most famous for composing the sushi wraps. The red algae grow in cold and shallow waters in the intertidal zone. After growing in the sea for 50 days, the weeds can be harvested every 10-15 days. The Nori market is stable, the demand is not expected to grow or shrink in the coming years. In Japan, the annual production is valued at 1 billion US dollars.[http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Porphyra_spp/en#tcNA0112]<br />
<br />
===Mariculture as a solution===<br />
<br />
===Environment===<br />
<br />
====Dead zones====<br />
<br />
[[File:Deadzones.jpg|thumb|Dead zones in oceans around the world.]]<br />
<br />
Ocean dead zones are areas with low oxygen levels and hardly any marine life. These areas are caused by agriculture fertilizers that increase the level of nitrogen and phosphorus, also known as eutriphication. The result is a rapid increase in phytoplankton, because they are 'build' from phosphorus and nitrogen. These algal blooms cause deadzones. The number of deadzones is increasing.<br />
As a result, the fertility of the marine life drops dramatically, and in more extreme cases, fish fall unconcious and then suffocate. Slow moving creatures on the seafloor are unable to escape.<br />
Seaweed is capable of uptaking both nitrogen and phosphorus and replacing it with oxygen. For this reason seaweed is also cultivated around fishfarms. Seaweed would be a cheap although perhaps slow solution in the reviving of deadzones.[https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf]<br />
<br />
====Climate====<br />
<br />
====Locations====<br />
<br />
To determine the best location for a sea-farm we have to take into account several aspects. The temperature of the seawater should be the right temperature for seaweed. For example the best temperature for growing Eucheuma is 20-25 °Celsius, but there are also species that can grow in water of 10 °Celsius. So seaweed can grow in almost every ocean. The depth of the sea does not matter for the seaweed because it grows from the surface downwards. But for the farm itself the depth does matter. Anchoring the farm is easier in a shallow area in the ocean. Commonly these areas are near the coast, an advantage of sea-farms which are near the costs is that the transport from farm to the secondary users is cheaper. Also building and maintaining the farm is easier if it is closer to the mainland. The dead zones are also located near the seashore, so the dead zones are an extra motivation of locating the sea-farms there. A disadvantage are the shipping routes that are located in these areas. Thankfully, these routes are taken by most commercial ships. This leaves open spots near the coast where there are no passing ships and where the seaweedfarms could be located. Important shipping routes at the Dutch coast [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NoordzeeScheepvaartroutes.png] With the sealevels rising due to climate change, and the seafarm's habit breaking waves, it would be beneficial to locate the farm nearby a shore that is threatend by rising sea levels.<br />
<br />
===Nutrition===<br />
<br />
From a nutritional standpoint, the main properties of seaweeds that distinguish them from higher plants are their high mineral and dietary fibre contents. The high iron and magnesium contents are of particular nutritional interest due to their metabolic or functional properties. In comparison with other sources of fibres, seaweeds contain a high proportion of soluble fibres, which exhibit original fermentation patterns in the large intestine. Red seaweeds have a high protein content, comparable to that of high-protein vegetables. Available data suggest that they have a unique amino acid pattern, complementary to that of most terrestrial vegetables.<ref name="Seaweed in food products: biochemical and nutritional aspects">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/092422449390091N Serge Mabeau, Joël Fleurence: Seaweed in food products: biochemical and nutritional aspects (1993)]</ref> Edible brown and red seaweeds could be used as a food supplement to help meet the recommended daily adult intakes of some macrominerals and trace elements. <ref name="P. Rupérez: Mineral content of edible marine seaweeds (2002)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814602001711 P. Rupérez: Mineral content of edible marine seaweeds (2002)]</ref><br />
<br />
There might be some hesitance in the use of seaweed for human nutrition, but he seaweeds which are used as biological filters and food material for farmed animals could easily be included in the human food value chain by this route.<ref name="Joël Fleurence, Michele Morançais, Justine Dumay, Priscilla Decottignies, Vincent Turpin, Mathilde Munier, Nuria Garcia-Bueno and Pascal Jaouen<br />
: What are the prospects for using seaweed in human nutrition and for marine animals raised through aquaculture? (2012)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224412000544 Joël Fleurence, Michele Morançais, Justine Dumay, Priscilla Decottignies, Vincent Turpin, Mathilde Munier, Nuria Garcia-Bueno and Pascal Jaouen<br />
: What are the prospects for using seaweed in human nutrition and for marine animals raised through aquaculture? (2012)]</ref><ref name="Joël Fleurence: Seaweed proteins: biochemical, nutritional aspects and potential use (1999)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224499000151 Joël Fleurence: Seaweed proteins: biochemical, nutritional aspects and potential use (1999)]</ref><br />
<br />
===State of the art===<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
* Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
* Pond-farms can make use of otherwise infertile and underutilized land.<br />
* Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
* Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
* Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
* Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
* The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
* Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
<br />
* Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
* Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
* Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
* Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
* Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
* Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
* Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
* Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
* Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
* Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
===Types of farms===<br />
<br />
====Anchored====<br />
<br />
====Drifting====<br />
<br />
===Tasks to be carried out on farms===<br />
'''Primary tasks'''<br />
* Seeding<br />
* Cleaning<br />
* Harvesting<br />
'''Secondary tasks'''<br />
* Checking the quality of the plants<br />
* Removing corrupt plants<br />
* Pruning<br />
<br />
==Stakeholders==<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===User===<br />
Seaweed farmers.<br />
<br />
Drawback: Introduction of our system on the mariculture market could cost the jobs of the few brave seaweed farmers we have today. These farmers operate on a small scale on a small market and would be easily competed out. To prevent this, our systems user group is are the already existing seaweed farmers that want to expand their business, and the more industrialized farmers in Asia.<br />
<br />
The USE aspects: The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
<br />
===Society===<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
<br />
===Enterprise===<br />
It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
==Maritime robotics==<br />
<br />
<br />
<i><br />
::Specifications<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
::Practical tips<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
::Responsibility<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!</i><br />
<br />
===Types of robots===<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===Locomotion===<br />
<br />
[[File:Drifterandjet.jpg|thumb|A passive ocean drifter and a high-speed jet.]]<br />
<br />
*Jet propulsion — water is taken in and propelled out at high speed, using a directed nozzle makes this very maneuverable.<br />
*Ocean current — passively drifting along the ocean current.<br />
*Propeller — a classic ship's screw to propel forwards and backwards.<br />
*Undulation — moving the body like a fish does.<br />
*Wind — using the power of the wind to sail.<br />
<br />
===Sensing===<br />
<br />
[[File:bathymetry.jpg |thumb|Sonar can be used for bathymetry, measuring the depth of the ocean floor.]]<br />
<br />
*Acoustic Doppler current profiler — measures the speed and direction of ocean currents using the principle of “Doppler shift”.<br />
*Camera — for visual data, has a limited range.<br />
*Conductivity — together with temperature and depth information, a good estimate of the salinity may be determined.<br />
*GPS — find the position, only works above the surface of the water.<br />
*Hydrophone — listen for sounds in the water.<br />
*Oxygen — determine the oxygen levels of the water.<br />
*Pressure — determine the depth the robot is at.<br />
*Semipermeable membrane density — a passive sampling device used to monitor trace levels of organic contaminants. When placed in an aquatic environment, SPMDs accumulate hydrophobic organic compounds, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and organochlorine pesticides from the surrounding waters.<br />
*Sonar — is used to find and identify objects in water. It is also used to determine water depth (bathymetry. May disturb marine life.<br />
*Temperature — determine the temperature of the water.<br />
*pH — determine the acidity of the water.<br />
<br />
===Communication===<br />
===Energy===<br />
The ocean offers several alternative options for energy generation. When a robot can use it's own energy on the sea, it is more autonomous.<br />
Options for Alternative ocean energy:<br />
*Tidal energy<br />
*Wave energy<br />
*Salinity gradient<br />
*Tidal Range<br />
*Ocean thermal energy conversion<br />
*Tidal range<br />
<br />
==Proposed design==<br />
<br />
===Description===<br />
*'''Location''' Our own Dutch North Sea might just be to place to be. With an average temperature of 12 degrees[http://gemiddeldgezien.nl/gemiddelde-watertemperatuur-noordzee], a former deadzone that is struggling with pollution from the many estuaries, and with a country that has always struggled with living beneath a rising sealevel, the seaweed farm has a lot to offer. When we also consider the busy shipping routes in the North Sea, Zeeland would be the most suitable area.<br />
*'''Farmed type of seaweed''' The HASP will farm the Laminaria seaweed species. Because of the high demand for it can not be fulfilled with the current techniques, and because it has a low impact on the enviroment.<br />
<br />
*'''System Design'''The design of our system will be largely modelled after the traditional seaweed farms.<br />
''distance between lines''<br />
<br />
===Automation===<br />
====Seeding====<br />
Like at normal seafarming, the young seedlings will first be grown at land in a greenhouse in the summer, when the water is hot. Mid-November, when they have grown 10-15 cm, they need to be planted at the seafarm. The seedlings are attached to the vertical lines to grow out, with the upper plants receving more sunlight than the lower ones. Can one of our robots attcach the seeds to the ropes?<br />
<br />
====Control and hygiene====<br />
There are several diseases that could affect the seaweed, caused by bacteria or by the enviroment. These diseases can be recognized visually and envirmental factors can be measured. Sensors would be needed for: illumination (too much or too little light causes rot), fres/salt water level and pollution. All diseases require different treatments, for which we have to think of automated solutions.<br />
Harm done by water grazers like fish can be minimized by placing the farm in deep waters, away from the coastal fish and the creatures on the seafloor. <br />
<br />
====Harvesting====<br />
Harvesting can be started in April. The plant grows faster in winter and slower in summer, with a rate of 1.1 cm per day in May. Making up for 2.5 meters a year. The plant can regenerate when it's been trimmed, but will grow slower. The normal age with this practice does not exceed 4 years.<br />
<br />
====Drying====<br />
It seems very inefficient to dry the seaweed in the open sea, it takes a lot of space and when one wave flushes over it, all the drying will have been for nothing. For that reason, seaweed must be taken to the mainland to dry. After it has been harvested, it must be stored for a short period, before it is transported. What amount of seaweed and for how long can it be stored without rotting?<br />
<br />
====Transport====<br />
<br />
====Communication to mainland====<br />
<br />
====Mapping tasks to robots====<br />
<br />
====Energy====<br />
In order to be fully atonomous and enviromentally friendly, the HASP will have to generate it's own energy.<br />
<br />
====Scalability====<br />
Number of plants on one vertical lines:<br />
Number of lines per meter:<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
The robots behaviour underwater would generate sound. Although the underwater world might seem silent to humans, fish experience sound intensly. The effects of human generated sounds on fish might therefore be harmful. Research results vary from little to no effect, to immediate death. Because the variety of sounds and fish is so large, we will try to minimize the sound level but not take extra measures to protect the fish from our robot's noices.<br />
<br />
===Big Data and IoT===<br />
<br />
<i>The farm comes equipped with a lot of sensors to monitor its own condition and its enviroment. Using all of this data one can analyze it in real time, and after collecting more data extrapolate long-term trends. With all the robotic agents on the farm, combined with the data collected, the farm can be administrated remotely. The farm can be made smart to send out maintenance calls on its.</i><br />
<br />
====Science====<br />
<br />
<i>The data collected by the farm and its robots can be shared with scientists and governments. More farms mean more sensors and thus a larger sensor size. This data would for example be very useful to The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) on which engineers and scientist can find all the data available about the european waters. The European Commission has started Marine Knowledge 2020 with the aim to bring to bring all of the marine data from different sources together. This initiative examplifies the need for marine data.</i><br />
<br />
==Robot prototype==<br />
<br />
===Design process===<br />
The design for the prototype consists of three components, one for the movement, one for grabbing and cutting and one for the Arduino and battery. The robot moves along a cable, for our prototype we will use a bicycle chain. The robot has three gearing wheels for a stable movement along the cable. The gearing wheel in the middle is driven by an engine. The component with the Arduino and the battery is hanging below the movement-component, just like a chairlift. This component should be heavy enough to sink, this is necessary to keep the bicycle chain on tension. Below this component is the cut-and-grab-component, and is joined to the mothership with rope or a telescoping arm. This rope or telescoping arm is needed for a vertical movement, the robot should be able to cut at different depths. The claw should be able to grab seaweed that might have flowed away a bit, so the claw should be able to move horizontal. This happens by a telescoping arm. The scissors should be placed above the claw, otherwise the robot would cut seaweed that is not hold by the claw.<br />
<br />
===Technical description===<br />
<br />
===Demonstration===<br />
<br />
==Business and law==<br />
<br />
In 2014, the total annual value of produced seaweed was $6.4 billion. Worldwide, 93.8% of the global total production of aquatic plants came from aquaculture. Countries in East and Southeast Asia dominate seaweed culture production.<ref name="A guide to the seaweed industry">[http://www.fao.org/3/a-y4765e.pdf A guide to the seaweed industry]</ref> About 25 million tonnes of seaweeds and other algae are harvested annually for use as food, in cosmetics and fertilizers, and are processed to extract thickening agents or used as an additive to animal feed.<ref name="The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2014">[http://www.fao.org/3/a-i3720e.pdf The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2014]</ref> For the demand of food-grade seaweed to grow, there needs to be a dietary trend towards protein-rich vegetables, which seems to be the case. Growing the demand for seaweed requires a shift in the consumer's perception of seaweed as a food. Seaweed can be processed to be used as a source of nutrients for certain processed foods. There is increasing demand for seaweed as an agricultural supply, to use as animal food. It is also possible to use seaweed as a source for certain chemicals, i.e. for use in cosmetics.<br />
<br />
===Business case===<br />
<br />
====Cost vs. profit====<br />
<br />
===Laws===<br />
<br />
====International law====<br />
<br />
====European law====<br />
<br />
====Dutch law====<br />
<br />
==Looking ahead==<br />
<br />
===Future farms===<br />
<br />
The farm we have outlined only concerns the cultivation of seaweeds. However, farms can be augmented by employing bivalves in order to filter the water of pollutants.<ref name="Biosorption and bioaccumulation of heavy metals by rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata in the Persian Gulf">[http://www.intelaquares.com/doc/7b.pdf Biosorption and bioaccumulation of heavy metals by rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata in the Persian Gulf]</ref><br />
<br />
===Recommendations===<br />
<br />
===Horizon 2020===<br />
<br />
'''Applicable areas:'''<br />
<br />
*Agriculture & forestry<br />
*Aquatic resources<br />
*Bio-based industries<br />
*Environment & climate action<br />
*Food & healthy diet<br />
*Innovation<br />
*SME (small-medium enterprise)<br />
<br />
'''Relevant research calls:'''<br />
<br />
*High value-added specialized vessel concepts enabling more efficient servicing of emerging coastal and offshore activities. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/5119-bg-02-2016-2017.html (link)] € 7 million<br />
*New sources of proteins for animal feed from co-products to address the EU protein gap. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/17081-bbi-2016-d08.html (link)] € 15 million<br />
*Promoting and supporting the eco-intensification of aquaculture production systems: inland (including fresh water), coastal zone, and offshore. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/6050-sfs-32-2017.html (link)] € 6 million<br />
<br />
'''Also'''<br />
Marine Knowledge 2020 with The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet), aims to collect a lot more data from the seas and oceans than we do at the moment.<br />
<br />
==Discussion==<br />
<br />
==Conclusion==<br />
<br />
==Sources and references==<br />
<br />
===Sources===<br />
<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Doty, M.S. & Caddy, J.F. & Santelices, B. (1987), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Juanich, Godardo L. (1988), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/ac416e00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE(1. EUCHEUMA SPP.)]<br />
*Kitadai, Yuuki & Kadowaki, Shusaki (2007), [https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf Growth, nitrogen and phosphorous uptake rates and O2 production rate of seaweeds cultured on coastal fish farms]<br />
*Kleis, Roelof (2010), [http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification]<br />
*Lacey, Stephen & Mellino, Cole (2011), [http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
* NOAA Ocean Explorer Webmaster (2013), [http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/technology/tools/tools.html NOAA Observing Systems and Sensors]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Popper, Arthur N. & Hastings, Mardi C. (2009), [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1749-4877.2008.00134.x/epdf The effects of human-generated sound on fish]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image]. <br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
===References===<br />
<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
<!--<br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
<br />
= Group members =<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
= Preliminary brainstorm =<br />
==Benefits==<br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
<br />
===Proposals===<br />
*Floating robot<br />
**Solar panel<br />
**Lowering (anker-style) cutter<br />
**Hard to position,<br />
***Drifts<br />
***“Dijnst[dutch]”<br />
*Rover robot<br />
**Stable polypoid (crab-style)<br />
**Hard to cut above his head<br />
*Swimming robot<br />
**May become struck between the weed<br />
**Perfect mobility and can cut everywhere<br />
Combination of multiple robot’s for every seafruit a suitable robot.<br />
<br />
= Problem =<br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15). </ref><br />
<br />
<br />
= Mariculture =<br />
<br />
<i>In this section cover what mariculture is and various aspects of mariculture.</i><br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
== Environmental effects ==<br />
<br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms. These can be classified in two categories:<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
<br />
* '''Positive aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
** Pond-farms can make use of otherwise unfertile and underutilised land.<br />
** Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
** Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
** Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
** Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
** The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
** Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<br />
* '''Negative aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
** Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
** Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
** Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
** Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
** Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
** Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
** Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
** Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
** Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
These effects should be considered when deploying seaweed farms to ensure sustainable aquaculture development.<br />
<br />
= Maritime robotics =<br />
== Types of maritime robots ==<br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
<br />
== Specifications ==<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
== Practical tips ==<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
== Responsibility ==<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!<br />
<br />
= State of the art =<br />
<br />
== Robots for mariculture ==<br />
<i>In this section we link mariculture and maritime robots, we elaborate on the type of (maritime) robots that are especially useful for sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= Automation =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the automation of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
= Scaling =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the scalability of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
== Sea farm design ==<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we propose a design for an innovative high-tech sea farm.</i><br />
<br />
= Sea robot prototype =<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we showcase a prototype of a robot to be used on our cutting-edge sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= USE: stakeholders =<br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
The USE aspects:<br />
The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
Enterprise: It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
=Tasks=<br />
[[{{TALKPAGENAME}}|Logbook]]<br />
<br />
=Drive=<br />
[https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=66031F8492322E24!604219&authkey=!AOO7hi5CT65E46Y&ithint=folder%2cdocx USE Waterpret]<br />
<br />
= Sources =<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/AC416E00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE 1. EUCHEUMA SPP.]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image].<br />
*[http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification, December 23, 2010 By Roelof Kleis ]<br />
*[http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?] <br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
== References ==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
--></div>S146529https://cstwiki.wtb.tue.nl/index.php?title=PRE2015_4_Groep5&diff=27152PRE2015 4 Groep52016-05-12T12:06:50Z<p>S146529: /* Society */</p>
<hr />
<div>__FORCETOC__<br />
<br />
[[File:HASP_logo_v0.1.png|600px|right]]<br />
<br />
== Group members ==<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
==Introduction==<br />
<br />
===Abstract===<br />
<br />
===Problem statement===<br />
<br />
The world needs to produce at least 50% more food to feed 9 billion people by 2050. But climate change could cut crop yields by more than 25%.<ref name="Food security">[http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/foodsecurity]</ref> With this in mind we need to look for novel solutions to the problem of insufficient food production. This solution will need to take the interests of users, society, and enterprise into account. Moreover, this solution needs to surpass the state of the art by employing cutting-edge technology.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15).</ref><br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
===Motivation===<br />
<br />
Nutrition is vital to sustaining life, and food security is important for political stability and human welfare. We want to address the problem of food availability due to its relevance: continuing population and consumption growth will mean that the global demand for food will increase for at least another 40 years.<ref name="Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People">[http://science.sciencemag.org/content/327/5967/812 Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People]</ref><br />
<br />
Agriculture is an integral part of the European economy and society. It provides the basis for food, feed and non-food products to meet the demands of consumers and a wide range of industries.<ref name="Horizon 2020: Agriculture & Forestry">[https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/en/area/agriculture-forestry Agriculture & Forestry]</ref> By designing a solution to the agricultural challenge we will need to take into account the needs of users: like consumers of food, society: the ecological impacts of our solution, and enterprise: the solution needs to be competitive in order to gain an economical advantage.<br />
<br />
The agricultural industry is ever advancing, not only is the biological aspect of farming being researched, there are also improvements in automation,<ref name="Agricultural Robotics and Automation">[http://www.ieee-ras.org/agricultural-robotics Agricultural Robotics and Automation]</ref> and we want to explore the automation of this industry. We want to develop a solution that allows for automation of food production beyond the state of the art, moreover the solution needs to be scalable.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
==Mariculture==<br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
Mariculture is a specialized branch of aquaculture involving the cultivation of marine organisms for food and other products in the open ocean, an enclosed section of the ocean, or in tanks, ponds or raceways which are filled with seawater. An example of the latter is the farming of marine fish, including finfish and shellfish like prawns, or oysters and seaweed in saltwater ponds.<ref name="Mariculture">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariculture Mariculture]</ref><br />
<br />
In this section we will explore mariculture, and explain why we chose it as a solution to the problem previously stated. Mariculture encompasses a wide range of organisms, from the cultivation of water-based plants to the breeding of aquatic animals. For this project we will focus on the cultivation of aquatic plants, and in particular types of seaweed.<br />
<br />
===Commonly cultivated seaweed species===<br />
<br />
*The total seaweed production features a lot of brown kelps. These weeds grow in cold water zones, they are long and have a leathery structure. They must be harvested before the water temperature rises to 21 degrees, otherwise the kelps will rot. Kombu (Laminaria Japonica) is used a lot in Japanese recipies for soups, as dried snacks, or in salads. Kombu is a dietary fiber and contains high levels of iodine. In China, 50% of the Laminaria production is meant for industrial purposes for its iodine, algin and mannitol. Due to this, laminaria are considered as one of the best renewable resources and it makes up for a major part of the maricultural sector. Japan has made effort to increase the production but due to its labour intensitive nature, the market is not expected to expand notably. [http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Laminaria_japonica/en] Wakame (Undaria) is the type of kelp you will find in your misosoup. With a subtle sweet flavour and satin-like texture it is most suitable for human consumption. The weed is a rich source of omega-3 and helps burn fatty tissue. However, it is also in the top 100 of worst invasive species in cold waters, which is partly caused by aquaculture. [ http://www.seaweed.ie/]<br />
<br />
*Gelidium amansii and Pterocladia are valuable red algae that can be found at shallow coasts. They can be used in salads and to make agar, a jelly-like substance that can be used for microbiological research and various industrial purposes. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelidium_amansii] They have been cultured in Korea since the last century, but always on a small scale. There have been various attempts to farm the algae at sea, but the slow growth rate and required non-contaminated waters made it unattractive for commercial cultivation.[https://books.google.nl/books?id=19mM4xtgfOMC&pg=PA2&lpg=PA2&dq=Pterocladia+farm&source=bl&ots=MtH0LvASHr&sig=RXZNWMEOLnv1yS-WP2fWqv6SDpo&hl=nl&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwieqMmLnsrMAhXlAsAKHVoKDzwQ6AEIRTAF#v=onepage&q=Pterocladia%20farm&f=false]<br />
<br />
*Nori or Zicai (Porphyra) are most famous for composing the sushi wraps. The red algae grow in cold and shallow waters in the intertidal zone. After growing in the sea for 50 days, the weeds can be harvested every 10-15 days. The Nori market is stable, the demand is not expected to grow or shrink in the coming years. In Japan, the annual production is valued at 1 billion US dollars.[http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Porphyra_spp/en#tcNA0112]<br />
<br />
===Mariculture as a solution===<br />
<br />
===Environment===<br />
<br />
====Dead zones====<br />
<br />
[[File:Deadzones.jpg|thumb|Dead zones in oceans around the world.]]<br />
<br />
Ocean dead zones are areas with low oxygen levels and hardly any marine life. These areas are caused by agriculture fertilizers that increase the level of nitrogen and phosphorus, also known as eutriphication. The result is a rapid increase in phytoplankton, because they are 'build' from phosphorus and nitrogen. These algal blooms cause deadzones. The number of deadzones is increasing.<br />
As a result, the fertility of the marine life drops dramatically, and in more extreme cases, fish fall unconcious and then suffocate. Slow moving creatures on the seafloor are unable to escape.<br />
Seaweed is capable of uptaking both nitrogen and phosphorus and replacing it with oxygen. For this reason seaweed is also cultivated around fishfarms. Seaweed would be a cheap although perhaps slow solution in the reviving of deadzones.[https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf]<br />
<br />
====Climate====<br />
<br />
====Locations====<br />
<br />
To determine the best location for a sea-farm we have to take into account several aspects. The temperature of the seawater should be the right temperature for seaweed. For example the best temperature for growing Eucheuma is 20-25 °Celsius, but there are also species that can grow in water of 10 °Celsius. So seaweed can grow in almost every ocean. The depth of the sea does not matter for the seaweed because it grows from the surface downwards. But for the farm itself the depth does matter. Anchoring the farm is easier in a shallow area in the ocean. Commonly these areas are near the coast, an advantage of sea-farms which are near the costs is that the transport from farm to the secondary users is cheaper. Also building and maintaining the farm is easier if it is closer to the mainland. The dead zones are also located near the seashore, so the dead zones are an extra motivation of locating the sea-farms there. A disadvantage are the shipping routes that are located in these areas. Thankfully, these routes are taken by most commercial ships. This leaves open spots near the coast where there are no passing ships and where the seaweedfarms could be located. Important shipping routes at the Dutch coast [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NoordzeeScheepvaartroutes.png] With the sealevels rising due to climate change, and the seafarm's habit breaking waves, it would be beneficial to locate the farm nearby a shore that is threatend by rising sea levels.<br />
<br />
===Nutrition===<br />
<br />
From a nutritional standpoint, the main properties of seaweeds that distinguish them from higher plants are their high mineral and dietary fibre contents. The high iron and magnesium contents are of particular nutritional interest due to their metabolic or functional properties. In comparison with other sources of fibres, seaweeds contain a high proportion of soluble fibres, which exhibit original fermentation patterns in the large intestine. Red seaweeds have a high protein content, comparable to that of high-protein vegetables. Available data suggest that they have a unique amino acid pattern, complementary to that of most terrestrial vegetables.<ref name="Seaweed in food products: biochemical and nutritional aspects">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/092422449390091N Serge Mabeau, Joël Fleurence: Seaweed in food products: biochemical and nutritional aspects (1993)]</ref> Edible brown and red seaweeds could be used as a food supplement to help meet the recommended daily adult intakes of some macrominerals and trace elements. <ref name="P. Rupérez: Mineral content of edible marine seaweeds (2002)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814602001711 P. Rupérez: Mineral content of edible marine seaweeds (2002)]</ref><br />
<br />
There might be some hesitance in the use of seaweed for human nutrition, but he seaweeds which are used as biological filters and food material for farmed animals could easily be included in the human food value chain by this route.<ref name="Joël Fleurence, Michele Morançais, Justine Dumay, Priscilla Decottignies, Vincent Turpin, Mathilde Munier, Nuria Garcia-Bueno and Pascal Jaouen<br />
: What are the prospects for using seaweed in human nutrition and for marine animals raised through aquaculture? (2012)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224412000544 Joël Fleurence, Michele Morançais, Justine Dumay, Priscilla Decottignies, Vincent Turpin, Mathilde Munier, Nuria Garcia-Bueno and Pascal Jaouen<br />
: What are the prospects for using seaweed in human nutrition and for marine animals raised through aquaculture? (2012)]</ref><ref name="Joël Fleurence: Seaweed proteins: biochemical, nutritional aspects and potential use (1999)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224499000151 Joël Fleurence: Seaweed proteins: biochemical, nutritional aspects and potential use (1999)]</ref><br />
<br />
===State of the art===<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
* Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
* Pond-farms can make use of otherwise infertile and underutilized land.<br />
* Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
* Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
* Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
* Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
* The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
* Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
<br />
* Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
* Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
* Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
* Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
* Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
* Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
* Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
* Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
* Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
* Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
===Types of farms===<br />
<br />
====Anchored====<br />
<br />
====Drifting====<br />
<br />
===Tasks to be carried out on farms===<br />
'''Primary tasks'''<br />
* Seeding<br />
* Cleaning<br />
* Harvesting<br />
'''Secondary tasks'''<br />
* Checking the quality of the plants<br />
* Removing corrupt plants<br />
* Pruning<br />
<br />
==Stakeholders==<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
The USE aspects:<br />
The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
Enterprise: It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===User===<br />
Seaweed farmers.<br />
<br />
Drawback: Introduction of our system on the mariculture market could cost the jobs of the few brave seaweed farmers we have today. These farmers operate on a small scale on a small market and would be easily competed out. To prevent this, our systems user group is are the already existing seaweed farmers that want to expand their business, and the more industrialized farmers in Asia.<br />
<br />
The USE aspects: The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
<br />
===Society===<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
<br />
===Enterprise===<br />
It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
==Maritime robotics==<br />
<br />
<br />
<i><br />
::Specifications<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
::Practical tips<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
::Responsibility<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!</i><br />
<br />
===Types of robots===<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===Locomotion===<br />
<br />
[[File:Drifterandjet.jpg|thumb|A passive ocean drifter and a high-speed jet.]]<br />
<br />
*Jet propulsion — water is taken in and propelled out at high speed, using a directed nozzle makes this very maneuverable.<br />
*Ocean current — passively drifting along the ocean current.<br />
*Propeller — a classic ship's screw to propel forwards and backwards.<br />
*Undulation — moving the body like a fish does.<br />
*Wind — using the power of the wind to sail.<br />
<br />
===Sensing===<br />
<br />
[[File:bathymetry.jpg |thumb|Sonar can be used for bathymetry, measuring the depth of the ocean floor.]]<br />
<br />
*Acoustic Doppler current profiler — measures the speed and direction of ocean currents using the principle of “Doppler shift”.<br />
*Camera — for visual data, has a limited range.<br />
*Conductivity — together with temperature and depth information, a good estimate of the salinity may be determined.<br />
*GPS — find the position, only works above the surface of the water.<br />
*Hydrophone — listen for sounds in the water.<br />
*Oxygen — determine the oxygen levels of the water.<br />
*Pressure — determine the depth the robot is at.<br />
*Semipermeable membrane density — a passive sampling device used to monitor trace levels of organic contaminants. When placed in an aquatic environment, SPMDs accumulate hydrophobic organic compounds, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and organochlorine pesticides from the surrounding waters.<br />
*Sonar — is used to find and identify objects in water. It is also used to determine water depth (bathymetry. May disturb marine life.<br />
*Temperature — determine the temperature of the water.<br />
*pH — determine the acidity of the water.<br />
<br />
===Communication===<br />
===Energy===<br />
The ocean offers several alternative options for energy generation. When a robot can use it's own energy on the sea, it is more autonomous.<br />
Options for Alternative ocean energy:<br />
*Tidal energy<br />
*Wave energy<br />
*Salinity gradient<br />
*Tidal Range<br />
*Ocean thermal energy conversion<br />
*Tidal range<br />
<br />
==Proposed design==<br />
<br />
===Description===<br />
*'''Location''' Our own Dutch North Sea might just be to place to be. With an average temperature of 12 degrees[http://gemiddeldgezien.nl/gemiddelde-watertemperatuur-noordzee], a former deadzone that is struggling with pollution from the many estuaries, and with a country that has always struggled with living beneath a rising sealevel, the seaweed farm has a lot to offer. When we also consider the busy shipping routes in the North Sea, Zeeland would be the most suitable area.<br />
*'''Farmed type of seaweed''' The HASP will farm the Laminaria seaweed species. Because of the high demand for it can not be fulfilled with the current techniques, and because it has a low impact on the enviroment.<br />
<br />
*'''System Design'''The design of our system will be largely modelled after the traditional seaweed farms.<br />
''distance between lines''<br />
<br />
===Automation===<br />
====Seeding====<br />
Like at normal seafarming, the young seedlings will first be grown at land in a greenhouse in the summer, when the water is hot. Mid-November, when they have grown 10-15 cm, they need to be planted at the seafarm. The seedlings are attached to the vertical lines to grow out, with the upper plants receving more sunlight than the lower ones. Can one of our robots attcach the seeds to the ropes?<br />
<br />
====Control and hygiene====<br />
There are several diseases that could affect the seaweed, caused by bacteria or by the enviroment. These diseases can be recognized visually and envirmental factors can be measured. Sensors would be needed for: illumination (too much or too little light causes rot), fres/salt water level and pollution. All diseases require different treatments, for which we have to think of automated solutions.<br />
Harm done by water grazers like fish can be minimized by placing the farm in deep waters, away from the coastal fish and the creatures on the seafloor. <br />
<br />
====Harvesting====<br />
Harvesting can be started in April. The plant grows faster in winter and slower in summer, with a rate of 1.1 cm per day in May. Making up for 2.5 meters a year. The plant can regenerate when it's been trimmed, but will grow slower. The normal age with this practice does not exceed 4 years.<br />
<br />
====Drying====<br />
It seems very inefficient to dry the seaweed in the open sea, it takes a lot of space and when one wave flushes over it, all the drying will have been for nothing. For that reason, seaweed must be taken to the mainland to dry. After it has been harvested, it must be stored for a short period, before it is transported. What amount of seaweed and for how long can it be stored without rotting?<br />
<br />
====Transport====<br />
<br />
====Communication to mainland====<br />
<br />
====Mapping tasks to robots====<br />
<br />
====Energy====<br />
In order to be fully atonomous and enviromentally friendly, the HASP will have to generate it's own energy.<br />
<br />
====Scalability====<br />
Number of plants on one vertical lines:<br />
Number of lines per meter:<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
The robots behaviour underwater would generate sound. Although the underwater world might seem silent to humans, fish experience sound intensly. The effects of human generated sounds on fish might therefore be harmful. Research results vary from little to no effect, to immediate death. Because the variety of sounds and fish is so large, we will try to minimize the sound level but not take extra measures to protect the fish from our robot's noices.<br />
<br />
===Big Data and IoT===<br />
<br />
<i>The farm comes equipped with a lot of sensors to monitor its own condition and its enviroment. Using all of this data one can analyze it in real time, and after collecting more data extrapolate long-term trends. With all the robotic agents on the farm, combined with the data collected, the farm can be administrated remotely. The farm can be made smart to send out maintenance calls on its.</i><br />
<br />
====Science====<br />
<br />
<i>The data collected by the farm and its robots can be shared with scientists and governments. More farms mean more sensors and thus a larger sensor size. This data would for example be very useful to The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) on which engineers and scientist can find all the data available about the european waters. The European Commission has started Marine Knowledge 2020 with the aim to bring to bring all of the marine data from different sources together. This initiative examplifies the need for marine data.</i><br />
<br />
==Robot prototype==<br />
<br />
===Design process===<br />
The design for the prototype consists of three components, one for the movement, one for grabbing and cutting and one for the Arduino and battery. The robot moves along a cable, for our prototype we will use a bicycle chain. The robot has three gearing wheels for a stable movement along the cable. The gearing wheel in the middle is driven by an engine. The component with the Arduino and the battery is hanging below the movement-component, just like a chairlift. This component should be heavy enough to sink, this is necessary to keep the bicycle chain on tension. Below this component is the cut-and-grab-component, and is joined to the mothership with rope or a telescoping arm. This rope or telescoping arm is needed for a vertical movement, the robot should be able to cut at different depths. The claw should be able to grab seaweed that might have flowed away a bit, so the claw should be able to move horizontal. This happens by a telescoping arm. The scissors should be placed above the claw, otherwise the robot would cut seaweed that is not hold by the claw.<br />
<br />
===Technical description===<br />
<br />
===Demonstration===<br />
<br />
==Business and law==<br />
<br />
In 2014, the total annual value of produced seaweed was $6.4 billion. Worldwide, 93.8% of the global total production of aquatic plants came from aquaculture. Countries in East and Southeast Asia dominate seaweed culture production.<ref name="A guide to the seaweed industry">[http://www.fao.org/3/a-y4765e.pdf A guide to the seaweed industry]</ref> About 25 million tonnes of seaweeds and other algae are harvested annually for use as food, in cosmetics and fertilizers, and are processed to extract thickening agents or used as an additive to animal feed.<ref name="The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2014">[http://www.fao.org/3/a-i3720e.pdf The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2014]</ref> For the demand of food-grade seaweed to grow, there needs to be a dietary trend towards protein-rich vegetables, which seems to be the case. Growing the demand for seaweed requires a shift in the consumer's perception of seaweed as a food. Seaweed can be processed to be used as a source of nutrients for certain processed foods. There is increasing demand for seaweed as an agricultural supply, to use as animal food. It is also possible to use seaweed as a source for certain chemicals, i.e. for use in cosmetics.<br />
<br />
===Business case===<br />
<br />
====Cost vs. profit====<br />
<br />
===Laws===<br />
<br />
====International law====<br />
<br />
====European law====<br />
<br />
====Dutch law====<br />
<br />
==Looking ahead==<br />
<br />
===Future farms===<br />
<br />
The farm we have outlined only concerns the cultivation of seaweeds. However, farms can be augmented by employing bivalves in order to filter the water of pollutants.<ref name="Biosorption and bioaccumulation of heavy metals by rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata in the Persian Gulf">[http://www.intelaquares.com/doc/7b.pdf Biosorption and bioaccumulation of heavy metals by rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata in the Persian Gulf]</ref><br />
<br />
===Recommendations===<br />
<br />
===Horizon 2020===<br />
<br />
'''Applicable areas:'''<br />
<br />
*Agriculture & forestry<br />
*Aquatic resources<br />
*Bio-based industries<br />
*Environment & climate action<br />
*Food & healthy diet<br />
*Innovation<br />
*SME (small-medium enterprise)<br />
<br />
'''Relevant research calls:'''<br />
<br />
*High value-added specialized vessel concepts enabling more efficient servicing of emerging coastal and offshore activities. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/5119-bg-02-2016-2017.html (link)] € 7 million<br />
*New sources of proteins for animal feed from co-products to address the EU protein gap. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/17081-bbi-2016-d08.html (link)] € 15 million<br />
*Promoting and supporting the eco-intensification of aquaculture production systems: inland (including fresh water), coastal zone, and offshore. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/6050-sfs-32-2017.html (link)] € 6 million<br />
<br />
'''Also'''<br />
Marine Knowledge 2020 with The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet), aims to collect a lot more data from the seas and oceans than we do at the moment.<br />
<br />
==Discussion==<br />
<br />
==Conclusion==<br />
<br />
==Sources and references==<br />
<br />
===Sources===<br />
<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Doty, M.S. & Caddy, J.F. & Santelices, B. (1987), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Juanich, Godardo L. (1988), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/ac416e00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE(1. EUCHEUMA SPP.)]<br />
*Kitadai, Yuuki & Kadowaki, Shusaki (2007), [https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf Growth, nitrogen and phosphorous uptake rates and O2 production rate of seaweeds cultured on coastal fish farms]<br />
*Kleis, Roelof (2010), [http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification]<br />
*Lacey, Stephen & Mellino, Cole (2011), [http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
* NOAA Ocean Explorer Webmaster (2013), [http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/technology/tools/tools.html NOAA Observing Systems and Sensors]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Popper, Arthur N. & Hastings, Mardi C. (2009), [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1749-4877.2008.00134.x/epdf The effects of human-generated sound on fish]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image]. <br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
===References===<br />
<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
<!--<br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
<br />
= Group members =<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
= Preliminary brainstorm =<br />
==Benefits==<br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
<br />
===Proposals===<br />
*Floating robot<br />
**Solar panel<br />
**Lowering (anker-style) cutter<br />
**Hard to position,<br />
***Drifts<br />
***“Dijnst[dutch]”<br />
*Rover robot<br />
**Stable polypoid (crab-style)<br />
**Hard to cut above his head<br />
*Swimming robot<br />
**May become struck between the weed<br />
**Perfect mobility and can cut everywhere<br />
Combination of multiple robot’s for every seafruit a suitable robot.<br />
<br />
= Problem =<br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15). </ref><br />
<br />
<br />
= Mariculture =<br />
<br />
<i>In this section cover what mariculture is and various aspects of mariculture.</i><br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
== Environmental effects ==<br />
<br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms. These can be classified in two categories:<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
<br />
* '''Positive aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
** Pond-farms can make use of otherwise unfertile and underutilised land.<br />
** Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
** Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
** Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
** Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
** The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
** Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<br />
* '''Negative aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
** Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
** Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
** Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
** Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
** Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
** Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
** Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
** Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
** Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
These effects should be considered when deploying seaweed farms to ensure sustainable aquaculture development.<br />
<br />
= Maritime robotics =<br />
== Types of maritime robots ==<br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
<br />
== Specifications ==<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
== Practical tips ==<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
== Responsibility ==<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!<br />
<br />
= State of the art =<br />
<br />
== Robots for mariculture ==<br />
<i>In this section we link mariculture and maritime robots, we elaborate on the type of (maritime) robots that are especially useful for sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= Automation =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the automation of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
= Scaling =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the scalability of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
== Sea farm design ==<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we propose a design for an innovative high-tech sea farm.</i><br />
<br />
= Sea robot prototype =<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we showcase a prototype of a robot to be used on our cutting-edge sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= USE: stakeholders =<br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
The USE aspects:<br />
The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
Enterprise: It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
=Tasks=<br />
[[{{TALKPAGENAME}}|Logbook]]<br />
<br />
=Drive=<br />
[https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=66031F8492322E24!604219&authkey=!AOO7hi5CT65E46Y&ithint=folder%2cdocx USE Waterpret]<br />
<br />
= Sources =<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/AC416E00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE 1. EUCHEUMA SPP.]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image].<br />
*[http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification, December 23, 2010 By Roelof Kleis ]<br />
*[http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?] <br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
== References ==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
--></div>S146529https://cstwiki.wtb.tue.nl/index.php?title=PRE2015_4_Groep5&diff=27151PRE2015 4 Groep52016-05-12T12:06:36Z<p>S146529: /* Enterprise */</p>
<hr />
<div>__FORCETOC__<br />
<br />
[[File:HASP_logo_v0.1.png|600px|right]]<br />
<br />
== Group members ==<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
==Introduction==<br />
<br />
===Abstract===<br />
<br />
===Problem statement===<br />
<br />
The world needs to produce at least 50% more food to feed 9 billion people by 2050. But climate change could cut crop yields by more than 25%.<ref name="Food security">[http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/foodsecurity]</ref> With this in mind we need to look for novel solutions to the problem of insufficient food production. This solution will need to take the interests of users, society, and enterprise into account. Moreover, this solution needs to surpass the state of the art by employing cutting-edge technology.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15).</ref><br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
===Motivation===<br />
<br />
Nutrition is vital to sustaining life, and food security is important for political stability and human welfare. We want to address the problem of food availability due to its relevance: continuing population and consumption growth will mean that the global demand for food will increase for at least another 40 years.<ref name="Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People">[http://science.sciencemag.org/content/327/5967/812 Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People]</ref><br />
<br />
Agriculture is an integral part of the European economy and society. It provides the basis for food, feed and non-food products to meet the demands of consumers and a wide range of industries.<ref name="Horizon 2020: Agriculture & Forestry">[https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/en/area/agriculture-forestry Agriculture & Forestry]</ref> By designing a solution to the agricultural challenge we will need to take into account the needs of users: like consumers of food, society: the ecological impacts of our solution, and enterprise: the solution needs to be competitive in order to gain an economical advantage.<br />
<br />
The agricultural industry is ever advancing, not only is the biological aspect of farming being researched, there are also improvements in automation,<ref name="Agricultural Robotics and Automation">[http://www.ieee-ras.org/agricultural-robotics Agricultural Robotics and Automation]</ref> and we want to explore the automation of this industry. We want to develop a solution that allows for automation of food production beyond the state of the art, moreover the solution needs to be scalable.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
==Mariculture==<br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
Mariculture is a specialized branch of aquaculture involving the cultivation of marine organisms for food and other products in the open ocean, an enclosed section of the ocean, or in tanks, ponds or raceways which are filled with seawater. An example of the latter is the farming of marine fish, including finfish and shellfish like prawns, or oysters and seaweed in saltwater ponds.<ref name="Mariculture">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariculture Mariculture]</ref><br />
<br />
In this section we will explore mariculture, and explain why we chose it as a solution to the problem previously stated. Mariculture encompasses a wide range of organisms, from the cultivation of water-based plants to the breeding of aquatic animals. For this project we will focus on the cultivation of aquatic plants, and in particular types of seaweed.<br />
<br />
===Commonly cultivated seaweed species===<br />
<br />
*The total seaweed production features a lot of brown kelps. These weeds grow in cold water zones, they are long and have a leathery structure. They must be harvested before the water temperature rises to 21 degrees, otherwise the kelps will rot. Kombu (Laminaria Japonica) is used a lot in Japanese recipies for soups, as dried snacks, or in salads. Kombu is a dietary fiber and contains high levels of iodine. In China, 50% of the Laminaria production is meant for industrial purposes for its iodine, algin and mannitol. Due to this, laminaria are considered as one of the best renewable resources and it makes up for a major part of the maricultural sector. Japan has made effort to increase the production but due to its labour intensitive nature, the market is not expected to expand notably. [http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Laminaria_japonica/en] Wakame (Undaria) is the type of kelp you will find in your misosoup. With a subtle sweet flavour and satin-like texture it is most suitable for human consumption. The weed is a rich source of omega-3 and helps burn fatty tissue. However, it is also in the top 100 of worst invasive species in cold waters, which is partly caused by aquaculture. [ http://www.seaweed.ie/]<br />
<br />
*Gelidium amansii and Pterocladia are valuable red algae that can be found at shallow coasts. They can be used in salads and to make agar, a jelly-like substance that can be used for microbiological research and various industrial purposes. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelidium_amansii] They have been cultured in Korea since the last century, but always on a small scale. There have been various attempts to farm the algae at sea, but the slow growth rate and required non-contaminated waters made it unattractive for commercial cultivation.[https://books.google.nl/books?id=19mM4xtgfOMC&pg=PA2&lpg=PA2&dq=Pterocladia+farm&source=bl&ots=MtH0LvASHr&sig=RXZNWMEOLnv1yS-WP2fWqv6SDpo&hl=nl&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwieqMmLnsrMAhXlAsAKHVoKDzwQ6AEIRTAF#v=onepage&q=Pterocladia%20farm&f=false]<br />
<br />
*Nori or Zicai (Porphyra) are most famous for composing the sushi wraps. The red algae grow in cold and shallow waters in the intertidal zone. After growing in the sea for 50 days, the weeds can be harvested every 10-15 days. The Nori market is stable, the demand is not expected to grow or shrink in the coming years. In Japan, the annual production is valued at 1 billion US dollars.[http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Porphyra_spp/en#tcNA0112]<br />
<br />
===Mariculture as a solution===<br />
<br />
===Environment===<br />
<br />
====Dead zones====<br />
<br />
[[File:Deadzones.jpg|thumb|Dead zones in oceans around the world.]]<br />
<br />
Ocean dead zones are areas with low oxygen levels and hardly any marine life. These areas are caused by agriculture fertilizers that increase the level of nitrogen and phosphorus, also known as eutriphication. The result is a rapid increase in phytoplankton, because they are 'build' from phosphorus and nitrogen. These algal blooms cause deadzones. The number of deadzones is increasing.<br />
As a result, the fertility of the marine life drops dramatically, and in more extreme cases, fish fall unconcious and then suffocate. Slow moving creatures on the seafloor are unable to escape.<br />
Seaweed is capable of uptaking both nitrogen and phosphorus and replacing it with oxygen. For this reason seaweed is also cultivated around fishfarms. Seaweed would be a cheap although perhaps slow solution in the reviving of deadzones.[https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf]<br />
<br />
====Climate====<br />
<br />
====Locations====<br />
<br />
To determine the best location for a sea-farm we have to take into account several aspects. The temperature of the seawater should be the right temperature for seaweed. For example the best temperature for growing Eucheuma is 20-25 °Celsius, but there are also species that can grow in water of 10 °Celsius. So seaweed can grow in almost every ocean. The depth of the sea does not matter for the seaweed because it grows from the surface downwards. But for the farm itself the depth does matter. Anchoring the farm is easier in a shallow area in the ocean. Commonly these areas are near the coast, an advantage of sea-farms which are near the costs is that the transport from farm to the secondary users is cheaper. Also building and maintaining the farm is easier if it is closer to the mainland. The dead zones are also located near the seashore, so the dead zones are an extra motivation of locating the sea-farms there. A disadvantage are the shipping routes that are located in these areas. Thankfully, these routes are taken by most commercial ships. This leaves open spots near the coast where there are no passing ships and where the seaweedfarms could be located. Important shipping routes at the Dutch coast [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NoordzeeScheepvaartroutes.png] With the sealevels rising due to climate change, and the seafarm's habit breaking waves, it would be beneficial to locate the farm nearby a shore that is threatend by rising sea levels.<br />
<br />
===Nutrition===<br />
<br />
From a nutritional standpoint, the main properties of seaweeds that distinguish them from higher plants are their high mineral and dietary fibre contents. The high iron and magnesium contents are of particular nutritional interest due to their metabolic or functional properties. In comparison with other sources of fibres, seaweeds contain a high proportion of soluble fibres, which exhibit original fermentation patterns in the large intestine. Red seaweeds have a high protein content, comparable to that of high-protein vegetables. Available data suggest that they have a unique amino acid pattern, complementary to that of most terrestrial vegetables.<ref name="Seaweed in food products: biochemical and nutritional aspects">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/092422449390091N Serge Mabeau, Joël Fleurence: Seaweed in food products: biochemical and nutritional aspects (1993)]</ref> Edible brown and red seaweeds could be used as a food supplement to help meet the recommended daily adult intakes of some macrominerals and trace elements. <ref name="P. Rupérez: Mineral content of edible marine seaweeds (2002)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814602001711 P. Rupérez: Mineral content of edible marine seaweeds (2002)]</ref><br />
<br />
There might be some hesitance in the use of seaweed for human nutrition, but he seaweeds which are used as biological filters and food material for farmed animals could easily be included in the human food value chain by this route.<ref name="Joël Fleurence, Michele Morançais, Justine Dumay, Priscilla Decottignies, Vincent Turpin, Mathilde Munier, Nuria Garcia-Bueno and Pascal Jaouen<br />
: What are the prospects for using seaweed in human nutrition and for marine animals raised through aquaculture? (2012)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224412000544 Joël Fleurence, Michele Morançais, Justine Dumay, Priscilla Decottignies, Vincent Turpin, Mathilde Munier, Nuria Garcia-Bueno and Pascal Jaouen<br />
: What are the prospects for using seaweed in human nutrition and for marine animals raised through aquaculture? (2012)]</ref><ref name="Joël Fleurence: Seaweed proteins: biochemical, nutritional aspects and potential use (1999)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224499000151 Joël Fleurence: Seaweed proteins: biochemical, nutritional aspects and potential use (1999)]</ref><br />
<br />
===State of the art===<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
* Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
* Pond-farms can make use of otherwise infertile and underutilized land.<br />
* Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
* Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
* Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
* Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
* The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
* Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
<br />
* Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
* Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
* Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
* Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
* Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
* Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
* Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
* Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
* Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
* Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
===Types of farms===<br />
<br />
====Anchored====<br />
<br />
====Drifting====<br />
<br />
===Tasks to be carried out on farms===<br />
'''Primary tasks'''<br />
* Seeding<br />
* Cleaning<br />
* Harvesting<br />
'''Secondary tasks'''<br />
* Checking the quality of the plants<br />
* Removing corrupt plants<br />
* Pruning<br />
<br />
==Stakeholders==<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
The USE aspects:<br />
The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
Enterprise: It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===User===<br />
Seaweed farmers.<br />
<br />
Drawback: Introduction of our system on the mariculture market could cost the jobs of the few brave seaweed farmers we have today. These farmers operate on a small scale on a small market and would be easily competed out. To prevent this, our systems user group is are the already existing seaweed farmers that want to expand their business, and the more industrialized farmers in Asia.<br />
<br />
The USE aspects: The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
<br />
===Society===<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
<br />
===Enterprise===<br />
It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
==Maritime robotics==<br />
<br />
<br />
<i><br />
::Specifications<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
::Practical tips<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
::Responsibility<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!</i><br />
<br />
===Types of robots===<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===Locomotion===<br />
<br />
[[File:Drifterandjet.jpg|thumb|A passive ocean drifter and a high-speed jet.]]<br />
<br />
*Jet propulsion — water is taken in and propelled out at high speed, using a directed nozzle makes this very maneuverable.<br />
*Ocean current — passively drifting along the ocean current.<br />
*Propeller — a classic ship's screw to propel forwards and backwards.<br />
*Undulation — moving the body like a fish does.<br />
*Wind — using the power of the wind to sail.<br />
<br />
===Sensing===<br />
<br />
[[File:bathymetry.jpg |thumb|Sonar can be used for bathymetry, measuring the depth of the ocean floor.]]<br />
<br />
*Acoustic Doppler current profiler — measures the speed and direction of ocean currents using the principle of “Doppler shift”.<br />
*Camera — for visual data, has a limited range.<br />
*Conductivity — together with temperature and depth information, a good estimate of the salinity may be determined.<br />
*GPS — find the position, only works above the surface of the water.<br />
*Hydrophone — listen for sounds in the water.<br />
*Oxygen — determine the oxygen levels of the water.<br />
*Pressure — determine the depth the robot is at.<br />
*Semipermeable membrane density — a passive sampling device used to monitor trace levels of organic contaminants. When placed in an aquatic environment, SPMDs accumulate hydrophobic organic compounds, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and organochlorine pesticides from the surrounding waters.<br />
*Sonar — is used to find and identify objects in water. It is also used to determine water depth (bathymetry. May disturb marine life.<br />
*Temperature — determine the temperature of the water.<br />
*pH — determine the acidity of the water.<br />
<br />
===Communication===<br />
===Energy===<br />
The ocean offers several alternative options for energy generation. When a robot can use it's own energy on the sea, it is more autonomous.<br />
Options for Alternative ocean energy:<br />
*Tidal energy<br />
*Wave energy<br />
*Salinity gradient<br />
*Tidal Range<br />
*Ocean thermal energy conversion<br />
*Tidal range<br />
<br />
==Proposed design==<br />
<br />
===Description===<br />
*'''Location''' Our own Dutch North Sea might just be to place to be. With an average temperature of 12 degrees[http://gemiddeldgezien.nl/gemiddelde-watertemperatuur-noordzee], a former deadzone that is struggling with pollution from the many estuaries, and with a country that has always struggled with living beneath a rising sealevel, the seaweed farm has a lot to offer. When we also consider the busy shipping routes in the North Sea, Zeeland would be the most suitable area.<br />
*'''Farmed type of seaweed''' The HASP will farm the Laminaria seaweed species. Because of the high demand for it can not be fulfilled with the current techniques, and because it has a low impact on the enviroment.<br />
<br />
*'''System Design'''The design of our system will be largely modelled after the traditional seaweed farms.<br />
''distance between lines''<br />
<br />
===Automation===<br />
====Seeding====<br />
Like at normal seafarming, the young seedlings will first be grown at land in a greenhouse in the summer, when the water is hot. Mid-November, when they have grown 10-15 cm, they need to be planted at the seafarm. The seedlings are attached to the vertical lines to grow out, with the upper plants receving more sunlight than the lower ones. Can one of our robots attcach the seeds to the ropes?<br />
<br />
====Control and hygiene====<br />
There are several diseases that could affect the seaweed, caused by bacteria or by the enviroment. These diseases can be recognized visually and envirmental factors can be measured. Sensors would be needed for: illumination (too much or too little light causes rot), fres/salt water level and pollution. All diseases require different treatments, for which we have to think of automated solutions.<br />
Harm done by water grazers like fish can be minimized by placing the farm in deep waters, away from the coastal fish and the creatures on the seafloor. <br />
<br />
====Harvesting====<br />
Harvesting can be started in April. The plant grows faster in winter and slower in summer, with a rate of 1.1 cm per day in May. Making up for 2.5 meters a year. The plant can regenerate when it's been trimmed, but will grow slower. The normal age with this practice does not exceed 4 years.<br />
<br />
====Drying====<br />
It seems very inefficient to dry the seaweed in the open sea, it takes a lot of space and when one wave flushes over it, all the drying will have been for nothing. For that reason, seaweed must be taken to the mainland to dry. After it has been harvested, it must be stored for a short period, before it is transported. What amount of seaweed and for how long can it be stored without rotting?<br />
<br />
====Transport====<br />
<br />
====Communication to mainland====<br />
<br />
====Mapping tasks to robots====<br />
<br />
====Energy====<br />
In order to be fully atonomous and enviromentally friendly, the HASP will have to generate it's own energy.<br />
<br />
====Scalability====<br />
Number of plants on one vertical lines:<br />
Number of lines per meter:<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
The robots behaviour underwater would generate sound. Although the underwater world might seem silent to humans, fish experience sound intensly. The effects of human generated sounds on fish might therefore be harmful. Research results vary from little to no effect, to immediate death. Because the variety of sounds and fish is so large, we will try to minimize the sound level but not take extra measures to protect the fish from our robot's noices.<br />
<br />
===Big Data and IoT===<br />
<br />
<i>The farm comes equipped with a lot of sensors to monitor its own condition and its enviroment. Using all of this data one can analyze it in real time, and after collecting more data extrapolate long-term trends. With all the robotic agents on the farm, combined with the data collected, the farm can be administrated remotely. The farm can be made smart to send out maintenance calls on its.</i><br />
<br />
====Science====<br />
<br />
<i>The data collected by the farm and its robots can be shared with scientists and governments. More farms mean more sensors and thus a larger sensor size. This data would for example be very useful to The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) on which engineers and scientist can find all the data available about the european waters. The European Commission has started Marine Knowledge 2020 with the aim to bring to bring all of the marine data from different sources together. This initiative examplifies the need for marine data.</i><br />
<br />
==Robot prototype==<br />
<br />
===Design process===<br />
The design for the prototype consists of three components, one for the movement, one for grabbing and cutting and one for the Arduino and battery. The robot moves along a cable, for our prototype we will use a bicycle chain. The robot has three gearing wheels for a stable movement along the cable. The gearing wheel in the middle is driven by an engine. The component with the Arduino and the battery is hanging below the movement-component, just like a chairlift. This component should be heavy enough to sink, this is necessary to keep the bicycle chain on tension. Below this component is the cut-and-grab-component, and is joined to the mothership with rope or a telescoping arm. This rope or telescoping arm is needed for a vertical movement, the robot should be able to cut at different depths. The claw should be able to grab seaweed that might have flowed away a bit, so the claw should be able to move horizontal. This happens by a telescoping arm. The scissors should be placed above the claw, otherwise the robot would cut seaweed that is not hold by the claw.<br />
<br />
===Technical description===<br />
<br />
===Demonstration===<br />
<br />
==Business and law==<br />
<br />
In 2014, the total annual value of produced seaweed was $6.4 billion. Worldwide, 93.8% of the global total production of aquatic plants came from aquaculture. Countries in East and Southeast Asia dominate seaweed culture production.<ref name="A guide to the seaweed industry">[http://www.fao.org/3/a-y4765e.pdf A guide to the seaweed industry]</ref> About 25 million tonnes of seaweeds and other algae are harvested annually for use as food, in cosmetics and fertilizers, and are processed to extract thickening agents or used as an additive to animal feed.<ref name="The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2014">[http://www.fao.org/3/a-i3720e.pdf The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2014]</ref> For the demand of food-grade seaweed to grow, there needs to be a dietary trend towards protein-rich vegetables, which seems to be the case. Growing the demand for seaweed requires a shift in the consumer's perception of seaweed as a food. Seaweed can be processed to be used as a source of nutrients for certain processed foods. There is increasing demand for seaweed as an agricultural supply, to use as animal food. It is also possible to use seaweed as a source for certain chemicals, i.e. for use in cosmetics.<br />
<br />
===Business case===<br />
<br />
====Cost vs. profit====<br />
<br />
===Laws===<br />
<br />
====International law====<br />
<br />
====European law====<br />
<br />
====Dutch law====<br />
<br />
==Looking ahead==<br />
<br />
===Future farms===<br />
<br />
The farm we have outlined only concerns the cultivation of seaweeds. However, farms can be augmented by employing bivalves in order to filter the water of pollutants.<ref name="Biosorption and bioaccumulation of heavy metals by rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata in the Persian Gulf">[http://www.intelaquares.com/doc/7b.pdf Biosorption and bioaccumulation of heavy metals by rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata in the Persian Gulf]</ref><br />
<br />
===Recommendations===<br />
<br />
===Horizon 2020===<br />
<br />
'''Applicable areas:'''<br />
<br />
*Agriculture & forestry<br />
*Aquatic resources<br />
*Bio-based industries<br />
*Environment & climate action<br />
*Food & healthy diet<br />
*Innovation<br />
*SME (small-medium enterprise)<br />
<br />
'''Relevant research calls:'''<br />
<br />
*High value-added specialized vessel concepts enabling more efficient servicing of emerging coastal and offshore activities. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/5119-bg-02-2016-2017.html (link)] € 7 million<br />
*New sources of proteins for animal feed from co-products to address the EU protein gap. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/17081-bbi-2016-d08.html (link)] € 15 million<br />
*Promoting and supporting the eco-intensification of aquaculture production systems: inland (including fresh water), coastal zone, and offshore. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/6050-sfs-32-2017.html (link)] € 6 million<br />
<br />
'''Also'''<br />
Marine Knowledge 2020 with The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet), aims to collect a lot more data from the seas and oceans than we do at the moment.<br />
<br />
==Discussion==<br />
<br />
==Conclusion==<br />
<br />
==Sources and references==<br />
<br />
===Sources===<br />
<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Doty, M.S. & Caddy, J.F. & Santelices, B. (1987), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Juanich, Godardo L. (1988), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/ac416e00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE(1. EUCHEUMA SPP.)]<br />
*Kitadai, Yuuki & Kadowaki, Shusaki (2007), [https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf Growth, nitrogen and phosphorous uptake rates and O2 production rate of seaweeds cultured on coastal fish farms]<br />
*Kleis, Roelof (2010), [http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification]<br />
*Lacey, Stephen & Mellino, Cole (2011), [http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
* NOAA Ocean Explorer Webmaster (2013), [http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/technology/tools/tools.html NOAA Observing Systems and Sensors]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Popper, Arthur N. & Hastings, Mardi C. (2009), [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1749-4877.2008.00134.x/epdf The effects of human-generated sound on fish]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image]. <br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
===References===<br />
<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
<!--<br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
<br />
= Group members =<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
= Preliminary brainstorm =<br />
==Benefits==<br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
<br />
===Proposals===<br />
*Floating robot<br />
**Solar panel<br />
**Lowering (anker-style) cutter<br />
**Hard to position,<br />
***Drifts<br />
***“Dijnst[dutch]”<br />
*Rover robot<br />
**Stable polypoid (crab-style)<br />
**Hard to cut above his head<br />
*Swimming robot<br />
**May become struck between the weed<br />
**Perfect mobility and can cut everywhere<br />
Combination of multiple robot’s for every seafruit a suitable robot.<br />
<br />
= Problem =<br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15). </ref><br />
<br />
<br />
= Mariculture =<br />
<br />
<i>In this section cover what mariculture is and various aspects of mariculture.</i><br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
== Environmental effects ==<br />
<br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms. These can be classified in two categories:<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
<br />
* '''Positive aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
** Pond-farms can make use of otherwise unfertile and underutilised land.<br />
** Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
** Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
** Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
** Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
** The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
** Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<br />
* '''Negative aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
** Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
** Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
** Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
** Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
** Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
** Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
** Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
** Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
** Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
These effects should be considered when deploying seaweed farms to ensure sustainable aquaculture development.<br />
<br />
= Maritime robotics =<br />
== Types of maritime robots ==<br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
<br />
== Specifications ==<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
== Practical tips ==<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
== Responsibility ==<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!<br />
<br />
= State of the art =<br />
<br />
== Robots for mariculture ==<br />
<i>In this section we link mariculture and maritime robots, we elaborate on the type of (maritime) robots that are especially useful for sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= Automation =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the automation of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
= Scaling =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the scalability of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
== Sea farm design ==<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we propose a design for an innovative high-tech sea farm.</i><br />
<br />
= Sea robot prototype =<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we showcase a prototype of a robot to be used on our cutting-edge sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= USE: stakeholders =<br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
The USE aspects:<br />
The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
Enterprise: It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
=Tasks=<br />
[[{{TALKPAGENAME}}|Logbook]]<br />
<br />
=Drive=<br />
[https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=66031F8492322E24!604219&authkey=!AOO7hi5CT65E46Y&ithint=folder%2cdocx USE Waterpret]<br />
<br />
= Sources =<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/AC416E00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE 1. EUCHEUMA SPP.]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image].<br />
*[http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification, December 23, 2010 By Roelof Kleis ]<br />
*[http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?] <br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
== References ==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
--></div>S146529https://cstwiki.wtb.tue.nl/index.php?title=PRE2015_4_Groep5&diff=27150PRE2015 4 Groep52016-05-12T12:05:23Z<p>S146529: /* Society */</p>
<hr />
<div>__FORCETOC__<br />
<br />
[[File:HASP_logo_v0.1.png|600px|right]]<br />
<br />
== Group members ==<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
==Introduction==<br />
<br />
===Abstract===<br />
<br />
===Problem statement===<br />
<br />
The world needs to produce at least 50% more food to feed 9 billion people by 2050. But climate change could cut crop yields by more than 25%.<ref name="Food security">[http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/foodsecurity]</ref> With this in mind we need to look for novel solutions to the problem of insufficient food production. This solution will need to take the interests of users, society, and enterprise into account. Moreover, this solution needs to surpass the state of the art by employing cutting-edge technology.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15).</ref><br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
===Motivation===<br />
<br />
Nutrition is vital to sustaining life, and food security is important for political stability and human welfare. We want to address the problem of food availability due to its relevance: continuing population and consumption growth will mean that the global demand for food will increase for at least another 40 years.<ref name="Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People">[http://science.sciencemag.org/content/327/5967/812 Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People]</ref><br />
<br />
Agriculture is an integral part of the European economy and society. It provides the basis for food, feed and non-food products to meet the demands of consumers and a wide range of industries.<ref name="Horizon 2020: Agriculture & Forestry">[https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/en/area/agriculture-forestry Agriculture & Forestry]</ref> By designing a solution to the agricultural challenge we will need to take into account the needs of users: like consumers of food, society: the ecological impacts of our solution, and enterprise: the solution needs to be competitive in order to gain an economical advantage.<br />
<br />
The agricultural industry is ever advancing, not only is the biological aspect of farming being researched, there are also improvements in automation,<ref name="Agricultural Robotics and Automation">[http://www.ieee-ras.org/agricultural-robotics Agricultural Robotics and Automation]</ref> and we want to explore the automation of this industry. We want to develop a solution that allows for automation of food production beyond the state of the art, moreover the solution needs to be scalable.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
==Mariculture==<br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
Mariculture is a specialized branch of aquaculture involving the cultivation of marine organisms for food and other products in the open ocean, an enclosed section of the ocean, or in tanks, ponds or raceways which are filled with seawater. An example of the latter is the farming of marine fish, including finfish and shellfish like prawns, or oysters and seaweed in saltwater ponds.<ref name="Mariculture">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariculture Mariculture]</ref><br />
<br />
In this section we will explore mariculture, and explain why we chose it as a solution to the problem previously stated. Mariculture encompasses a wide range of organisms, from the cultivation of water-based plants to the breeding of aquatic animals. For this project we will focus on the cultivation of aquatic plants, and in particular types of seaweed.<br />
<br />
===Commonly cultivated seaweed species===<br />
<br />
*The total seaweed production features a lot of brown kelps. These weeds grow in cold water zones, they are long and have a leathery structure. They must be harvested before the water temperature rises to 21 degrees, otherwise the kelps will rot. Kombu (Laminaria Japonica) is used a lot in Japanese recipies for soups, as dried snacks, or in salads. Kombu is a dietary fiber and contains high levels of iodine. In China, 50% of the Laminaria production is meant for industrial purposes for its iodine, algin and mannitol. Due to this, laminaria are considered as one of the best renewable resources and it makes up for a major part of the maricultural sector. Japan has made effort to increase the production but due to its labour intensitive nature, the market is not expected to expand notably. [http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Laminaria_japonica/en] Wakame (Undaria) is the type of kelp you will find in your misosoup. With a subtle sweet flavour and satin-like texture it is most suitable for human consumption. The weed is a rich source of omega-3 and helps burn fatty tissue. However, it is also in the top 100 of worst invasive species in cold waters, which is partly caused by aquaculture. [ http://www.seaweed.ie/]<br />
<br />
*Gelidium amansii and Pterocladia are valuable red algae that can be found at shallow coasts. They can be used in salads and to make agar, a jelly-like substance that can be used for microbiological research and various industrial purposes. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelidium_amansii] They have been cultured in Korea since the last century, but always on a small scale. There have been various attempts to farm the algae at sea, but the slow growth rate and required non-contaminated waters made it unattractive for commercial cultivation.[https://books.google.nl/books?id=19mM4xtgfOMC&pg=PA2&lpg=PA2&dq=Pterocladia+farm&source=bl&ots=MtH0LvASHr&sig=RXZNWMEOLnv1yS-WP2fWqv6SDpo&hl=nl&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwieqMmLnsrMAhXlAsAKHVoKDzwQ6AEIRTAF#v=onepage&q=Pterocladia%20farm&f=false]<br />
<br />
*Nori or Zicai (Porphyra) are most famous for composing the sushi wraps. The red algae grow in cold and shallow waters in the intertidal zone. After growing in the sea for 50 days, the weeds can be harvested every 10-15 days. The Nori market is stable, the demand is not expected to grow or shrink in the coming years. In Japan, the annual production is valued at 1 billion US dollars.[http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Porphyra_spp/en#tcNA0112]<br />
<br />
===Mariculture as a solution===<br />
<br />
===Environment===<br />
<br />
====Dead zones====<br />
<br />
[[File:Deadzones.jpg|thumb|Dead zones in oceans around the world.]]<br />
<br />
Ocean dead zones are areas with low oxygen levels and hardly any marine life. These areas are caused by agriculture fertilizers that increase the level of nitrogen and phosphorus, also known as eutriphication. The result is a rapid increase in phytoplankton, because they are 'build' from phosphorus and nitrogen. These algal blooms cause deadzones. The number of deadzones is increasing.<br />
As a result, the fertility of the marine life drops dramatically, and in more extreme cases, fish fall unconcious and then suffocate. Slow moving creatures on the seafloor are unable to escape.<br />
Seaweed is capable of uptaking both nitrogen and phosphorus and replacing it with oxygen. For this reason seaweed is also cultivated around fishfarms. Seaweed would be a cheap although perhaps slow solution in the reviving of deadzones.[https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf]<br />
<br />
====Climate====<br />
<br />
====Locations====<br />
<br />
To determine the best location for a sea-farm we have to take into account several aspects. The temperature of the seawater should be the right temperature for seaweed. For example the best temperature for growing Eucheuma is 20-25 °Celsius, but there are also species that can grow in water of 10 °Celsius. So seaweed can grow in almost every ocean. The depth of the sea does not matter for the seaweed because it grows from the surface downwards. But for the farm itself the depth does matter. Anchoring the farm is easier in a shallow area in the ocean. Commonly these areas are near the coast, an advantage of sea-farms which are near the costs is that the transport from farm to the secondary users is cheaper. Also building and maintaining the farm is easier if it is closer to the mainland. The dead zones are also located near the seashore, so the dead zones are an extra motivation of locating the sea-farms there. A disadvantage are the shipping routes that are located in these areas. Thankfully, these routes are taken by most commercial ships. This leaves open spots near the coast where there are no passing ships and where the seaweedfarms could be located. Important shipping routes at the Dutch coast [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NoordzeeScheepvaartroutes.png] With the sealevels rising due to climate change, and the seafarm's habit breaking waves, it would be beneficial to locate the farm nearby a shore that is threatend by rising sea levels.<br />
<br />
===Nutrition===<br />
<br />
From a nutritional standpoint, the main properties of seaweeds that distinguish them from higher plants are their high mineral and dietary fibre contents. The high iron and magnesium contents are of particular nutritional interest due to their metabolic or functional properties. In comparison with other sources of fibres, seaweeds contain a high proportion of soluble fibres, which exhibit original fermentation patterns in the large intestine. Red seaweeds have a high protein content, comparable to that of high-protein vegetables. Available data suggest that they have a unique amino acid pattern, complementary to that of most terrestrial vegetables.<ref name="Seaweed in food products: biochemical and nutritional aspects">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/092422449390091N Serge Mabeau, Joël Fleurence: Seaweed in food products: biochemical and nutritional aspects (1993)]</ref> Edible brown and red seaweeds could be used as a food supplement to help meet the recommended daily adult intakes of some macrominerals and trace elements. <ref name="P. Rupérez: Mineral content of edible marine seaweeds (2002)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814602001711 P. Rupérez: Mineral content of edible marine seaweeds (2002)]</ref><br />
<br />
There might be some hesitance in the use of seaweed for human nutrition, but he seaweeds which are used as biological filters and food material for farmed animals could easily be included in the human food value chain by this route.<ref name="Joël Fleurence, Michele Morançais, Justine Dumay, Priscilla Decottignies, Vincent Turpin, Mathilde Munier, Nuria Garcia-Bueno and Pascal Jaouen<br />
: What are the prospects for using seaweed in human nutrition and for marine animals raised through aquaculture? (2012)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224412000544 Joël Fleurence, Michele Morançais, Justine Dumay, Priscilla Decottignies, Vincent Turpin, Mathilde Munier, Nuria Garcia-Bueno and Pascal Jaouen<br />
: What are the prospects for using seaweed in human nutrition and for marine animals raised through aquaculture? (2012)]</ref><ref name="Joël Fleurence: Seaweed proteins: biochemical, nutritional aspects and potential use (1999)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224499000151 Joël Fleurence: Seaweed proteins: biochemical, nutritional aspects and potential use (1999)]</ref><br />
<br />
===State of the art===<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
* Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
* Pond-farms can make use of otherwise infertile and underutilized land.<br />
* Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
* Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
* Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
* Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
* The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
* Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
<br />
* Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
* Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
* Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
* Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
* Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
* Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
* Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
* Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
* Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
* Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
===Types of farms===<br />
<br />
====Anchored====<br />
<br />
====Drifting====<br />
<br />
===Tasks to be carried out on farms===<br />
'''Primary tasks'''<br />
* Seeding<br />
* Cleaning<br />
* Harvesting<br />
'''Secondary tasks'''<br />
* Checking the quality of the plants<br />
* Removing corrupt plants<br />
* Pruning<br />
<br />
==Stakeholders==<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
The USE aspects:<br />
The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
Enterprise: It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===User===<br />
Seaweed farmers.<br />
<br />
Drawback: Introduction of our system on the mariculture market could cost the jobs of the few brave seaweed farmers we have today. These farmers operate on a small scale on a small market and would be easily competed out. To prevent this, our systems user group is are the already existing seaweed farmers that want to expand their business, and the more industrialized farmers in Asia.<br />
<br />
The USE aspects: The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
<br />
===Society===<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
<br />
===Enterprise===<br />
<br />
==Maritime robotics==<br />
<br />
<br />
<i><br />
::Specifications<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
::Practical tips<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
::Responsibility<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!</i><br />
<br />
===Types of robots===<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===Locomotion===<br />
<br />
[[File:Drifterandjet.jpg|thumb|A passive ocean drifter and a high-speed jet.]]<br />
<br />
*Jet propulsion — water is taken in and propelled out at high speed, using a directed nozzle makes this very maneuverable.<br />
*Ocean current — passively drifting along the ocean current.<br />
*Propeller — a classic ship's screw to propel forwards and backwards.<br />
*Undulation — moving the body like a fish does.<br />
*Wind — using the power of the wind to sail.<br />
<br />
===Sensing===<br />
<br />
[[File:bathymetry.jpg |thumb|Sonar can be used for bathymetry, measuring the depth of the ocean floor.]]<br />
<br />
*Acoustic Doppler current profiler — measures the speed and direction of ocean currents using the principle of “Doppler shift”.<br />
*Camera — for visual data, has a limited range.<br />
*Conductivity — together with temperature and depth information, a good estimate of the salinity may be determined.<br />
*GPS — find the position, only works above the surface of the water.<br />
*Hydrophone — listen for sounds in the water.<br />
*Oxygen — determine the oxygen levels of the water.<br />
*Pressure — determine the depth the robot is at.<br />
*Semipermeable membrane density — a passive sampling device used to monitor trace levels of organic contaminants. When placed in an aquatic environment, SPMDs accumulate hydrophobic organic compounds, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and organochlorine pesticides from the surrounding waters.<br />
*Sonar — is used to find and identify objects in water. It is also used to determine water depth (bathymetry. May disturb marine life.<br />
*Temperature — determine the temperature of the water.<br />
*pH — determine the acidity of the water.<br />
<br />
===Communication===<br />
===Energy===<br />
The ocean offers several alternative options for energy generation. When a robot can use it's own energy on the sea, it is more autonomous.<br />
Options for Alternative ocean energy:<br />
*Tidal energy<br />
*Wave energy<br />
*Salinity gradient<br />
*Tidal Range<br />
*Ocean thermal energy conversion<br />
*Tidal range<br />
<br />
==Proposed design==<br />
<br />
===Description===<br />
*'''Location''' Our own Dutch North Sea might just be to place to be. With an average temperature of 12 degrees[http://gemiddeldgezien.nl/gemiddelde-watertemperatuur-noordzee], a former deadzone that is struggling with pollution from the many estuaries, and with a country that has always struggled with living beneath a rising sealevel, the seaweed farm has a lot to offer. When we also consider the busy shipping routes in the North Sea, Zeeland would be the most suitable area.<br />
*'''Farmed type of seaweed''' The HASP will farm the Laminaria seaweed species. Because of the high demand for it can not be fulfilled with the current techniques, and because it has a low impact on the enviroment.<br />
<br />
*'''System Design'''The design of our system will be largely modelled after the traditional seaweed farms.<br />
''distance between lines''<br />
<br />
===Automation===<br />
====Seeding====<br />
Like at normal seafarming, the young seedlings will first be grown at land in a greenhouse in the summer, when the water is hot. Mid-November, when they have grown 10-15 cm, they need to be planted at the seafarm. The seedlings are attached to the vertical lines to grow out, with the upper plants receving more sunlight than the lower ones. Can one of our robots attcach the seeds to the ropes?<br />
<br />
====Control and hygiene====<br />
There are several diseases that could affect the seaweed, caused by bacteria or by the enviroment. These diseases can be recognized visually and envirmental factors can be measured. Sensors would be needed for: illumination (too much or too little light causes rot), fres/salt water level and pollution. All diseases require different treatments, for which we have to think of automated solutions.<br />
Harm done by water grazers like fish can be minimized by placing the farm in deep waters, away from the coastal fish and the creatures on the seafloor. <br />
<br />
====Harvesting====<br />
Harvesting can be started in April. The plant grows faster in winter and slower in summer, with a rate of 1.1 cm per day in May. Making up for 2.5 meters a year. The plant can regenerate when it's been trimmed, but will grow slower. The normal age with this practice does not exceed 4 years.<br />
<br />
====Drying====<br />
It seems very inefficient to dry the seaweed in the open sea, it takes a lot of space and when one wave flushes over it, all the drying will have been for nothing. For that reason, seaweed must be taken to the mainland to dry. After it has been harvested, it must be stored for a short period, before it is transported. What amount of seaweed and for how long can it be stored without rotting?<br />
<br />
====Transport====<br />
<br />
====Communication to mainland====<br />
<br />
====Mapping tasks to robots====<br />
<br />
====Energy====<br />
In order to be fully atonomous and enviromentally friendly, the HASP will have to generate it's own energy.<br />
<br />
====Scalability====<br />
Number of plants on one vertical lines:<br />
Number of lines per meter:<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
The robots behaviour underwater would generate sound. Although the underwater world might seem silent to humans, fish experience sound intensly. The effects of human generated sounds on fish might therefore be harmful. Research results vary from little to no effect, to immediate death. Because the variety of sounds and fish is so large, we will try to minimize the sound level but not take extra measures to protect the fish from our robot's noices.<br />
<br />
===Big Data and IoT===<br />
<br />
<i>The farm comes equipped with a lot of sensors to monitor its own condition and its enviroment. Using all of this data one can analyze it in real time, and after collecting more data extrapolate long-term trends. With all the robotic agents on the farm, combined with the data collected, the farm can be administrated remotely. The farm can be made smart to send out maintenance calls on its.</i><br />
<br />
====Science====<br />
<br />
<i>The data collected by the farm and its robots can be shared with scientists and governments. More farms mean more sensors and thus a larger sensor size. This data would for example be very useful to The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) on which engineers and scientist can find all the data available about the european waters. The European Commission has started Marine Knowledge 2020 with the aim to bring to bring all of the marine data from different sources together. This initiative examplifies the need for marine data.</i><br />
<br />
==Robot prototype==<br />
<br />
===Design process===<br />
The design for the prototype consists of three components, one for the movement, one for grabbing and cutting and one for the Arduino and battery. The robot moves along a cable, for our prototype we will use a bicycle chain. The robot has three gearing wheels for a stable movement along the cable. The gearing wheel in the middle is driven by an engine. The component with the Arduino and the battery is hanging below the movement-component, just like a chairlift. This component should be heavy enough to sink, this is necessary to keep the bicycle chain on tension. Below this component is the cut-and-grab-component, and is joined to the mothership with rope or a telescoping arm. This rope or telescoping arm is needed for a vertical movement, the robot should be able to cut at different depths. The claw should be able to grab seaweed that might have flowed away a bit, so the claw should be able to move horizontal. This happens by a telescoping arm. The scissors should be placed above the claw, otherwise the robot would cut seaweed that is not hold by the claw.<br />
<br />
===Technical description===<br />
<br />
===Demonstration===<br />
<br />
==Business and law==<br />
<br />
In 2014, the total annual value of produced seaweed was $6.4 billion. Worldwide, 93.8% of the global total production of aquatic plants came from aquaculture. Countries in East and Southeast Asia dominate seaweed culture production.<ref name="A guide to the seaweed industry">[http://www.fao.org/3/a-y4765e.pdf A guide to the seaweed industry]</ref> About 25 million tonnes of seaweeds and other algae are harvested annually for use as food, in cosmetics and fertilizers, and are processed to extract thickening agents or used as an additive to animal feed.<ref name="The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2014">[http://www.fao.org/3/a-i3720e.pdf The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2014]</ref> For the demand of food-grade seaweed to grow, there needs to be a dietary trend towards protein-rich vegetables, which seems to be the case. Growing the demand for seaweed requires a shift in the consumer's perception of seaweed as a food. Seaweed can be processed to be used as a source of nutrients for certain processed foods. There is increasing demand for seaweed as an agricultural supply, to use as animal food. It is also possible to use seaweed as a source for certain chemicals, i.e. for use in cosmetics.<br />
<br />
===Business case===<br />
<br />
====Cost vs. profit====<br />
<br />
===Laws===<br />
<br />
====International law====<br />
<br />
====European law====<br />
<br />
====Dutch law====<br />
<br />
==Looking ahead==<br />
<br />
===Future farms===<br />
<br />
The farm we have outlined only concerns the cultivation of seaweeds. However, farms can be augmented by employing bivalves in order to filter the water of pollutants.<ref name="Biosorption and bioaccumulation of heavy metals by rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata in the Persian Gulf">[http://www.intelaquares.com/doc/7b.pdf Biosorption and bioaccumulation of heavy metals by rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata in the Persian Gulf]</ref><br />
<br />
===Recommendations===<br />
<br />
===Horizon 2020===<br />
<br />
'''Applicable areas:'''<br />
<br />
*Agriculture & forestry<br />
*Aquatic resources<br />
*Bio-based industries<br />
*Environment & climate action<br />
*Food & healthy diet<br />
*Innovation<br />
*SME (small-medium enterprise)<br />
<br />
'''Relevant research calls:'''<br />
<br />
*High value-added specialized vessel concepts enabling more efficient servicing of emerging coastal and offshore activities. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/5119-bg-02-2016-2017.html (link)] € 7 million<br />
*New sources of proteins for animal feed from co-products to address the EU protein gap. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/17081-bbi-2016-d08.html (link)] € 15 million<br />
*Promoting and supporting the eco-intensification of aquaculture production systems: inland (including fresh water), coastal zone, and offshore. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/6050-sfs-32-2017.html (link)] € 6 million<br />
<br />
'''Also'''<br />
Marine Knowledge 2020 with The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet), aims to collect a lot more data from the seas and oceans than we do at the moment.<br />
<br />
==Discussion==<br />
<br />
==Conclusion==<br />
<br />
==Sources and references==<br />
<br />
===Sources===<br />
<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Doty, M.S. & Caddy, J.F. & Santelices, B. (1987), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Juanich, Godardo L. (1988), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/ac416e00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE(1. EUCHEUMA SPP.)]<br />
*Kitadai, Yuuki & Kadowaki, Shusaki (2007), [https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf Growth, nitrogen and phosphorous uptake rates and O2 production rate of seaweeds cultured on coastal fish farms]<br />
*Kleis, Roelof (2010), [http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification]<br />
*Lacey, Stephen & Mellino, Cole (2011), [http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
* NOAA Ocean Explorer Webmaster (2013), [http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/technology/tools/tools.html NOAA Observing Systems and Sensors]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Popper, Arthur N. & Hastings, Mardi C. (2009), [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1749-4877.2008.00134.x/epdf The effects of human-generated sound on fish]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image]. <br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
===References===<br />
<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
<!--<br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
<br />
= Group members =<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
= Preliminary brainstorm =<br />
==Benefits==<br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
<br />
===Proposals===<br />
*Floating robot<br />
**Solar panel<br />
**Lowering (anker-style) cutter<br />
**Hard to position,<br />
***Drifts<br />
***“Dijnst[dutch]”<br />
*Rover robot<br />
**Stable polypoid (crab-style)<br />
**Hard to cut above his head<br />
*Swimming robot<br />
**May become struck between the weed<br />
**Perfect mobility and can cut everywhere<br />
Combination of multiple robot’s for every seafruit a suitable robot.<br />
<br />
= Problem =<br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15). </ref><br />
<br />
<br />
= Mariculture =<br />
<br />
<i>In this section cover what mariculture is and various aspects of mariculture.</i><br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
== Environmental effects ==<br />
<br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms. These can be classified in two categories:<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
<br />
* '''Positive aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
** Pond-farms can make use of otherwise unfertile and underutilised land.<br />
** Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
** Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
** Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
** Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
** The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
** Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<br />
* '''Negative aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
** Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
** Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
** Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
** Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
** Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
** Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
** Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
** Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
** Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
These effects should be considered when deploying seaweed farms to ensure sustainable aquaculture development.<br />
<br />
= Maritime robotics =<br />
== Types of maritime robots ==<br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
<br />
== Specifications ==<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
== Practical tips ==<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
== Responsibility ==<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!<br />
<br />
= State of the art =<br />
<br />
== Robots for mariculture ==<br />
<i>In this section we link mariculture and maritime robots, we elaborate on the type of (maritime) robots that are especially useful for sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= Automation =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the automation of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
= Scaling =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the scalability of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
== Sea farm design ==<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we propose a design for an innovative high-tech sea farm.</i><br />
<br />
= Sea robot prototype =<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we showcase a prototype of a robot to be used on our cutting-edge sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= USE: stakeholders =<br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
The USE aspects:<br />
The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
Enterprise: It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
=Tasks=<br />
[[{{TALKPAGENAME}}|Logbook]]<br />
<br />
=Drive=<br />
[https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=66031F8492322E24!604219&authkey=!AOO7hi5CT65E46Y&ithint=folder%2cdocx USE Waterpret]<br />
<br />
= Sources =<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/AC416E00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE 1. EUCHEUMA SPP.]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image].<br />
*[http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification, December 23, 2010 By Roelof Kleis ]<br />
*[http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?] <br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
== References ==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
--></div>S146529https://cstwiki.wtb.tue.nl/index.php?title=PRE2015_4_Groep5&diff=27148PRE2015 4 Groep52016-05-12T12:04:37Z<p>S146529: /* User */</p>
<hr />
<div>__FORCETOC__<br />
<br />
[[File:HASP_logo_v0.1.png|600px|right]]<br />
<br />
== Group members ==<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
==Introduction==<br />
<br />
===Abstract===<br />
<br />
===Problem statement===<br />
<br />
The world needs to produce at least 50% more food to feed 9 billion people by 2050. But climate change could cut crop yields by more than 25%.<ref name="Food security">[http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/foodsecurity]</ref> With this in mind we need to look for novel solutions to the problem of insufficient food production. This solution will need to take the interests of users, society, and enterprise into account. Moreover, this solution needs to surpass the state of the art by employing cutting-edge technology.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15).</ref><br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
===Motivation===<br />
<br />
Nutrition is vital to sustaining life, and food security is important for political stability and human welfare. We want to address the problem of food availability due to its relevance: continuing population and consumption growth will mean that the global demand for food will increase for at least another 40 years.<ref name="Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People">[http://science.sciencemag.org/content/327/5967/812 Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People]</ref><br />
<br />
Agriculture is an integral part of the European economy and society. It provides the basis for food, feed and non-food products to meet the demands of consumers and a wide range of industries.<ref name="Horizon 2020: Agriculture & Forestry">[https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/en/area/agriculture-forestry Agriculture & Forestry]</ref> By designing a solution to the agricultural challenge we will need to take into account the needs of users: like consumers of food, society: the ecological impacts of our solution, and enterprise: the solution needs to be competitive in order to gain an economical advantage.<br />
<br />
The agricultural industry is ever advancing, not only is the biological aspect of farming being researched, there are also improvements in automation,<ref name="Agricultural Robotics and Automation">[http://www.ieee-ras.org/agricultural-robotics Agricultural Robotics and Automation]</ref> and we want to explore the automation of this industry. We want to develop a solution that allows for automation of food production beyond the state of the art, moreover the solution needs to be scalable.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
==Mariculture==<br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
Mariculture is a specialized branch of aquaculture involving the cultivation of marine organisms for food and other products in the open ocean, an enclosed section of the ocean, or in tanks, ponds or raceways which are filled with seawater. An example of the latter is the farming of marine fish, including finfish and shellfish like prawns, or oysters and seaweed in saltwater ponds.<ref name="Mariculture">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariculture Mariculture]</ref><br />
<br />
In this section we will explore mariculture, and explain why we chose it as a solution to the problem previously stated. Mariculture encompasses a wide range of organisms, from the cultivation of water-based plants to the breeding of aquatic animals. For this project we will focus on the cultivation of aquatic plants, and in particular types of seaweed.<br />
<br />
===Commonly cultivated seaweed species===<br />
<br />
*The total seaweed production features a lot of brown kelps. These weeds grow in cold water zones, they are long and have a leathery structure. They must be harvested before the water temperature rises to 21 degrees, otherwise the kelps will rot. Kombu (Laminaria Japonica) is used a lot in Japanese recipies for soups, as dried snacks, or in salads. Kombu is a dietary fiber and contains high levels of iodine. In China, 50% of the Laminaria production is meant for industrial purposes for its iodine, algin and mannitol. Due to this, laminaria are considered as one of the best renewable resources and it makes up for a major part of the maricultural sector. Japan has made effort to increase the production but due to its labour intensitive nature, the market is not expected to expand notably. [http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Laminaria_japonica/en] Wakame (Undaria) is the type of kelp you will find in your misosoup. With a subtle sweet flavour and satin-like texture it is most suitable for human consumption. The weed is a rich source of omega-3 and helps burn fatty tissue. However, it is also in the top 100 of worst invasive species in cold waters, which is partly caused by aquaculture. [ http://www.seaweed.ie/]<br />
<br />
*Gelidium amansii and Pterocladia are valuable red algae that can be found at shallow coasts. They can be used in salads and to make agar, a jelly-like substance that can be used for microbiological research and various industrial purposes. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelidium_amansii] They have been cultured in Korea since the last century, but always on a small scale. There have been various attempts to farm the algae at sea, but the slow growth rate and required non-contaminated waters made it unattractive for commercial cultivation.[https://books.google.nl/books?id=19mM4xtgfOMC&pg=PA2&lpg=PA2&dq=Pterocladia+farm&source=bl&ots=MtH0LvASHr&sig=RXZNWMEOLnv1yS-WP2fWqv6SDpo&hl=nl&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwieqMmLnsrMAhXlAsAKHVoKDzwQ6AEIRTAF#v=onepage&q=Pterocladia%20farm&f=false]<br />
<br />
*Nori or Zicai (Porphyra) are most famous for composing the sushi wraps. The red algae grow in cold and shallow waters in the intertidal zone. After growing in the sea for 50 days, the weeds can be harvested every 10-15 days. The Nori market is stable, the demand is not expected to grow or shrink in the coming years. In Japan, the annual production is valued at 1 billion US dollars.[http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Porphyra_spp/en#tcNA0112]<br />
<br />
===Mariculture as a solution===<br />
<br />
===Environment===<br />
<br />
====Dead zones====<br />
<br />
[[File:Deadzones.jpg|thumb|Dead zones in oceans around the world.]]<br />
<br />
Ocean dead zones are areas with low oxygen levels and hardly any marine life. These areas are caused by agriculture fertilizers that increase the level of nitrogen and phosphorus, also known as eutriphication. The result is a rapid increase in phytoplankton, because they are 'build' from phosphorus and nitrogen. These algal blooms cause deadzones. The number of deadzones is increasing.<br />
As a result, the fertility of the marine life drops dramatically, and in more extreme cases, fish fall unconcious and then suffocate. Slow moving creatures on the seafloor are unable to escape.<br />
Seaweed is capable of uptaking both nitrogen and phosphorus and replacing it with oxygen. For this reason seaweed is also cultivated around fishfarms. Seaweed would be a cheap although perhaps slow solution in the reviving of deadzones.[https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf]<br />
<br />
====Climate====<br />
<br />
====Locations====<br />
<br />
To determine the best location for a sea-farm we have to take into account several aspects. The temperature of the seawater should be the right temperature for seaweed. For example the best temperature for growing Eucheuma is 20-25 °Celsius, but there are also species that can grow in water of 10 °Celsius. So seaweed can grow in almost every ocean. The depth of the sea does not matter for the seaweed because it grows from the surface downwards. But for the farm itself the depth does matter. Anchoring the farm is easier in a shallow area in the ocean. Commonly these areas are near the coast, an advantage of sea-farms which are near the costs is that the transport from farm to the secondary users is cheaper. Also building and maintaining the farm is easier if it is closer to the mainland. The dead zones are also located near the seashore, so the dead zones are an extra motivation of locating the sea-farms there. A disadvantage are the shipping routes that are located in these areas. Thankfully, these routes are taken by most commercial ships. This leaves open spots near the coast where there are no passing ships and where the seaweedfarms could be located. Important shipping routes at the Dutch coast [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NoordzeeScheepvaartroutes.png] With the sealevels rising due to climate change, and the seafarm's habit breaking waves, it would be beneficial to locate the farm nearby a shore that is threatend by rising sea levels.<br />
<br />
===Nutrition===<br />
<br />
From a nutritional standpoint, the main properties of seaweeds that distinguish them from higher plants are their high mineral and dietary fibre contents. The high iron and magnesium contents are of particular nutritional interest due to their metabolic or functional properties. In comparison with other sources of fibres, seaweeds contain a high proportion of soluble fibres, which exhibit original fermentation patterns in the large intestine. Red seaweeds have a high protein content, comparable to that of high-protein vegetables. Available data suggest that they have a unique amino acid pattern, complementary to that of most terrestrial vegetables.<ref name="Seaweed in food products: biochemical and nutritional aspects">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/092422449390091N Serge Mabeau, Joël Fleurence: Seaweed in food products: biochemical and nutritional aspects (1993)]</ref> Edible brown and red seaweeds could be used as a food supplement to help meet the recommended daily adult intakes of some macrominerals and trace elements. <ref name="P. Rupérez: Mineral content of edible marine seaweeds (2002)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814602001711 P. Rupérez: Mineral content of edible marine seaweeds (2002)]</ref><br />
<br />
There might be some hesitance in the use of seaweed for human nutrition, but he seaweeds which are used as biological filters and food material for farmed animals could easily be included in the human food value chain by this route.<ref name="Joël Fleurence, Michele Morançais, Justine Dumay, Priscilla Decottignies, Vincent Turpin, Mathilde Munier, Nuria Garcia-Bueno and Pascal Jaouen<br />
: What are the prospects for using seaweed in human nutrition and for marine animals raised through aquaculture? (2012)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224412000544 Joël Fleurence, Michele Morançais, Justine Dumay, Priscilla Decottignies, Vincent Turpin, Mathilde Munier, Nuria Garcia-Bueno and Pascal Jaouen<br />
: What are the prospects for using seaweed in human nutrition and for marine animals raised through aquaculture? (2012)]</ref><ref name="Joël Fleurence: Seaweed proteins: biochemical, nutritional aspects and potential use (1999)">[http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224499000151 Joël Fleurence: Seaweed proteins: biochemical, nutritional aspects and potential use (1999)]</ref><br />
<br />
===State of the art===<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
* Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
* Pond-farms can make use of otherwise infertile and underutilized land.<br />
* Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
* Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
* Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
* Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
* The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
* Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
<br />
* Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
* Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
* Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
* Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
* Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
* Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
* Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
* Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
* Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
* Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
===Types of farms===<br />
<br />
====Anchored====<br />
<br />
====Drifting====<br />
<br />
===Tasks to be carried out on farms===<br />
'''Primary tasks'''<br />
* Seeding<br />
* Cleaning<br />
* Harvesting<br />
'''Secondary tasks'''<br />
* Checking the quality of the plants<br />
* Removing corrupt plants<br />
* Pruning<br />
<br />
==Stakeholders==<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
The USE aspects:<br />
The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
Enterprise: It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===User===<br />
Seaweed farmers.<br />
<br />
Drawback: Introduction of our system on the mariculture market could cost the jobs of the few brave seaweed farmers we have today. These farmers operate on a small scale on a small market and would be easily competed out. To prevent this, our systems user group is are the already existing seaweed farmers that want to expand their business, and the more industrialized farmers in Asia.<br />
<br />
The USE aspects: The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
<br />
===Society===<br />
<br />
===Enterprise===<br />
<br />
==Maritime robotics==<br />
<br />
<br />
<i><br />
::Specifications<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
::Practical tips<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
::Responsibility<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!</i><br />
<br />
===Types of robots===<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===Locomotion===<br />
<br />
[[File:Drifterandjet.jpg|thumb|A passive ocean drifter and a high-speed jet.]]<br />
<br />
*Jet propulsion — water is taken in and propelled out at high speed, using a directed nozzle makes this very maneuverable.<br />
*Ocean current — passively drifting along the ocean current.<br />
*Propeller — a classic ship's screw to propel forwards and backwards.<br />
*Undulation — moving the body like a fish does.<br />
*Wind — using the power of the wind to sail.<br />
<br />
===Sensing===<br />
<br />
[[File:bathymetry.jpg |thumb|Sonar can be used for bathymetry, measuring the depth of the ocean floor.]]<br />
<br />
*Acoustic Doppler current profiler — measures the speed and direction of ocean currents using the principle of “Doppler shift”.<br />
*Camera — for visual data, has a limited range.<br />
*Conductivity — together with temperature and depth information, a good estimate of the salinity may be determined.<br />
*GPS — find the position, only works above the surface of the water.<br />
*Hydrophone — listen for sounds in the water.<br />
*Oxygen — determine the oxygen levels of the water.<br />
*Pressure — determine the depth the robot is at.<br />
*Semipermeable membrane density — a passive sampling device used to monitor trace levels of organic contaminants. When placed in an aquatic environment, SPMDs accumulate hydrophobic organic compounds, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and organochlorine pesticides from the surrounding waters.<br />
*Sonar — is used to find and identify objects in water. It is also used to determine water depth (bathymetry. May disturb marine life.<br />
*Temperature — determine the temperature of the water.<br />
*pH — determine the acidity of the water.<br />
<br />
===Communication===<br />
===Energy===<br />
The ocean offers several alternative options for energy generation. When a robot can use it's own energy on the sea, it is more autonomous.<br />
Options for Alternative ocean energy:<br />
*Tidal energy<br />
*Wave energy<br />
*Salinity gradient<br />
*Tidal Range<br />
*Ocean thermal energy conversion<br />
*Tidal range<br />
<br />
==Proposed design==<br />
<br />
===Description===<br />
*'''Location''' Our own Dutch North Sea might just be to place to be. With an average temperature of 12 degrees[http://gemiddeldgezien.nl/gemiddelde-watertemperatuur-noordzee], a former deadzone that is struggling with pollution from the many estuaries, and with a country that has always struggled with living beneath a rising sealevel, the seaweed farm has a lot to offer. When we also consider the busy shipping routes in the North Sea, Zeeland would be the most suitable area.<br />
*'''Farmed type of seaweed''' The HASP will farm the Laminaria seaweed species. Because of the high demand for it can not be fulfilled with the current techniques, and because it has a low impact on the enviroment.<br />
<br />
*'''System Design'''The design of our system will be largely modelled after the traditional seaweed farms.<br />
''distance between lines''<br />
<br />
===Automation===<br />
====Seeding====<br />
Like at normal seafarming, the young seedlings will first be grown at land in a greenhouse in the summer, when the water is hot. Mid-November, when they have grown 10-15 cm, they need to be planted at the seafarm. The seedlings are attached to the vertical lines to grow out, with the upper plants receving more sunlight than the lower ones. Can one of our robots attcach the seeds to the ropes?<br />
<br />
====Control and hygiene====<br />
There are several diseases that could affect the seaweed, caused by bacteria or by the enviroment. These diseases can be recognized visually and envirmental factors can be measured. Sensors would be needed for: illumination (too much or too little light causes rot), fres/salt water level and pollution. All diseases require different treatments, for which we have to think of automated solutions.<br />
Harm done by water grazers like fish can be minimized by placing the farm in deep waters, away from the coastal fish and the creatures on the seafloor. <br />
<br />
====Harvesting====<br />
Harvesting can be started in April. The plant grows faster in winter and slower in summer, with a rate of 1.1 cm per day in May. Making up for 2.5 meters a year. The plant can regenerate when it's been trimmed, but will grow slower. The normal age with this practice does not exceed 4 years.<br />
<br />
====Drying====<br />
It seems very inefficient to dry the seaweed in the open sea, it takes a lot of space and when one wave flushes over it, all the drying will have been for nothing. For that reason, seaweed must be taken to the mainland to dry. After it has been harvested, it must be stored for a short period, before it is transported. What amount of seaweed and for how long can it be stored without rotting?<br />
<br />
====Transport====<br />
<br />
====Communication to mainland====<br />
<br />
====Mapping tasks to robots====<br />
<br />
====Energy====<br />
In order to be fully atonomous and enviromentally friendly, the HASP will have to generate it's own energy.<br />
<br />
====Scalability====<br />
Number of plants on one vertical lines:<br />
Number of lines per meter:<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
The robots behaviour underwater would generate sound. Although the underwater world might seem silent to humans, fish experience sound intensly. The effects of human generated sounds on fish might therefore be harmful. Research results vary from little to no effect, to immediate death. Because the variety of sounds and fish is so large, we will try to minimize the sound level but not take extra measures to protect the fish from our robot's noices.<br />
<br />
===Big Data and IoT===<br />
<br />
<i>The farm comes equipped with a lot of sensors to monitor its own condition and its enviroment. Using all of this data one can analyze it in real time, and after collecting more data extrapolate long-term trends. With all the robotic agents on the farm, combined with the data collected, the farm can be administrated remotely. The farm can be made smart to send out maintenance calls on its.</i><br />
<br />
====Science====<br />
<br />
<i>The data collected by the farm and its robots can be shared with scientists and governments. More farms mean more sensors and thus a larger sensor size. This data would for example be very useful to The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) on which engineers and scientist can find all the data available about the european waters. The European Commission has started Marine Knowledge 2020 with the aim to bring to bring all of the marine data from different sources together. This initiative examplifies the need for marine data.</i><br />
<br />
==Robot prototype==<br />
<br />
===Design process===<br />
The design for the prototype consists of three components, one for the movement, one for grabbing and cutting and one for the Arduino and battery. The robot moves along a cable, for our prototype we will use a bicycle chain. The robot has three gearing wheels for a stable movement along the cable. The gearing wheel in the middle is driven by an engine. The component with the Arduino and the battery is hanging below the movement-component, just like a chairlift. This component should be heavy enough to sink, this is necessary to keep the bicycle chain on tension. Below this component is the cut-and-grab-component, and is joined to the mothership with rope or a telescoping arm. This rope or telescoping arm is needed for a vertical movement, the robot should be able to cut at different depths. The claw should be able to grab seaweed that might have flowed away a bit, so the claw should be able to move horizontal. This happens by a telescoping arm. The scissors should be placed above the claw, otherwise the robot would cut seaweed that is not hold by the claw.<br />
<br />
===Technical description===<br />
<br />
===Demonstration===<br />
<br />
==Business and law==<br />
<br />
In 2014, the total annual value of produced seaweed was $6.4 billion. Worldwide, 93.8% of the global total production of aquatic plants came from aquaculture. Countries in East and Southeast Asia dominate seaweed culture production.<ref name="A guide to the seaweed industry">[http://www.fao.org/3/a-y4765e.pdf A guide to the seaweed industry]</ref> About 25 million tonnes of seaweeds and other algae are harvested annually for use as food, in cosmetics and fertilizers, and are processed to extract thickening agents or used as an additive to animal feed.<ref name="The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2014">[http://www.fao.org/3/a-i3720e.pdf The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2014]</ref> For the demand of food-grade seaweed to grow, there needs to be a dietary trend towards protein-rich vegetables, which seems to be the case. Growing the demand for seaweed requires a shift in the consumer's perception of seaweed as a food. Seaweed can be processed to be used as a source of nutrients for certain processed foods. There is increasing demand for seaweed as an agricultural supply, to use as animal food. It is also possible to use seaweed as a source for certain chemicals, i.e. for use in cosmetics.<br />
<br />
===Business case===<br />
<br />
====Cost vs. profit====<br />
<br />
===Laws===<br />
<br />
====International law====<br />
<br />
====European law====<br />
<br />
====Dutch law====<br />
<br />
==Looking ahead==<br />
<br />
===Future farms===<br />
<br />
The farm we have outlined only concerns the cultivation of seaweeds. However, farms can be augmented by employing bivalves in order to filter the water of pollutants.<ref name="Biosorption and bioaccumulation of heavy metals by rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata in the Persian Gulf">[http://www.intelaquares.com/doc/7b.pdf Biosorption and bioaccumulation of heavy metals by rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata in the Persian Gulf]</ref><br />
<br />
===Recommendations===<br />
<br />
===Horizon 2020===<br />
<br />
'''Applicable areas:'''<br />
<br />
*Agriculture & forestry<br />
*Aquatic resources<br />
*Bio-based industries<br />
*Environment & climate action<br />
*Food & healthy diet<br />
*Innovation<br />
*SME (small-medium enterprise)<br />
<br />
'''Relevant research calls:'''<br />
<br />
*High value-added specialized vessel concepts enabling more efficient servicing of emerging coastal and offshore activities. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/5119-bg-02-2016-2017.html (link)] € 7 million<br />
*New sources of proteins for animal feed from co-products to address the EU protein gap. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/17081-bbi-2016-d08.html (link)] € 15 million<br />
*Promoting and supporting the eco-intensification of aquaculture production systems: inland (including fresh water), coastal zone, and offshore. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/6050-sfs-32-2017.html (link)] € 6 million<br />
<br />
'''Also'''<br />
Marine Knowledge 2020 with The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet), aims to collect a lot more data from the seas and oceans than we do at the moment.<br />
<br />
==Discussion==<br />
<br />
==Conclusion==<br />
<br />
==Sources and references==<br />
<br />
===Sources===<br />
<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Doty, M.S. & Caddy, J.F. & Santelices, B. (1987), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Juanich, Godardo L. (1988), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/ac416e00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE(1. EUCHEUMA SPP.)]<br />
*Kitadai, Yuuki & Kadowaki, Shusaki (2007), [https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf Growth, nitrogen and phosphorous uptake rates and O2 production rate of seaweeds cultured on coastal fish farms]<br />
*Kleis, Roelof (2010), [http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification]<br />
*Lacey, Stephen & Mellino, Cole (2011), [http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
* NOAA Ocean Explorer Webmaster (2013), [http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/technology/tools/tools.html NOAA Observing Systems and Sensors]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Popper, Arthur N. & Hastings, Mardi C. (2009), [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1749-4877.2008.00134.x/epdf The effects of human-generated sound on fish]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image]. <br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
===References===<br />
<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
<!--<br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
<br />
= Group members =<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
= Preliminary brainstorm =<br />
==Benefits==<br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
<br />
===Proposals===<br />
*Floating robot<br />
**Solar panel<br />
**Lowering (anker-style) cutter<br />
**Hard to position,<br />
***Drifts<br />
***“Dijnst[dutch]”<br />
*Rover robot<br />
**Stable polypoid (crab-style)<br />
**Hard to cut above his head<br />
*Swimming robot<br />
**May become struck between the weed<br />
**Perfect mobility and can cut everywhere<br />
Combination of multiple robot’s for every seafruit a suitable robot.<br />
<br />
= Problem =<br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15). </ref><br />
<br />
<br />
= Mariculture =<br />
<br />
<i>In this section cover what mariculture is and various aspects of mariculture.</i><br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
== Environmental effects ==<br />
<br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms. These can be classified in two categories:<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
<br />
* '''Positive aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
** Pond-farms can make use of otherwise unfertile and underutilised land.<br />
** Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
** Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
** Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
** Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
** The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
** Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<br />
* '''Negative aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
** Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
** Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
** Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
** Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
** Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
** Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
** Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
** Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
** Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
These effects should be considered when deploying seaweed farms to ensure sustainable aquaculture development.<br />
<br />
= Maritime robotics =<br />
== Types of maritime robots ==<br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
<br />
== Specifications ==<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
== Practical tips ==<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
== Responsibility ==<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!<br />
<br />
= State of the art =<br />
<br />
== Robots for mariculture ==<br />
<i>In this section we link mariculture and maritime robots, we elaborate on the type of (maritime) robots that are especially useful for sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= Automation =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the automation of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
= Scaling =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the scalability of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
== Sea farm design ==<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we propose a design for an innovative high-tech sea farm.</i><br />
<br />
= Sea robot prototype =<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we showcase a prototype of a robot to be used on our cutting-edge sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= USE: stakeholders =<br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
The USE aspects:<br />
The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
Enterprise: It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
=Tasks=<br />
[[{{TALKPAGENAME}}|Logbook]]<br />
<br />
=Drive=<br />
[https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=66031F8492322E24!604219&authkey=!AOO7hi5CT65E46Y&ithint=folder%2cdocx USE Waterpret]<br />
<br />
= Sources =<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/AC416E00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE 1. EUCHEUMA SPP.]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image].<br />
*[http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification, December 23, 2010 By Roelof Kleis ]<br />
*[http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?] <br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
== References ==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
--></div>S146529https://cstwiki.wtb.tue.nl/index.php?title=PRE2015_4_Groep5&diff=27107PRE2015 4 Groep52016-05-09T09:25:52Z<p>S146529: /* Design process */</p>
<hr />
<div>__FORCETOC__<br />
<br />
[[File:HASP_logo_v0.1.png|600px|right]]<br />
<br />
== Group members ==<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
==Introduction==<br />
<br />
===Abstract===<br />
<br />
===Problem statement===<br />
<br />
The world needs to produce at least 50% more food to feed 9 billion people by 2050. But climate change could cut crop yields by more than 25%.<ref name="Food security">[http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/foodsecurity]</ref> With this in mind we need to look for novel solutions to the problem of insufficient food production. This solution will need to take the interests of users, society, and enterprise into account. Moreover, this solution needs to surpass the state of the art by employing cutting-edge technology.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15).</ref><br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
===Motivation===<br />
<br />
Nutrition is vital to sustaining life, and food security is important for political stability and human welfare. We want to address the problem of food availability due to its relevance: continuing population and consumption growth will mean that the global demand for food will increase for at least another 40 years.<ref name="Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People">[http://science.sciencemag.org/content/327/5967/812 Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People]</ref><br />
<br />
Agriculture is an integral part of the European economy and society. It provides the basis for food, feed and non-food products to meet the demands of consumers and a wide range of industries.<ref name="Horizon 2020: Agriculture & Forestry">[https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/en/area/agriculture-forestry Agriculture & Forestry]</ref> By designing a solution to the agricultural challenge we will need to take into account the needs of users: like consumers of food, society: the ecological impacts of our solution, and enterprise: the solution needs to be competitive in order to gain an economical advantage.<br />
<br />
The agricultural industry is ever advancing, not only is the biological aspect of farming being researched, there are also improvements in automation,<ref name="Agricultural Robotics and Automation">[http://www.ieee-ras.org/agricultural-robotics Agricultural Robotics and Automation]</ref> and we want to explore the automation of this industry. We want to develop a solution that allows for automation of food production beyond the state of the art, moreover the solution needs to be scalable.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
==Mariculture==<br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
Mariculture is a specialized branch of aquaculture involving the cultivation of marine organisms for food and other products in the open ocean, an enclosed section of the ocean, or in tanks, ponds or raceways which are filled with seawater. An example of the latter is the farming of marine fish, including finfish and shellfish like prawns, or oysters and seaweed in saltwater ponds.<ref name="Mariculture">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariculture Mariculture]</ref><br />
<br />
In this section we will explore mariculture, and explain why we chose it as a solution to the problem previously stated. Mariculture encompasses a wide range of organisms, from the cultivation of water-based plants to the breeding of aquatic animals. For this project we will focus on the cultivation of aquatic plants, and in particular types of seaweed.<br />
<br />
===Commonly cultivated seaweed species===<br />
<br />
*The total seaweed production features a lot of brown kelps. These weeds grow in cold water zones, they are long and have a leathery structure. They must be harvested before the water temperature rises to 21 degrees, otherwise the kelps will rot. Kombu (Laminaria Japonica) is used a lot in Japanese recipies for soups, as dried snacks, or in salads. Kombu is a dietary fiber and contains high levels of iodine. In China, 50% of the Laminaria production is meant for industrial purposes for its iodine, algin and mannitol. Due to this, laminaria are considered as one of the best renewable resources and it makes up for a major part of the maricultural sector. Japan has made effort to increase the production but due to its labour intensitive nature, the market is not expected to expand notably. [http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Laminaria_japonica/en] Wakame (Undaria) is the type of kelp you will find in your misosoup. With a subtle sweet flavour and satin-like texture it is most suitable for human consumption. The weed is a rich source of omega-3 and helps burn fatty tissue. However, it is also in the top 100 of worst invasive species in cold waters, which is partly caused by aquaculture. [ http://www.seaweed.ie/]<br />
<br />
*Gelidium amansii and Pterocladia are valuable red algae that can be found at shallow coasts. They can be used in salads and to make agar, a jelly-like substance that can be used for microbiological research and various industrial purposes. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelidium_amansii] They have been cultured in Korea since the last century, but always on a small scale. There have been various attempts to farm the algae at sea, but the slow growth rate and required non-contaminated waters made it unattractive for commercial cultivation.[https://books.google.nl/books?id=19mM4xtgfOMC&pg=PA2&lpg=PA2&dq=Pterocladia+farm&source=bl&ots=MtH0LvASHr&sig=RXZNWMEOLnv1yS-WP2fWqv6SDpo&hl=nl&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwieqMmLnsrMAhXlAsAKHVoKDzwQ6AEIRTAF#v=onepage&q=Pterocladia%20farm&f=false]<br />
<br />
*Nori or Zicai (Porphyra) are most famous for composing the sushi wraps. The red algae grow in cold and shallow waters in the intertidal zone. After growing in the sea for 50 days, the weeds can be harvested every 10-15 days. The Nori market is stable, the demand is not expected to grow or shrink in the coming years. In Japan, the annual production is valued at 1 billion US dollars.[http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Porphyra_spp/en#tcNA0112]<br />
<br />
===Mariculture as a solution===<br />
<br />
===Environment===<br />
<br />
====Dead zones====<br />
<br />
[[File:Deadzones.jpg|thumb|Dead zones in oceans around the world.]]<br />
<br />
Ocean dead zones are areas with low oxygen levels and hardly any marine life. These areas are caused by agriculture fertilizers that increase the level of nitrogen and phosphorus, also known as eutriphication. The result is a rapid increase in phytoplankton, because they are 'build' from phosphorus and nitrogen. These algal blooms cause deadzones. The number of deadzones is increasing.<br />
As a result, the fertility of the marine life drops dramatically, and in more extreme cases, fish fall unconcious and then suffocate. Slow moving creatures on the seafloor are unable to escape.<br />
Seaweed is capable of uptaking both nitrogen and phosphorus and replacing it with oxygen. For this reason seaweed is also cultivated around fishfarms. Seaweed would be a cheap although perhaps slow solution in the reviving of deadzones.[https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf]<br />
<br />
====Climate====<br />
<br />
====Locations====<br />
<br />
To determine the best location for a sea-farm we have to take into account several aspects. The temperature of the seawater should be the right temperature for seaweed. For example the best temperature for growing Eucheuma is 20-25 °Celsius, but there are also species that can grow in water of 10 °Celsius. So seaweed can grow in almost every ocean. The depth of the sea does not matter for the seaweed because it grows from the surface downwards. But for the farm itself the depth does matter. Anchoring the farm is easier in a shallow area in the ocean. Commonly these areas are near the coast, an advantage of sea-farms which are near the costs is that the transport from farm to the secondary users is cheaper. Also building and maintaining the farm is easier if it is closer to the mainland. The dead zones are also located near the seashore, so the dead zones are an extra motivation of locating the sea-farms there. A disadvantage are the shipping routes that are located in these areas. Thankfully, these routes are taken by most commercial ships. This leaves open spots near the coast where there are no passing ships and where the seaweedfarms could be located. Important shipping routes at the Dutch coast [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NoordzeeScheepvaartroutes.png] With the sealevels rising due to climate change, and the seafarm's habit breaking waves, it would be beneficial to locate the farm nearby a shore that is threatend by rising sea levels.<br />
<br />
===Nutrition===<br />
<br />
===State of the art===<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
* Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
* Pond-farms can make use of otherwise infertile and underutilized land.<br />
* Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
* Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
* Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
* Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
* The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
* Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
<br />
* Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
* Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
* Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
* Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
* Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
* Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
* Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
* Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
* Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
* Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
===Types of farms===<br />
<br />
====Anchored====<br />
<br />
====Drifting====<br />
<br />
===Tasks to be carried out on farms===<br />
'''Primary tasks'''<br />
* Seeding<br />
* Cleaning<br />
* Harvesting<br />
'''Secondary tasks'''<br />
* Checking the quality of the plants<br />
* Removing corrupt plants<br />
* Pruning<br />
<br />
==Stakeholders==<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
The USE aspects:<br />
The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
Enterprise: It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===User===<br />
Seaweed farmers.<br />
<br />
Drawback: Introduction of our system on the mariculture market could cost the jobs of the few brave seaweed farmers we have today. These farmers operate on a small scale on a small market and would be easily competed out. To prevent this, our systems user group is are the already existing seaweed farmers that want to expand their business, and the more industrialized farmers in Asia.<br />
<br />
===Society===<br />
<br />
===Enterprise===<br />
<br />
==Maritime robotics==<br />
<br />
<br />
<i><br />
::Specifications<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
::Practical tips<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
::Responsibility<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!</i><br />
<br />
===Types of robots===<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===Locomotion===<br />
<br />
[[File:Drifterandjet.jpg|thumb|A passive ocean drifter and a high-speed jet.]]<br />
<br />
*Jet propulsion — water is taken in and propelled out at high speed, using a directed nozzle makes this very maneuverable.<br />
*Ocean current — passively drifting along the ocean current.<br />
*Propeller — a classic ship's screw to propel forwards and backwards.<br />
*Undulation — moving the body like a fish does.<br />
*Wind — using the power of the wind to sail.<br />
<br />
===Sensing===<br />
<br />
[[File:bathymetry.jpg |thumb|Sonar can be used for bathymetry, measuring the depth of the ocean floor.]]<br />
<br />
*Acoustic Doppler current profiler — measures the speed and direction of ocean currents using the principle of “Doppler shift”.<br />
*Camera — for visual data, has a limited range.<br />
*Conductivity — together with temperature and depth information, a good estimate of the salinity may be determined.<br />
*GPS — find the position, only works above the surface of the water.<br />
*Hydrophone — listen for sounds in the water.<br />
*Oxygen — determine the oxygen levels of the water.<br />
*Pressure — determine the depth the robot is at.<br />
*Semipermeable membrane density — a passive sampling device used to monitor trace levels of organic contaminants. When placed in an aquatic environment, SPMDs accumulate hydrophobic organic compounds, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and organochlorine pesticides from the surrounding waters.<br />
*Sonar — is used to find and identify objects in water. It is also used to determine water depth (bathymetry. May disturb marine life.<br />
*Temperature — determine the temperature of the water.<br />
*pH — determine the acidity of the water.<br />
<br />
===Communication===<br />
<br />
==Proposed design==<br />
<br />
===Description===<br />
*'''Location''' Our own Dutch North Sea might just be to place to be. With an average temperature of 12 degrees[http://gemiddeldgezien.nl/gemiddelde-watertemperatuur-noordzee], a former deadzone that is struggling with pollution from the many estuaries, and with a country that has always struggled with living beneath a rising sealevel, the seaweed farm has a lot to offer. When we also consider the busy shipping routes in the North Sea, Zeeland would be the most suitable area.<br />
*'''Farmed type of seaweed''' The HASP will farm the Laminaria seaweed species. Because of the high demand for it can not be fulfilled with the current techniques, and because it has a low impact on the enviroment.<br />
<br />
*'''System Design'''The design of our system will be largely modelled after the traditional seaweed farms.<br />
''distance between lines''<br />
<br />
===Automation===<br />
====Seeding====<br />
Like at normal seafarming, the young seedlings will first be grown at land in a greenhouse in the summer, when the water is hot. Mid-November, when they have grown 10-15 cm, they need to be planted at the seafarm. The seedlings are attached to the vertical lines to grow out, with the upper plants receving more sunlight than the lower ones. Can one of our robots attcach the seeds to the ropes?<br />
<br />
====Control and hygiene====<br />
There are several diseases that could affect the seaweed, caused by bacteria or by the enviroment. These diseases can be recognized visually and envirmental factors can be measured. Sensors would be needed for: illumination (too much or too little light causes rot), fres/salt water level and pollution. All diseases require different treatments, for which we have to think of automated solutions.<br />
Harm done by water grazers like fish can be minimized by placing the farm in deep waters, away from the coastal fish and the creatures on the seafloor. <br />
<br />
====Harvesting====<br />
Harvesting can be started in April. The plant grows faster in winter and slower in summer, with a rate of 1.1 cm per day in May. Making up for 2.5 meters a year. The plant can regenerate when it's been trimmed, but will grow slower. The normal age with this practice does not exceed 4 years.<br />
<br />
====Drying====<br />
<br />
====Transport====<br />
<br />
====Communication to mainland====<br />
<br />
====Mapping tasks to robots====<br />
<br />
====Scalability====<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
The robots behaviour underwater would generate sound. Although the underwater world might seem silent to humans, fish experience sound intensly. The effects of human generated sounds on fish might therefore be harmful. Research results vary from little to no effect, to immediate death. Because the variety of sounds and fish is so large, we will try to minimize the sound level but not take extra measures to protect the fish from our robot's noices.<br />
<br />
===Big Data and IoT===<br />
<br />
<i>The farm comes equipped with a lot of sensors to monitor its own condition and its enviroment. Using all of this data one can analyze it in real time, and after collecting more data extrapolate long-term trends. With all the robotic agents on the farm, combined with the data collected, the farm can be administrated remotely. The farm can be made smart to send out maintenance calls on its.</i><br />
<br />
====Science====<br />
<br />
<i>The data collected by the farm and its robots can be shared with scientists and governments. More farms mean more sensors and thus a larger sensor size. This data would for example be very useful to The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) on which engineers and scientist can find all the data available about the european waters. The European Commission has started Marine Knowledge 2020 with the aim to bring to bring all of the marine data from different sources together. This initiative examplifies the need for marine data.</i><br />
<br />
==Robot prototype==<br />
<br />
===Design process===<br />
The design for the prototype consists of three components, one for the movement, one for grabbing and cutting and one for the Arduino and battery. The robot moves along a cable, for our prototype we will use a bicycle chain. The robot has three gearing wheels for a stable movement along the cable. The gearing wheel in the middle is driven by an engine. The component with the Arduino and the battery is hanging below the movement-component, just like a chairlift. This component should be heavy enough to sink, this is necessary to keep the bicycle chain on tension. Below this component is the cut-and-grab-component, and is joined to the mothership with rope or a telescoping arm. This rope or telescoping arm is needed for a vertical movement, the robot should be able to cut at different depths. The claw should be able to grab seaweed that might have flowed away a bit, so the claw should be able to move horizontal. This happens by a telescoping arm. The scissors should be placed above the claw, otherwise the robot would cut seaweed that is not hold by the claw.<br />
<br />
===Technical description===<br />
<br />
===Demonstration===<br />
<br />
==Business and law==<br />
<br />
In 2014, the total annual value of produced seaweed was $6.4 billion. Worldwide, 93.8% of the global total production of aquatic plants came from aquaculture. Countries in East and Southeast Asia dominate seaweed culture production.<ref name="A guide to the seaweed industry">[http://www.fao.org/3/a-y4765e.pdf A guide to the seaweed industry]</ref> About 25 million tonnes of seaweeds and other algae are harvested annually for use as food, in cosmetics and fertilizers, and are processed to extract thickening agents or used as an additive to animal feed.<ref name="The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2014">[http://www.fao.org/3/a-i3720e.pdf The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2014]</ref> For the demand of food-grade seaweed to grow, there needs to be a dietary trend towards protein-rich vegetables, which seems to be the case. Growing the demand for seaweed requires a shift in the consumer's perception of seaweed as a food. Seaweed can be processed to be used as a source of nutrients for certain processed foods. There is increasing demand for seaweed as an agricultural supply, to use as animal food. It is also possible to use seaweed as a source for certain chemicals, i.e. for use in cosmetics.<br />
<br />
===Business case===<br />
<br />
====Cost vs. profit====<br />
<br />
===Laws===<br />
<br />
====International law====<br />
<br />
====European law====<br />
<br />
====Dutch law====<br />
<br />
==Looking ahead==<br />
<br />
===Future farms===<br />
<br />
The farm we have outlined only concerns the cultivation of seaweeds. However, farms can be augmented by employing bivalves in order to filter the water of pollutants.<ref name="Biosorption and bioaccumulation of heavy metals by rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata in the Persian Gulf">[http://www.intelaquares.com/doc/7b.pdf Biosorption and bioaccumulation of heavy metals by rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata in the Persian Gulf]</ref><br />
<br />
===Recommendations===<br />
<br />
===Horizon 2020===<br />
<br />
'''Applicable areas:'''<br />
<br />
*Agriculture & forestry<br />
*Aquatic resources<br />
*Bio-based industries<br />
*Environment & climate action<br />
*Food & healthy diet<br />
*Innovation<br />
*SME (small-medium enterprise)<br />
<br />
'''Relevant research calls:'''<br />
<br />
*High value-added specialized vessel concepts enabling more efficient servicing of emerging coastal and offshore activities. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/5119-bg-02-2016-2017.html (link)] € 7 million<br />
*New sources of proteins for animal feed from co-products to address the EU protein gap. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/17081-bbi-2016-d08.html (link)] € 15 million<br />
*Promoting and supporting the eco-intensification of aquaculture production systems: inland (including fresh water), coastal zone, and offshore. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/6050-sfs-32-2017.html (link)] € 6 million<br />
<br />
==Discussion==<br />
<br />
==Conclusion==<br />
<br />
==Sources and references==<br />
<br />
===Sources===<br />
<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Doty, M.S. & Caddy, J.F. & Santelices, B. (1987), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Juanich, Godardo L. (1988), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/ac416e00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE(1. EUCHEUMA SPP.)]<br />
*Kitadai, Yuuki & Kadowaki, Shusaki (2007), [https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf Growth, nitrogen and phosphorous uptake rates and O2 production rate of seaweeds cultured on coastal fish farms]<br />
*Kleis, Roelof (2010), [http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification]<br />
*Lacey, Stephen & Mellino, Cole (2011), [http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
* NOAA Ocean Explorer Webmaster (2013), [http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/technology/tools/tools.html NOAA Observing Systems and Sensors]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Popper, Arthur N. & Hastings, Mardi C. (2009), [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1749-4877.2008.00134.x/epdf The effects of human-generated sound on fish]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image]. <br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
===References===<br />
<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
<!--<br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
<br />
= Group members =<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
= Preliminary brainstorm =<br />
==Benefits==<br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
<br />
===Proposals===<br />
*Floating robot<br />
**Solar panel<br />
**Lowering (anker-style) cutter<br />
**Hard to position,<br />
***Drifts<br />
***“Dijnst[dutch]”<br />
*Rover robot<br />
**Stable polypoid (crab-style)<br />
**Hard to cut above his head<br />
*Swimming robot<br />
**May become struck between the weed<br />
**Perfect mobility and can cut everywhere<br />
Combination of multiple robot’s for every seafruit a suitable robot.<br />
<br />
= Problem =<br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15). </ref><br />
<br />
<br />
= Mariculture =<br />
<br />
<i>In this section cover what mariculture is and various aspects of mariculture.</i><br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
== Environmental effects ==<br />
<br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms. These can be classified in two categories:<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
<br />
* '''Positive aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
** Pond-farms can make use of otherwise unfertile and underutilised land.<br />
** Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
** Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
** Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
** Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
** The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
** Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<br />
* '''Negative aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
** Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
** Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
** Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
** Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
** Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
** Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
** Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
** Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
** Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
These effects should be considered when deploying seaweed farms to ensure sustainable aquaculture development.<br />
<br />
= Maritime robotics =<br />
== Types of maritime robots ==<br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
<br />
== Specifications ==<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
== Practical tips ==<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
== Responsibility ==<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!<br />
<br />
= State of the art =<br />
<br />
== Robots for mariculture ==<br />
<i>In this section we link mariculture and maritime robots, we elaborate on the type of (maritime) robots that are especially useful for sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= Automation =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the automation of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
= Scaling =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the scalability of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
== Sea farm design ==<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we propose a design for an innovative high-tech sea farm.</i><br />
<br />
= Sea robot prototype =<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we showcase a prototype of a robot to be used on our cutting-edge sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= USE: stakeholders =<br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
The USE aspects:<br />
The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
Enterprise: It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
=Tasks=<br />
[[{{TALKPAGENAME}}|Logbook]]<br />
<br />
=Drive=<br />
[https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=66031F8492322E24!604219&authkey=!AOO7hi5CT65E46Y&ithint=folder%2cdocx USE Waterpret]<br />
<br />
= Sources =<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/AC416E00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE 1. EUCHEUMA SPP.]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image].<br />
*[http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification, December 23, 2010 By Roelof Kleis ]<br />
*[http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?] <br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
== References ==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
--></div>S146529https://cstwiki.wtb.tue.nl/index.php?title=Talk:PRE2015_4_Groep5&diff=27102Talk:PRE2015 4 Groep52016-05-09T07:16:30Z<p>S146529: /* Stijn's talk */</p>
<hr />
<div>=Log=<br />
<br />
==Previous meetings==<br />
*18-04-2016 Course introductory<br />
**Formed groups<br />
**Came up with a lot of concepts<br />
**Decided final concept <br />
*21-04-2016 First meeting with group.<br />
**Digged info about Seaweed.<br />
**Prepared the presentation for week 2.<br />
**Ate seaweed<br />
**Individual Accomplishments<br />
***Neph<br />
****Wiki<br />
****Powerpoint<br />
***Nina<br />
****Benefits<br />
****Maritime Robitcs<br />
***Stijn<br />
****Environmental aspects<br />
***Jochem<br />
****USE aspects<br />
***Arduin<br />
****Roadmap<br />
****Agenda<br />
****Types of deliverables<br />
****Possible applications<br />
*25-04-2016 First presentation<br />
**Received and handled feedback<br />
**Made a rough global planning<br />
*28-04-2016 Second meeting meeting with group.<br />
**Made a possible supply list<br />
**Solve practical problems of the robot<br />
**Worked on the total system<br />
***Neph<br />
****Robot prototype<br />
***Nina<br />
****Planning<br />
***Stijn<br />
****Could not make it<br />
***Jochem<br />
****Could not make it<br />
***Arduin<br />
****Logo<br />
*02-05-2016 Second presentation<br />
*04-05-2016 Stijn made a design for the robot.<br />
*05-05-2016 Skype meeting Jochem en Nephtaly.<br />
**Minutes:<br />
***Rope design for lowering the robot may have negative consequences on the stability. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KK_ebAdOiRw Extendable PVC Tubes] will be used instead. Also for bottom claw extender<br />
***Worm reduction gear for hosit -> idlemovement needs 0 energy<br />
***[https://seaperch.byu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/UUR-ROV.png PVC ROV]<br />
***Welding the axis of the (fietskettingtandwielen) gear. For strenght<br />
***PVC design for lowered part -> easy to handle, not a lot of water resistance -> cheap, light<br />
***bicyle chain, gear and driving gear must be for the same type of chain.<br />
***Screw gun battery for the power supply of the motor<br />
***[http://www.instructables.com/id/Low-Power-Pump-for-Gravity-Water-Tank/ Waterpistol], or [http://www.instructables.com/id/Squirt/ squirtgun] for hydrocleaing <br />
***koelkastbakje/voedselbewarding for middle. (waterproof and removable cover)<br />
***Claws are expensive but unavoidable [https://robosavvy.com/store/dagu-2dof-robot-arm-with-gripper-and-servos-21cm.html Perfect claws on discount]<br />
***Total price ~€400,-<br />
***Needed to do: <br />
****Test if Nema 17 is powerfull enough<br />
****Test servo in water<br />
****Need approval of budget<br />
<br />
=Tasks=<br />
==Personal Planning Preferences==<br />
*Arduin: mariculture, benefits of seaweed, maritime robotics (general, not applied to our farm), future farms, 'big data' of proposed design, USE: user, enterprise, branding and research grants<br />
*Jochem: Business case(?), robot hardware/software eventueel een prototype website waarmee we de status van de robot kunnen bekijken, etc.<br />
*Nephtaly: Design of the robot+station, part supply and programming<br />
*Nina: finished design for the whole system, USE: society, enviromental factors, prototyping, solidworks<br />
*Stijn: Mariculture, prototyping (voor de rest maakt het me niet echt uit)<br />
<br />
==Individual==<br />
*<s>Chairman <i>(Arduin)</i><br />
**Is the chairman at meeting and creates the agenda for the meetings</s> (there are only plenary meetings, so they will not be chaired)<br />
*Secretary <i>(Jochem)</i><br />
**Is responsible for the minutes of the meetings<br />
*Sourceman <i>(Stijn)</i><br />
**Finds extra info or extra sources and supporting information for a statement<br />
*Wiki&Drive maintenance <i>(Nina & Nephtaly)</i><br />
**Will maintain the organisation and cleanness of the wiki(talk)page as well as the organisation in the drive<br />
<br />
==Weekly==<br />
18-04-2016:<br />
(tabel)<br />
All, search info, for next meeting<br />
<br />
21-04-2016:<br />
<br />
=Ideas=<br />
*<s>Eat seaweed</s><br />
*Visit a seaweed restaurant<br />
**Interview the chef about the possiblities of seaweed<br />
**TASTE IT!!!<br />
<br />
=Meeting/presentation notes=<br />
==Presentation week 2==<br />
===Q&A from students===<br />
'''Q: Why are there no automated seaweed farms yet?'''<br />
<br />
A: It's being researched and worked on right now, but we want to make larger farms<br />
<br />
'''Q: Will seaweed do well at that scale?'''<br />
<br />
A: Yes; the ocean will supply enough nutrients so there is no need to do this manually and artificially.<br />
<br />
'''Q: How will you grow seaweed in 'dead zones'? Will the seaweed survive big storms?'''<br />
<br />
A: Seaweed grows on the water surface. We can use many types of seaweed. Please refer to the beautiful drawing on the blackboard. Seaweed can handle rough waves.<br />
<br />
'''Q: How does seaweed grow in 'dead zones' if no plants can survive?'''<br />
<br />
A: Seaweed can grow in these areas, but many plants and animals cannot. We may need to kickstart such areas, but the seaweed should be able to survive on it's own. We will need to research this more.<br />
<br />
===Feedback from teachers===<br />
<br />
Most original project of the ones presented today. You need to do a lot of work on the robots. We have to see how the robot will work in the demonstration.<br />
<br />
(we showed our farm setup)<br />
<br />
Take a look at underwater robots, like repair robots.<br />
<br />
(we showed maritime robotics slide)<br />
<br />
One remark: H2020 Proposals / Research calls (there may be a research call on this topic) We should look up roadmaps and think about where our project would fit in.<br />
<br />
Please find something about the drawbacks, not just positive aspects. For example: lots of seaweed will limit the amount of light in the area below. Large scale <anything> will have an effect. Find out what the effect of large scale seaweed farming is.<br />
<br />
==Presentation week 3==<br />
'''Feedback'''<br />
*Does Hasp mean anything?<br />
*Research the seaweed type we will farm. What is it stiffness. Can we do fielwork to research seaweed in its natural habitat?<br />
*Consider the influence of streams.<br />
*Technicalities: How does the robot know where to cut? What is the error range? The robot could start at the top and then go down to be sure it is holding the seaweed.<br />
*Our milestones are big. What is the feasibility? (worries about communicatoin and detection of plant)<br />
*How do we contribute to the state of the art?<br />
*We need a clear planning!<br />
*It might be possible to arrange the pool for the end presentation and for the budget we have to come up with a good list of parts next week.<br />
<br />
=Talk=<br />
==General talk==<br />
* IoT, Big Data<br />
* mariculture (combination Seafarm and seadrones)<br />
==Arduin's talk==<br />
[[File:sketch03452399325.jpg|thumb|Sketch of possible deliverable]]<br />
<br />
==Nina's talk==<br />
[[User:S133140|S133140]] Hoi even een testje (zonder timestamp)<br />
<br />
[[User:S133140|S133140]] 15:20, 21 April 2016 (UTC) En nu een test met timestamp<br />
<br />
==Jochems' talk==<br />
[[File:Guide-arms.png|thumb|Sketch guide arms]]<br />
Vragen/opmerkingen besproken met Nephtaly Aniceta (5 mei)<br />
<br />
Robot ontwerp van Stijn ziet er goed uit. Een paar opmerkingen:<br />
* Onderste deel aan een touw laten zakken is niet optimaal, het onderste deel kan zakken. Een oplossing waar we aan zitten te denken is een uitschuifbare arm van PVC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KK_ebAdOiRw<br />
* Dit principe kunnen we ook gebruiken voor de grijparm van de onderste module<br />
<br />
Vragen:<br />
* Zijn er onderdelen die we van het robotics team (TU/e) kunnen lenen/gebruiken?<br />
* Is er een locatie op de TU/e waar we aan onze robot kunnen werken en deze kunnen opslaan, zodat we deze niet steeds mee naar huis hoeven te nemen?<br />
<br />
* Mogelijke [http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:126433 Servoclaw]? [[User:S133140|S133140]]<br />
<br />
==Stijn's talk==<br />
Is de Nema 17 sterk genoeg?<br />
max torque is 4800g/cm dat is ongeveer zelfde als 47N/cm.<br />
De drag froce, als de robot 10cm/sec beweegt, is 15N (F=(rho)*v^2*A*C_d, C_d is drag coefficient =1.05 voor aan kubus)<br />
dus met een straal van het tandwiel van max 3 cm is de motor sterk genoeg om de drag force (dit is nog niet inclusief de wrijving tussen te wielen en de ketting enzo.) op te heffen. Maar de ketting kan niet zo strak staan dat die niet buigt als de robot eraan hangt, dus de robot zal ook soms naar boven moeten bewegen en dan gaat die wel heel sloom met deze motor.<br />
Ik weet niet hoe veel de torque verandert als de stroomsterkte toeneemt, maar dit zou een oplossing kunnen zijn.<br />
<br />
==Nephtaly's talk==<br />
* Lammelle idee om het op te halen en te knippen en te klemmen [< vormig<br />
* secundaire lijn<br />
* trosjes in basis-station<br />
* Zie aantekeningen en/of foto's<br />
* http://www.intorobotics.com/3d-printed-robot-arms-for-free-download/<br />
* [http://www.google.com/patents/US3839967 Pulley Pattent]<br />
* [http://s3.natuurkunde.nl/content_files/files/1324/original/supportBinaryFiles_referenceId_1_supportId_710086?1410262819 charging system]<br />
* [http://letsmakerobots.com/robot/project/moving-time-lapse-rig moving robot]<br />
* [http://www.robotshop.com/en/hitec-hsr-1425cr-continuous-rotation-servo.html#Specifications possible servo]<br />
<br />
<br />
==USE==<br />
*<b>E:</b>Big New Innovation<br />
*<b>S:</b>Overpopulation call for new solutions<br />
**feed seaweed to:<br />
***humans<br />
***animal stock. (better for climate change, no deforestation)<br />
<br />
=Definitions=<br />
*Aquaculture = argiculture in water<br />
*Mariculture = aquaculture in the sea<br />
<br />
=Editing help=<br />
*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Cheatsheet Markup cheatsheet]<br />
*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style Manual of Style]<br />
*A signature can be made by inserting <pre>~~~</pre><br />
*A signature <i>with timestamp</i> can be made by inserting <pre>~~~~</pre></div>S146529https://cstwiki.wtb.tue.nl/index.php?title=Talk:PRE2015_4_Groep5&diff=27101Talk:PRE2015 4 Groep52016-05-09T07:02:11Z<p>S146529: /* Stijn's talk */</p>
<hr />
<div>=Log=<br />
<br />
==Previous meetings==<br />
*18-04-2016 Course introductory<br />
**Formed groups<br />
**Came up with a lot of concepts<br />
**Decided final concept <br />
*21-04-2016 First meeting with group.<br />
**Digged info about Seaweed.<br />
**Prepared the presentation for week 2.<br />
**Ate seaweed<br />
**Individual Accomplishments<br />
***Neph<br />
****Wiki<br />
****Powerpoint<br />
***Nina<br />
****Benefits<br />
****Maritime Robitcs<br />
***Stijn<br />
****Environmental aspects<br />
***Jochem<br />
****USE aspects<br />
***Arduin<br />
****Roadmap<br />
****Agenda<br />
****Types of deliverables<br />
****Possible applications<br />
*25-04-2016 First presentation<br />
**Received and handled feedback<br />
**Made a rough global planning<br />
*28-04-2016 Second meeting meeting with group.<br />
**Made a possible supply list<br />
**Solve practical problems of the robot<br />
**Worked on the total system<br />
***Neph<br />
****Robot prototype<br />
***Nina<br />
****Planning<br />
***Stijn<br />
****Could not make it<br />
***Jochem<br />
****Could not make it<br />
***Arduin<br />
****Logo<br />
*02-05-2016 Second presentation<br />
*04-05-2016 Stijn made a design for the robot.<br />
*05-05-2016 Skype meeting Jochem en Nephtaly.<br />
**Minutes:<br />
***Rope design for lowering the robot may have negative consequences on the stability. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KK_ebAdOiRw Extendable PVC Tubes] will be used instead. Also for bottom claw extender<br />
***Worm reduction gear for hosit -> idlemovement needs 0 energy<br />
***[https://seaperch.byu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/UUR-ROV.png PVC ROV]<br />
***Welding the axis of the (fietskettingtandwielen) gear. For strenght<br />
***PVC design for lowered part -> easy to handle, not a lot of water resistance -> cheap, light<br />
***bicyle chain, gear and driving gear must be for the same type of chain.<br />
***Screw gun battery for the power supply of the motor<br />
***[http://www.instructables.com/id/Low-Power-Pump-for-Gravity-Water-Tank/ Waterpistol], or [http://www.instructables.com/id/Squirt/ squirtgun] for hydrocleaing <br />
***koelkastbakje/voedselbewarding for middle. (waterproof and removable cover)<br />
***Claws are expensive but unavoidable [https://robosavvy.com/store/dagu-2dof-robot-arm-with-gripper-and-servos-21cm.html Perfect claws on discount]<br />
***Total price ~€400,-<br />
***Needed to do: <br />
****Test if Nema 17 is powerfull enough<br />
****Test servo in water<br />
****Need approval of budget<br />
<br />
=Tasks=<br />
==Personal Planning Preferences==<br />
*Arduin: mariculture, benefits of seaweed, maritime robotics (general, not applied to our farm), future farms, 'big data' of proposed design, USE: user, enterprise, branding and research grants<br />
*Jochem: Business case(?), robot hardware/software eventueel een prototype website waarmee we de status van de robot kunnen bekijken, etc.<br />
*Nephtaly: Design of the robot+station, part supply and programming<br />
*Nina: finished design for the whole system, USE: society, enviromental factors, prototyping, solidworks<br />
*Stijn: Mariculture, prototyping (voor de rest maakt het me niet echt uit)<br />
<br />
==Individual==<br />
*<s>Chairman <i>(Arduin)</i><br />
**Is the chairman at meeting and creates the agenda for the meetings</s> (there are only plenary meetings, so they will not be chaired)<br />
*Secretary <i>(Jochem)</i><br />
**Is responsible for the minutes of the meetings<br />
*Sourceman <i>(Stijn)</i><br />
**Finds extra info or extra sources and supporting information for a statement<br />
*Wiki&Drive maintenance <i>(Nina & Nephtaly)</i><br />
**Will maintain the organisation and cleanness of the wiki(talk)page as well as the organisation in the drive<br />
<br />
==Weekly==<br />
18-04-2016:<br />
(tabel)<br />
All, search info, for next meeting<br />
<br />
21-04-2016:<br />
<br />
=Ideas=<br />
*<s>Eat seaweed</s><br />
*Visit a seaweed restaurant<br />
**Interview the chef about the possiblities of seaweed<br />
**TASTE IT!!!<br />
<br />
=Meeting/presentation notes=<br />
==Presentation week 2==<br />
===Q&A from students===<br />
'''Q: Why are there no automated seaweed farms yet?'''<br />
<br />
A: It's being researched and worked on right now, but we want to make larger farms<br />
<br />
'''Q: Will seaweed do well at that scale?'''<br />
<br />
A: Yes; the ocean will supply enough nutrients so there is no need to do this manually and artificially.<br />
<br />
'''Q: How will you grow seaweed in 'dead zones'? Will the seaweed survive big storms?'''<br />
<br />
A: Seaweed grows on the water surface. We can use many types of seaweed. Please refer to the beautiful drawing on the blackboard. Seaweed can handle rough waves.<br />
<br />
'''Q: How does seaweed grow in 'dead zones' if no plants can survive?'''<br />
<br />
A: Seaweed can grow in these areas, but many plants and animals cannot. We may need to kickstart such areas, but the seaweed should be able to survive on it's own. We will need to research this more.<br />
<br />
===Feedback from teachers===<br />
<br />
Most original project of the ones presented today. You need to do a lot of work on the robots. We have to see how the robot will work in the demonstration.<br />
<br />
(we showed our farm setup)<br />
<br />
Take a look at underwater robots, like repair robots.<br />
<br />
(we showed maritime robotics slide)<br />
<br />
One remark: H2020 Proposals / Research calls (there may be a research call on this topic) We should look up roadmaps and think about where our project would fit in.<br />
<br />
Please find something about the drawbacks, not just positive aspects. For example: lots of seaweed will limit the amount of light in the area below. Large scale <anything> will have an effect. Find out what the effect of large scale seaweed farming is.<br />
<br />
==Presentation week 3==<br />
'''Feedback'''<br />
*Does Hasp mean anything?<br />
*Research the seaweed type we will farm. What is it stiffness. Can we do fielwork to research seaweed in its natural habitat?<br />
*Consider the influence of streams.<br />
*Technicalities: How does the robot know where to cut? What is the error range? The robot could start at the top and then go down to be sure it is holding the seaweed.<br />
*Our milestones are big. What is the feasibility? (worries about communicatoin and detection of plant)<br />
*How do we contribute to the state of the art?<br />
*We need a clear planning!<br />
*It might be possible to arrange the pool for the end presentation and for the budget we have to come up with a good list of parts next week.<br />
<br />
=Talk=<br />
==General talk==<br />
* IoT, Big Data<br />
* mariculture (combination Seafarm and seadrones)<br />
==Arduin's talk==<br />
[[File:sketch03452399325.jpg|thumb|Sketch of possible deliverable]]<br />
<br />
==Nina's talk==<br />
[[User:S133140|S133140]] Hoi even een testje (zonder timestamp)<br />
<br />
[[User:S133140|S133140]] 15:20, 21 April 2016 (UTC) En nu een test met timestamp<br />
<br />
==Jochems' talk==<br />
[[File:Guide-arms.png|thumb|Sketch guide arms]]<br />
Vragen/opmerkingen besproken met Nephtaly Aniceta (5 mei)<br />
<br />
Robot ontwerp van Stijn ziet er goed uit. Een paar opmerkingen:<br />
* Onderste deel aan een touw laten zakken is niet optimaal, het onderste deel kan zakken. Een oplossing waar we aan zitten te denken is een uitschuifbare arm van PVC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KK_ebAdOiRw<br />
* Dit principe kunnen we ook gebruiken voor de grijparm van de onderste module<br />
<br />
Vragen:<br />
* Zijn er onderdelen die we van het robotics team (TU/e) kunnen lenen/gebruiken?<br />
* Is er een locatie op de TU/e waar we aan onze robot kunnen werken en deze kunnen opslaan, zodat we deze niet steeds mee naar huis hoeven te nemen?<br />
<br />
* Mogelijke [http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:126433 Servoclaw]? [[User:S133140|S133140]]<br />
<br />
==Stijn's talk==<br />
Is de Nema 17 sterk genoeg?<br />
max torque is 4800g/cm dat is ongeveer zelfde als 47N/cm.<br />
De drag froce, als de robot 10cm/sec beweegt, is 15N (F=(rho)*v^2*A*C_d, C_d is drag coefficient =10.5 for a block)<br />
dus met een straal van het tandwiel van max 3 cm is de motor sterk genoeg om de drag force (dit is nog niet inclusief de wrijving tussen te wielen en de ketting enzo.) op te heffen. Maar de ketting kan niet zo strak staan dat die niet buigt als de robot eraan hangt, dus de robot zal ook soms naar boven moeten bewegen en dan gaat die wel heel sloom met deze motor.<br />
Ik weet niet hoe veel de torque verandert als de stroomsterkte toeneemt, maar dit zou een oplossing kunnen zijn.<br />
<br />
==Nephtaly's talk==<br />
* Lammelle idee om het op te halen en te knippen en te klemmen [< vormig<br />
* secundaire lijn<br />
* trosjes in basis-station<br />
* Zie aantekeningen en/of foto's<br />
* http://www.intorobotics.com/3d-printed-robot-arms-for-free-download/<br />
* [http://www.google.com/patents/US3839967 Pulley Pattent]<br />
* [http://s3.natuurkunde.nl/content_files/files/1324/original/supportBinaryFiles_referenceId_1_supportId_710086?1410262819 charging system]<br />
* [http://letsmakerobots.com/robot/project/moving-time-lapse-rig moving robot]<br />
* [http://www.robotshop.com/en/hitec-hsr-1425cr-continuous-rotation-servo.html#Specifications possible servo]<br />
<br />
<br />
==USE==<br />
*<b>E:</b>Big New Innovation<br />
*<b>S:</b>Overpopulation call for new solutions<br />
**feed seaweed to:<br />
***humans<br />
***animal stock. (better for climate change, no deforestation)<br />
<br />
=Definitions=<br />
*Aquaculture = argiculture in water<br />
*Mariculture = aquaculture in the sea<br />
<br />
=Editing help=<br />
*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Cheatsheet Markup cheatsheet]<br />
*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style Manual of Style]<br />
*A signature can be made by inserting <pre>~~~</pre><br />
*A signature <i>with timestamp</i> can be made by inserting <pre>~~~~</pre></div>S146529https://cstwiki.wtb.tue.nl/index.php?title=Talk:PRE2015_4_Groep5&diff=27077Talk:PRE2015 4 Groep52016-05-08T21:04:46Z<p>S146529: /* Stijn's talk */</p>
<hr />
<div>=Log=<br />
<br />
==Previous meetings==<br />
*18-04-2016 Course introductory<br />
**Formed groups<br />
**Came up with a lot of concepts<br />
**Decided final concept <br />
*21-04-2016 First meeting with group.<br />
**Digged info about Seaweed.<br />
**Prepared the presentation for week 2.<br />
**Ate seaweed<br />
**Individual Accomplishments<br />
***Neph<br />
****Wiki<br />
****Powerpoint<br />
***Nina<br />
****Benefits<br />
****Maritime Robitcs<br />
***Stijn<br />
****Environmental aspects<br />
***Jochem<br />
****USE aspects<br />
***Arduin<br />
****Roadmap<br />
****Agenda<br />
****Types of deliverables<br />
****Possible applications<br />
*25-04-2016 First presentation<br />
**Received and handled feedback<br />
**Made a rough global planning<br />
*28-04-2016 Second meeting meeting with group.<br />
**Made a possible supply list<br />
**Solve practical problems of the robot<br />
**Worked on the total system<br />
***Neph<br />
****Robot prototype<br />
***Nina<br />
****Planning<br />
***Stijn<br />
****Could not make it<br />
***Jochem<br />
****Could not make it<br />
***Arduin<br />
****Logo<br />
*02-05-2016 Second presentation<br />
*04-05-2016 Stijn made a design for the robot.<br />
*05-05-2016 Skype meeting Jochem en Nephtaly.<br />
**Minutes:<br />
***Rope design for lowering the robot may have negative consequences on the stability. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KK_ebAdOiRw Extendable PVC Tubes] will be used instead. Also for bottom claw extender<br />
***Worm reduction gear for hosit -> idlemovement needs 0 energy<br />
***[https://seaperch.byu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/UUR-ROV.png PVC ROV]<br />
***Welding the axis of the (fietskettingtandwielen) gear. For strenght<br />
***PVC design for lowered part -> easy to handle, not a lot of water resistance -> cheap, light<br />
***bicyle chain, gear and driving gear must be for the same type of chain.<br />
***Screw gun battery for the power supply of the motor<br />
***[http://www.instructables.com/id/Low-Power-Pump-for-Gravity-Water-Tank/ Waterpistol], or [http://www.instructables.com/id/Squirt/ squirtgun] for hydrocleaing <br />
***koelkastbakje/voedselbewarding for middle. (waterproof and removable cover)<br />
***Claws are expensive but unavoidable [https://robosavvy.com/store/dagu-2dof-robot-arm-with-gripper-and-servos-21cm.html Perfect claws on discount]<br />
***Total price ~€400,-<br />
***Needed to do: <br />
****Test if Nema 17 is powerfull enough<br />
****Test servo in water<br />
****Need approval of budget<br />
<br />
=Tasks=<br />
==Personal Planning Preferences==<br />
*Arduin: mariculture, benefits of seaweed, maritime robotics (general, not applied to our farm), future farms, 'big data' of proposed design, USE: user, enterprise, branding and research grants<br />
*Jochem: Business case(?), robot hardware/software eventueel een prototype website waarmee we de status van de robot kunnen bekijken, etc.<br />
*Nephtaly: Design of the robot+station, part supply and programming<br />
*Nina: finished design for the whole system, USE: society, enviromental factors, prototyping, solidworks<br />
*Stijn: Mariculture, prototyping (voor de rest maakt het me niet echt uit)<br />
<br />
==Individual==<br />
*<s>Chairman <i>(Arduin)</i><br />
**Is the chairman at meeting and creates the agenda for the meetings</s> (there are only plenary meetings, so they will not be chaired)<br />
*Secretary <i>(Jochem)</i><br />
**Is responsible for the minutes of the meetings<br />
*Sourceman <i>(Stijn)</i><br />
**Finds extra info or extra sources and supporting information for a statement<br />
*Wiki&Drive maintenance <i>(Nina & Nephtaly)</i><br />
**Will maintain the organisation and cleanness of the wiki(talk)page as well as the organisation in the drive<br />
<br />
==Weekly==<br />
18-04-2016:<br />
(tabel)<br />
All, search info, for next meeting<br />
<br />
21-04-2016:<br />
<br />
=Ideas=<br />
*<s>Eat seaweed</s><br />
*Visit a seaweed restaurant<br />
**Interview the chef about the possiblities of seaweed<br />
**TASTE IT!!!<br />
<br />
=Meeting/presentation notes=<br />
==Presentation week 2==<br />
===Q&A from students===<br />
'''Q: Why are there no automated seaweed farms yet?'''<br />
<br />
A: It's being researched and worked on right now, but we want to make larger farms<br />
<br />
'''Q: Will seaweed do well at that scale?'''<br />
<br />
A: Yes; the ocean will supply enough nutrients so there is no need to do this manually and artificially.<br />
<br />
'''Q: How will you grow seaweed in 'dead zones'? Will the seaweed survive big storms?'''<br />
<br />
A: Seaweed grows on the water surface. We can use many types of seaweed. Please refer to the beautiful drawing on the blackboard. Seaweed can handle rough waves.<br />
<br />
'''Q: How does seaweed grow in 'dead zones' if no plants can survive?'''<br />
<br />
A: Seaweed can grow in these areas, but many plants and animals cannot. We may need to kickstart such areas, but the seaweed should be able to survive on it's own. We will need to research this more.<br />
<br />
===Feedback from teachers===<br />
<br />
Most original project of the ones presented today. You need to do a lot of work on the robots. We have to see how the robot will work in the demonstration.<br />
<br />
(we showed our farm setup)<br />
<br />
Take a look at underwater robots, like repair robots.<br />
<br />
(we showed maritime robotics slide)<br />
<br />
One remark: H2020 Proposals / Research calls (there may be a research call on this topic) We should look up roadmaps and think about where our project would fit in.<br />
<br />
Please find something about the drawbacks, not just positive aspects. For example: lots of seaweed will limit the amount of light in the area below. Large scale <anything> will have an effect. Find out what the effect of large scale seaweed farming is.<br />
<br />
==Presentation week 3==<br />
'''Feedback'''<br />
*Does Hasp mean anything?<br />
*Research the seaweed type we will farm. What is it stiffness. Can we do fielwork to research seaweed in its natural habitat?<br />
*Consider the influence of streams.<br />
*Technicalities: How does the robot know where to cut? What is the error range? The robot could start at the top and then go down to be sure it is holding the seaweed.<br />
*Our milestones are big. What is the feasibility? (worries about communicatoin and detection of plant)<br />
*How do we contribute to the state of the art?<br />
*We need a clear planning!<br />
*It might be possible to arrange the pool for the end presentation and for the budget we have to come up with a good list of parts next week.<br />
<br />
=Talk=<br />
==General talk==<br />
* IoT, Big Data<br />
* mariculture (combination Seafarm and seadrones)<br />
==Arduin's talk==<br />
[[File:sketch03452399325.jpg|thumb|Sketch of possible deliverable]]<br />
<br />
==Nina's talk==<br />
[[User:S133140|S133140]] Hoi even een testje (zonder timestamp)<br />
<br />
[[User:S133140|S133140]] 15:20, 21 April 2016 (UTC) En nu een test met timestamp<br />
<br />
==Jochems' talk==<br />
[[File:Guide-arms.png|thumb|Sketch guide arms]]<br />
Vragen/opmerkingen besproken met Nephtaly Aniceta (5 mei)<br />
<br />
Robot ontwerp van Stijn ziet er goed uit. Een paar opmerkingen:<br />
* Onderste deel aan een touw laten zakken is niet optimaal, het onderste deel kan zakken. Een oplossing waar we aan zitten te denken is een uitschuifbare arm van PVC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KK_ebAdOiRw<br />
* Dit principe kunnen we ook gebruiken voor de grijparm van de onderste module<br />
<br />
Vragen:<br />
* Zijn er onderdelen die we van het robotics team (TU/e) kunnen lenen/gebruiken?<br />
* Is er een locatie op de TU/e waar we aan onze robot kunnen werken en deze kunnen opslaan, zodat we deze niet steeds mee naar huis hoeven te nemen?<br />
<br />
* Mogelijke [http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:126433 Servoclaw]? [[User:S133140|S133140]]<br />
<br />
==Stijn's talk==<br />
Is de Nema 17 sterk genoeg?<br />
max torque is 4800g/cm dat is ongeveer zelfde als 47N/cm<br />
de wrijvingskracht als de robot 10cm/sec beweegt is 15N (F=(rho)*v^2*A*C_d, C_d is drag coefficient =10.5 for a block)<br />
dus met een straal van het tandwiel van max 3 cm is de motor sterk genoeg om de wrijvingskracht (alleen de wrijving van het water niet tussen te wielen en de ketting) op te heffen. Maar de ketting kan niet zo strak staan dat die niet buigt als de robot eraan hangt, dus de robot zal ook soms naar boven moeten bewegen en dan gaat die wel heel sloom met deze motor.<br />
Ik weet niet hoe veel de torque verandert als de stroomsterkte toeneemt, maar dit zou een oplossing kunnen zijn.<br />
<br />
==Nephtaly's talk==<br />
* Lammelle idee om het op te halen en te knippen en te klemmen [< vormig<br />
* secundaire lijn<br />
* trosjes in basis-station<br />
* Zie aantekeningen en/of foto's<br />
* http://www.intorobotics.com/3d-printed-robot-arms-for-free-download/<br />
* [http://www.google.com/patents/US3839967 Pulley Pattent]<br />
* [http://s3.natuurkunde.nl/content_files/files/1324/original/supportBinaryFiles_referenceId_1_supportId_710086?1410262819 charging system]<br />
* [http://letsmakerobots.com/robot/project/moving-time-lapse-rig moving robot]<br />
* [http://www.robotshop.com/en/hitec-hsr-1425cr-continuous-rotation-servo.html#Specifications possible servo]<br />
<br />
<br />
==USE==<br />
*<b>E:</b>Big New Innovation<br />
*<b>S:</b>Overpopulation call for new solutions<br />
**feed seaweed to:<br />
***humans<br />
***animal stock. (better for climate change, no deforestation)<br />
<br />
=Definitions=<br />
*Aquaculture = argiculture in water<br />
*Mariculture = aquaculture in the sea<br />
<br />
=Editing help=<br />
*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Cheatsheet Markup cheatsheet]<br />
*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style Manual of Style]<br />
*A signature can be made by inserting <pre>~~~</pre><br />
*A signature <i>with timestamp</i> can be made by inserting <pre>~~~~</pre></div>S146529https://cstwiki.wtb.tue.nl/index.php?title=PRE2015_4_Groep5&diff=27053PRE2015 4 Groep52016-05-08T12:55:24Z<p>S146529: /* Design process */</p>
<hr />
<div>__FORCETOC__<br />
<br />
[[File:HASP_logo_v0.1.png|600px|right]]<br />
<br />
== Group members ==<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
==Introduction==<br />
<br />
===Abstract===<br />
<br />
===Problem statement===<br />
<br />
The world needs to produce at least 50% more food to feed 9 billion people by 2050. But climate change could cut crop yields by more than 25%.<ref name="Food security">[http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/foodsecurity]</ref> With this in mind we need to look for novel solutions to the problem of insufficient food production. This solution will need to take the interests of users, society, and enterprise into account. Moreover, this solution needs to surpass the state of the art by employing cutting-edge technology.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15).</ref><br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
===Motivation===<br />
<br />
Nutrition is vital to sustaining life, and food security is important for political stability and human welfare. We want to address the problem of food availability due to its relevance: continuing population and consumption growth will mean that the global demand for food will increase for at least another 40 years.<ref name="Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People">[http://science.sciencemag.org/content/327/5967/812 Food Security: The Challenge of Feeding 9 Billion People]</ref><br />
<br />
Agriculture is an integral part of the European economy and society. It provides the basis for food, feed and non-food products to meet the demands of consumers and a wide range of industries.<ref name="Horizon 2020: Agriculture & Forestry">[https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/horizon2020/en/area/agriculture-forestry Agriculture & Forestry]</ref> By designing a solution to the agricultural challenge we will need to take into account the needs of users: like consumers of food, society: the ecological impacts of our solution, and enterprise: the solution needs to be competitive in order to gain an economical advantage.<br />
<br />
The agricultural industry is ever advancing, not only is the biological aspect of farming being researched, there are also improvements in automation,<ref name="Agricultural Robotics and Automation">[http://www.ieee-ras.org/agricultural-robotics Agricultural Robotics and Automation]</ref> and we want to explore the automation of this industry. We want to develop a solution that allows for automation of food production beyond the state of the art, moreover the solution needs to be scalable.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
==Mariculture==<br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
Mariculture is a specialized branch of aquaculture involving the cultivation of marine organisms for food and other products in the open ocean, an enclosed section of the ocean, or in tanks, ponds or raceways which are filled with seawater. An example of the latter is the farming of marine fish, including finfish and shellfish like prawns, or oysters and seaweed in saltwater ponds.<ref name="Mariculture">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mariculture Mariculture]</ref><br />
<br />
In this section we will explore mariculture, and explain why we chose it as a solution to the problem previously stated. Mariculture encompasses a wide range of organisms, from the cultivation of water-based plants to the breeding of aquatic animals. For this project we will focus on the cultivation of aquatic plants, and in particular types of seaweed.<br />
<br />
===Commonly cultivated seaweed species===<br />
<br />
*The total seaweed production features a lot of brown kelps. These weeds grow in cold water zones, they are long and have a leathery structure. They must be harvested before the water temperature rises to 21 degrees, otherwise the kelps will rot. Kombu (Laminaria Japonica) is used a lot in Japanese recipies for soups, as dried snacks, or in salads. Kombu is a dietary fiber and contains high levels of iodine. In China, 50% of the Laminaria production is meant for industrial purposes for its iodine, algin and mannitol. Due to this, laminaria are considered as one of the best renewable resources and it makes up for a major part of the maricultural sector. Japan has made effort to increase the production but due to its labour intensitive nature, the market is not expected to expand notably. [http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Laminaria_japonica/en] Wakame (Undaria) is the type of kelp you will find in your misosoup. With a subtle sweet flavour and satin-like texture it is most suitable for human consumption. The weed is a rich source of omega-3 and helps burn fatty tissue. However, it is also in the top 100 of worst invasive species in cold waters, which is partly caused by aquaculture. [ http://www.seaweed.ie/]<br />
<br />
*Gelidium amansii and Pterocladia are valuable red algae that can be found at shallow coasts. They can be used in salads and to make agar, a jelly-like substance that can be used for microbiological research and various industrial purposes. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelidium_amansii] They have been cultured in Korea since the last century, but always on a small scale. There have been various attempts to farm the algae at sea, but the slow growth rate and required non-contaminated waters made it unattractive for commercial cultivation.[https://books.google.nl/books?id=19mM4xtgfOMC&pg=PA2&lpg=PA2&dq=Pterocladia+farm&source=bl&ots=MtH0LvASHr&sig=RXZNWMEOLnv1yS-WP2fWqv6SDpo&hl=nl&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwieqMmLnsrMAhXlAsAKHVoKDzwQ6AEIRTAF#v=onepage&q=Pterocladia%20farm&f=false]<br />
<br />
*Nori or Zicai (Porphyra) are most famous for composing the sushi wraps. The red algae grow in cold and shallow waters in the intertidal zone. After growing in the sea for 50 days, the weeds can be harvested every 10-15 days. The Nori market is stable, the demand is not expected to grow or shrink in the coming years. In Japan, the annual production is valued at 1 billion US dollars.[http://www.fao.org/fishery/culturedspecies/Porphyra_spp/en#tcNA0112]<br />
<br />
===Mariculture as a solution===<br />
<br />
===Environment===<br />
<br />
====Dead zones====<br />
<br />
[[File:Deadzones.jpg|thumb|Dead zones in oceans around the world.]]<br />
<br />
Ocean dead zones are areas with low oxygen levels and hardly any marine life. These areas are caused by agriculture fertilizers that increase the level of nitrogen and phosphorus, also known as eutriphication. The result is a rapid increase in phytoplankton, because they are 'build' from phosphorus and nitrogen. These algal blooms cause deadzones. The number of deadzones is increasing.<br />
As a result, the fertility of the marine life drops dramatically, and in more extreme cases, fish fall unconcious and then suffocate. Slow moving creatures on the seafloor are unable to escape.<br />
Seaweed is capable of uptaking both nitrogen and phosphorus and replacing it with oxygen. For this reason seaweed is also cultivated around fishfarms. Seaweed would be a cheap although perhaps slow solution in the reviving of deadzones.[https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf]<br />
<br />
====Climate====<br />
<br />
====Locations====<br />
<br />
To determine the best location for a sea-farm we have to take into account several aspects. The temperature of the seawater should be the right temperature for seaweed. For example the best temperature for growing Eucheuma is 20-25 °Celsius, but there are also species that can grow in water of 10 °Celsius. So seaweed can grow in almost every ocean. The depth of the sea does not matter for the seaweed because it grows from the surface downwards. But for the farm itself the depth does matter. Anchoring the farm is easier in a shallow area in the ocean. Commonly these areas are near the coast, an advantage of sea-farms which are near the costs is that the transport from farm to the secondary users is cheaper. Also building and maintaining the farm is easier if it is closer to the mainland. The dead zones are also located near the seashore, so the dead zones are an extra motivation of locating the sea-farms there. A disadvantage are the shipping routes that are located in these areas. Thankfully, these routes are taken by most commercial ships. This leaves open spots near the coast where there are no passing ships and where the seaweedfarms could be located. Important shipping routes at the Dutch coast [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NoordzeeScheepvaartroutes.png] With the sealevels rising due to climate change, and the seafarm's habit breaking waves, it would be beneficial to locate the farm nearby a shore that is threatend by rising sea levels.<br />
<br />
===Nutrition===<br />
<br />
===State of the art===<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
* Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
* Pond-farms can make use of otherwise infertile and underutilized land.<br />
* Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
* Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
* Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
* Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
* The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
* Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<!--<br />
<i><br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
</i><br />
--><br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
<br />
* Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
* Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
* Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
* Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
* Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
* Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
* Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
* Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
* Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
* Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
===Types of farms===<br />
<br />
====Anchored====<br />
<br />
====Drifting====<br />
<br />
===Tasks to be carried out on farms===<br />
'''Primary tasks'''<br />
* Seeding<br />
* Cleaning<br />
* Harvesting<br />
'''Secondary tasks'''<br />
* Checking the quality of the plants<br />
* Removing corrupt plants<br />
* Pruning<br />
<br />
==Stakeholders==<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
The USE aspects:<br />
The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
Enterprise: It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===User===<br />
Seaweed farmers.<br />
<br />
Drawback: Introduction of our system on the mariculture market could cost the jobs of the few brave seaweed farmers we have today. These farmers operate on a small scale on a small market and would be easily competed out. To prevent this, our systems user group is are the already existing seaweed farmers that want to expand their business, and the more industrialized farmers in Asia.<br />
<br />
===Society===<br />
<br />
===Enterprise===<br />
<br />
==Maritime robotics==<br />
<br />
<br />
<i><br />
::Specifications<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
::Practical tips<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
::Responsibility<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!</i><br />
<br />
===Types of robots===<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===Locomotion===<br />
<br />
[[File:Drifterandjet.jpg|thumb|A passive ocean drifter and a high-speed jet.]]<br />
<br />
*Jet propulsion — water is taken in and propelled out at high speed, using a directed nozzle makes this very maneuverable.<br />
*Ocean current — passively drifting along the ocean current.<br />
*Propeller — a classic ship's screw to propel forwards and backwards.<br />
*Undulation — moving the body like a fish does.<br />
*Wind — using the power of the wind to sail.<br />
<br />
===Sensing===<br />
<br />
[[File:bathymetry.jpg |thumb|Sonar can be used for bathymetry, measuring the depth of the ocean floor.]]<br />
<br />
*Acoustic Doppler current profiler — measures the speed and direction of ocean currents using the principle of “Doppler shift”.<br />
*Camera — for visual data, has a limited range.<br />
*Conductivity — together with temperature and depth information, a good estimate of the salinity may be determined.<br />
*GPS — find the position, only works above the surface of the water.<br />
*Hydrophone — listen for sounds in the water.<br />
*Oxygen — determine the oxygen levels of the water.<br />
*Pressure — determine the depth the robot is at.<br />
*Semipermeable membrane density — a passive sampling device used to monitor trace levels of organic contaminants. When placed in an aquatic environment, SPMDs accumulate hydrophobic organic compounds, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and organochlorine pesticides from the surrounding waters.<br />
*Sonar — is used to find and identify objects in water. It is also used to determine water depth (bathymetry. May disturb marine life.<br />
*Temperature — determine the temperature of the water.<br />
*pH — determine the acidity of the water.<br />
<br />
===Communication===<br />
<br />
==Proposed design==<br />
<br />
===Description===<br />
*'''Location''' Our own Dutch North Sea might just be to place to be. With an average temperature of 12 degrees[http://gemiddeldgezien.nl/gemiddelde-watertemperatuur-noordzee], a former deadzone that is struggling with pollution from the many estuaries, and with a country that has always struggled with living beneath a rising sealevel, the seaweed farm has a lot to offer. When we also consider the busy shipping routes in the North Sea, Zeeland would be the most suitable area.<br />
*'''Farmed type of seaweed''' The HASP will farm the Laminaria seaweed species. Because of the high demand for it can not be fulfilled with the current techniques, and because it has a low impact on the enviroment.<br />
<br />
*'''System Design'''The design of our system will be largely modelled after the traditional seaweed farms.<br />
''distance between lines''<br />
<br />
===Automation===<br />
<br />
====Mapping tasks to robots====<br />
<br />
====Scalability====<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
The robots behaviour underwater would generate sound. Although the underwater world might seem silent to humans, fish experience sound intensly. The effects of human generated sounds on fish might therefore be harmful. Research results vary from little to no effect, to immediate death. Because the variety of sounds and fish is so large, we will try to minimize the sound level but not take extra measures to protect the fish from our robot's noices.<br />
<br />
===Big Data and IoT===<br />
<br />
<i>The farm comes equipped with a lot of sensors to monitor its own condition and its enviroment. Using all of this data one can analyze it in real time, and after collecting more data extrapolate long-term trends. With all the robotic agents on the farm, combined with the data collected, the farm can be administrated remotely. The farm can be made smart to send out maintenance calls on its.</i><br />
<br />
====Science====<br />
<br />
<i>The data collected by the farm and its robots can be shared with scientists and governments. More farms mean more sensors and thus a larger sensor size. This data would for example be very useful to The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) on which engineers and scientist can find all the data available about the european waters. The European Commission has started Marine Knowledge 2020 with the aim to bring to bring all of the marine data from different sources together. This initiative examplifies the need for marine data.</i><br />
<br />
==Robot prototype==<br />
<br />
===Design process===<br />
The design for the prototype consists of three components, one for the movement, one for grabbing and cutting and one for the Arduino and battery. The robot moves along a cable, for our prototype we will use a bicycle chain. The robot has three gearing wheels for a stable movement along the cable. The gearing wheel in the middle is driven by an engine. The component with the Arduino and the battery is hanging below the movement-component, just like a chairlift. This component should be heavy enough to sink, this is necessary to keep the bicycle chain on tension. Below this component is the cut-and-grab-component, and is joined to the mothership with rope or a telescoping arm. This rope or telescoping arm is needed for a vertical movement, the robot should be able to cut at different depths. The claw should be able to grab seaweed that might have flowed away a bit, so the claw should be able to move horizontal. This happens by a telescoping arm. The scissors should be placed below the claw, otherwise the robot would cut seaweed that is not hold by the claw.<br />
<br />
===Technical description===<br />
<br />
===Demonstration===<br />
<br />
==Business and law==<br />
<br />
===Business case===<br />
<br />
====Cost vs. profit====<br />
<br />
===Laws===<br />
<br />
====International law====<br />
<br />
====European law====<br />
<br />
====Dutch law====<br />
<br />
==Looking ahead==<br />
<br />
===Future farms===<br />
<br />
The farm we have outlined only concerns the cultivation of seaweeds. However, farms can be augmented by employing bivalves in order to filter the water of pollutants.<ref name="Biosorption and bioaccumulation of heavy metals by rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata in the Persian Gulf">[http://www.intelaquares.com/doc/7b.pdf Biosorption and bioaccumulation of heavy metals by rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata in the Persian Gulf]</ref><br />
<br />
===Recommendations===<br />
<br />
===Horizon 2020===<br />
<br />
'''Applicable areas:'''<br />
<br />
*Agriculture & forestry<br />
*Aquatic resources<br />
*Bio-based industries<br />
*Environment & climate action<br />
*Food & healthy diet<br />
*Innovation<br />
*SME (small-medium enterprise)<br />
<br />
'''Relevant research calls:'''<br />
<br />
*High value-added specialized vessel concepts enabling more efficient servicing of emerging coastal and offshore activities. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/5119-bg-02-2016-2017.html (link)] € 7 million<br />
*New sources of proteins for animal feed from co-products to address the EU protein gap. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/17081-bbi-2016-d08.html (link)] € 15 million<br />
*Promoting and supporting the eco-intensification of aquaculture production systems: inland (including fresh water), coastal zone, and offshore. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/6050-sfs-32-2017.html (link)] € 6 million<br />
<br />
==Discussion==<br />
<br />
==Conclusion==<br />
<br />
==Sources and references==<br />
<br />
===Sources===<br />
<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Doty, M.S. & Caddy, J.F. & Santelices, B. (1987), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Juanich, Godardo L. (1988), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/ac416e00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE(1. EUCHEUMA SPP.)]<br />
*Kitadai, Yuuki & Kadowaki, Shusaki (2007), [https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf Growth, nitrogen and phosphorous uptake rates and O2 production rate of seaweeds cultured on coastal fish farms]<br />
*Kleis, Roelof (2010), [http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification]<br />
*Lacey, Stephen & Mellino, Cole (2011), [http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
* NOAA Ocean Explorer Webmaster (2013), [http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/technology/tools/tools.html NOAA Observing Systems and Sensors]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Popper, Arthur N. & Hastings, Mardi C. (2009), [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1749-4877.2008.00134.x/epdf The effects of human-generated sound on fish]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image]. <br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
===References===<br />
<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
<!--<br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
<br />
= Group members =<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
= Preliminary brainstorm =<br />
==Benefits==<br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
<br />
===Proposals===<br />
*Floating robot<br />
**Solar panel<br />
**Lowering (anker-style) cutter<br />
**Hard to position,<br />
***Drifts<br />
***“Dijnst[dutch]”<br />
*Rover robot<br />
**Stable polypoid (crab-style)<br />
**Hard to cut above his head<br />
*Swimming robot<br />
**May become struck between the weed<br />
**Perfect mobility and can cut everywhere<br />
Combination of multiple robot’s for every seafruit a suitable robot.<br />
<br />
= Problem =<br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15). </ref><br />
<br />
<br />
= Mariculture =<br />
<br />
<i>In this section cover what mariculture is and various aspects of mariculture.</i><br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
== Environmental effects ==<br />
<br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms. These can be classified in two categories:<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
<br />
* '''Positive aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
** Pond-farms can make use of otherwise unfertile and underutilised land.<br />
** Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
** Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
** Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
** Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
** The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
** Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<br />
* '''Negative aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
** Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
** Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
** Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
** Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
** Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
** Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
** Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
** Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
** Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
These effects should be considered when deploying seaweed farms to ensure sustainable aquaculture development.<br />
<br />
= Maritime robotics =<br />
== Types of maritime robots ==<br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
<br />
== Specifications ==<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
== Practical tips ==<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
== Responsibility ==<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!<br />
<br />
= State of the art =<br />
<br />
== Robots for mariculture ==<br />
<i>In this section we link mariculture and maritime robots, we elaborate on the type of (maritime) robots that are especially useful for sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= Automation =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the automation of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
= Scaling =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the scalability of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
== Sea farm design ==<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we propose a design for an innovative high-tech sea farm.</i><br />
<br />
= Sea robot prototype =<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we showcase a prototype of a robot to be used on our cutting-edge sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= USE: stakeholders =<br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
The USE aspects:<br />
The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
Enterprise: It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
=Tasks=<br />
[[{{TALKPAGENAME}}|Logbook]]<br />
<br />
=Drive=<br />
[https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=66031F8492322E24!604219&authkey=!AOO7hi5CT65E46Y&ithint=folder%2cdocx USE Waterpret]<br />
<br />
= Sources =<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/AC416E00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE 1. EUCHEUMA SPP.]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image].<br />
*[http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification, December 23, 2010 By Roelof Kleis ]<br />
*[http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?] <br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
== References ==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
--></div>S146529https://cstwiki.wtb.tue.nl/index.php?title=Talk:PRE2015_4_Groep5&diff=26897Talk:PRE2015 4 Groep52016-05-01T08:57:52Z<p>S146529: /* Personal Planning Preferences */</p>
<hr />
<div>=Log=<br />
<br />
==Previous meetings==<br />
*18-04-2016 Course introductory<br />
**Formed groups<br />
**Came up with a lot of concepts<br />
**Decided final concept <br />
*21-04-2016 First meeting with group.<br />
**Digged info about Seaweed.<br />
**Prepared the presentation for week 2.<br />
**Ate seaweed<br />
**Individual Accomplishments<br />
***Neph<br />
****Wiki<br />
****Powerpoint<br />
***Nina<br />
****Benefits<br />
****Maritime Robitcs<br />
***Stijn<br />
****Environmental aspects<br />
***Jochem<br />
****USE aspects<br />
***Arduin<br />
****Roadmap<br />
****Agenda<br />
****Types of deliverables<br />
****Possible applications<br />
<br />
=Tasks=<br />
==Personal Planning Preferences==<br />
*Arduin:<br />
*Jochem:<br />
*Nephtaly:<br />
*Nina: finished design for the whole system, USE: society, enviromental factors, prototyping, solidworks<br />
*Stijn: Mariculture, prototyping (voor de rest maakt het me niet echt uit)<br />
<br />
==Individual==<br />
*<s>Chairman <i>(Arduin)</i><br />
**Is the chairman at meeting and creates the agenda for the meetings</s> (there are only plenary meetings, so they will not be chaired)<br />
*Secretary <i>(Jochem)</i><br />
**Is responsible for the minutes of the meetings<br />
*Sourceman <i>(Stijn)</i><br />
**Finds extra info or extra sources and supporting information for a statement<br />
*Wiki&Drive maintenance <i>(Nina & Nephtaly)</i><br />
**Will maintain the organisation and cleanness of the wiki(talk)page as well as the organisation in the drive<br />
<br />
==Weekly==<br />
18-04-2016:<br />
(tabel)<br />
All, search info, for next meeting<br />
<br />
21-04-2016:<br />
<br />
=Ideas=<br />
*<s>Eat seaweed</s><br />
*Visit a seaweed restaurant<br />
**Interview the chef about the possiblities of seaweed<br />
**TASTE IT!!!<br />
<br />
=Meeting/presentation notes=<br />
==Presentation week 2==<br />
===Q&A from students===<br />
'''Q: Why are there no automated seaweed farms yet?'''<br />
<br />
A: It's being researched and worked on right now, but we want to make larger farms<br />
<br />
'''Q: Will seaweed do well at that scale?'''<br />
<br />
A: Yes; the ocean will supply enough nutrients so there is no need to do this manually and artificially.<br />
<br />
'''Q: How will you grow seaweed in 'dead zones'? Will the seaweed survive big storms?'''<br />
<br />
A: Seaweed grows on the water surface. We can use many types of seaweed. Please refer to the beautiful drawing on the blackboard. Seaweed can handle rough waves.<br />
<br />
'''Q: How does seaweed grow in 'dead zones' if no plants can survive?'''<br />
<br />
A: Seaweed can grow in these areas, but many plants and animals cannot. We may need to kickstart such areas, but the seaweed should be able to survive on it's own. We will need to research this more.<br />
<br />
===Feedback from teachers===<br />
<br />
Most original project of the ones presented today. You need to do a lot of work on the robots. We have to see how the robot will work in the demonstration.<br />
<br />
(we showed our farm setup)<br />
<br />
Take a look at underwater robots, like repair robots.<br />
<br />
(we showed maritime robotics slide)<br />
<br />
One remark: H2020 Proposals / Research calls (there may be a research call on this topic) We should look up roadmaps and think about where our project would fit in.<br />
<br />
Please find something about the drawbacks, not just positive aspects. For example: lots of seaweed will limit the amount of light in the area below. Large scale <anything> will have an effect. Find out what the effect of large scale seaweed farming is.<br />
<br />
=Talk=<br />
==General talk==<br />
* IoT, Big Data<br />
* mariculture (combination Seafarm and seadrones)<br />
==Arduin's talk==<br />
[[File:sketch03452399325.jpg|thumb|Sketch of possible deliverable]]<br />
<br />
==Nina's talk==<br />
[[User:S133140|S133140]] Hoi even een testje (zonder timestamp)<br />
<br />
[[User:S133140|S133140]] 15:20, 21 April 2016 (UTC) En nu een test met timestamp<br />
<br />
==Jochems' talk==<br />
==Stijn's talk==<br />
==Nephtaly's talk==<br />
* Lammelle idee om het op te halen en te knippen en te klemmen [< vormig<br />
* secundaire lijn<br />
* trosjes in basis-station<br />
* Zie aantekeningen en/of foto's<br />
* http://www.intorobotics.com/3d-printed-robot-arms-for-free-download/<br />
==USE==<br />
*<b>E:</b>Big New Innovation<br />
*<b>S:</b>Overpopulation call for new solutions<br />
**feed seaweed to:<br />
***humans<br />
***animal stock. (better for climate change, no deforestation)<br />
<br />
=Definitions=<br />
*Aquaculture = argiculture in water<br />
*Mariculture = aquaculture in the sea<br />
<br />
=Editing help=<br />
*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Cheatsheet Markup cheatsheet]<br />
*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style Manual of Style]<br />
*A signature can be made by inserting <pre>~~~</pre><br />
*A signature <i>with timestamp</i> can be made by inserting <pre>~~~~</pre></div>S146529https://cstwiki.wtb.tue.nl/index.php?title=PRE2015_4_Groep5&diff=26895PRE2015 4 Groep52016-04-30T18:25:01Z<p>S146529: /* Locations */</p>
<hr />
<div>__FORCETOC__<br />
<br />
[[File:HASP_logo_v0.1.png|600px|right]]<br />
<br />
== Group members ==<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
==Introduction==<br />
<br />
===Abstract===<br />
<br />
===Problem statement===<br />
<br />
<i><br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15). </ref><br />
</i><br />
<br />
===Motivation===<br />
<br />
<i><br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
==Mariculture==<br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
===Mariculture as a solution===<br />
<br />
===Environment===<br />
<br />
<i><br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms. These can be classified in two categories:<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
<br />
* '''Positive aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
** Pond-farms can make use of otherwise unfertile and underutilised land.<br />
** Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
** Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
** Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
** Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
** The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
** Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<br />
* '''Negative aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
** Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
** Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
** Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
** Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
** Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
** Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
** Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
** Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
** Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
These effects should be considered when deploying seaweed farms to ensure sustainable aquaculture development.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
====Dead zones====<br />
<br />
[[File:Deadzones.jpg|thumb|Dead zones in oceans around the world.]]<br />
<br />
Ocean dead zones are areas with low oxygen levels and hardly any marine life. These areas are caused by agriculture fertilizers that increase the level of nitrogen and phosphorus, also known as eutriphication. The result is a rapid increase in phytoplankton, because they are 'build' from phosphorus and nitrogen. These algal blooms cause deadzones. The number of deadzones is increasing.<br />
As a result, the fertility of the marine life drops dramatically, and in more extreme cases, fish fall unconcious and then suffocate. Slow moving creatures on the seafloor are unable to escape.<br />
Seaweed is capable of uptaking both nitrogen and phosphorus and replacing it with oxygen. For this reason seaweed is also cultivated around fishfarms. Seaweed would be a cheap although perhaps slow solution in the reviving of deadzones.[https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf]<br />
<br />
====Climate====<br />
<br />
====Locations====<br />
<br />
To determine the best location for a sea-farm we have to take into account several aspects. The temperature of the seawater should be the right temperature for seaweed. For example the best temperature for growing Eucheuma is 20-25 °Celsius, but there are also species that can grow in water of 10 °Celsius. So seaweed can grow in almost every ocean. The depth of the sea does not matter for the seaweed because it grows from the surface downwards. But for the farm itself the depth does matter. Anchoring the farm is easier in a shallow area in the ocean. Commonly these areas are near the coast, an advantage of sea-farms which are near the costs is that the transport from farm to the secondary users is cheaper. Also building and maintaining the farm is easier if it is closer to the mainland. The dead zones are also located near the seashore, so the dead zones are an extra motivation of locating the sea-farms there. A disadvantage are the shipping lanes that are located in these areas.<br />
<br />
===Nutrition===<br />
<br />
===State of the art===<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
<i><br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
<br />
===Types of farms===<br />
<br />
====Anchored====<br />
<br />
====Drifting====<br />
<br />
===Tasks to be carried out on farms===<br />
<br />
==Stakeholders==<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
The USE aspects:<br />
The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
Enterprise: It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===User===<br />
Seaweed farmers.<br />
<br />
Drawback: Introduction of our system on the mariculture market could cost the jobs of the few brave seaweed farmers we have today. These farmers operate on a small scale on a small market and would be easily competed out. To prevent this, our systems user group is are the already existing seaweed farmers that want to expand their business, and the more industrialized farmers in Asia.<br />
<br />
===Society===<br />
<br />
===Enterprise===<br />
<br />
==Maritime robotics==<br />
<br />
<br />
<i><br />
::Specifications<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
::Practical tips<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
::Responsibility<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!</i><br />
<br />
===Types of robots===<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===Locomotion===<br />
<br />
[[File:Drifterandjet.jpg|thumb|A passive ocean drifter and a high-speed jet.]]<br />
<br />
*Jet propulsion — water is taken in and propelled out at high speed, using a directed nozzle makes this very maneuverable.<br />
*Ocean current — passively drifting along the ocean current.<br />
*Propeller — a classic ship's screw to propel forwards and backwards.<br />
*Undulation — moving the body like a fish does.<br />
*Wind — using the power of the wind to sail.<br />
<br />
===Sensing===<br />
<br />
[[File:bathymetry.jpg |thumb|Sonar can be used for bathymetry, measuring the depth of the ocean floor.]]<br />
<br />
*Acoustic Doppler current profiler — measures the speed and direction of ocean currents using the principle of “Doppler shift”.<br />
*Camera — for visual data, has a limited range.<br />
*Conductivity — together with temperature and depth information, a good estimate of the salinity may be determined.<br />
*GPS — find the position, only works above the surface of the water.<br />
*Hydrophone — listen for sounds in the water.<br />
*Oxygen — determine the oxygen levels of the water.<br />
*Pressure — determine the depth the robot is at.<br />
*Semipermeable membrane density — a passive sampling device used to monitor trace levels of organic contaminants. When placed in an aquatic environment, SPMDs accumulate hydrophobic organic compounds, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and organochlorine pesticides from the surrounding waters.<br />
*Sonar — is used to find and identify objects in water. It is also used to determine water depth (bathymetry. May disturb marine life.<br />
*Temperature — determine the temperature of the water.<br />
*pH — determine the acidity of the water.<br />
<br />
===Communication===<br />
<br />
==Proposed design==<br />
<br />
===Description===<br />
<br />
===Automation===<br />
<br />
====Mapping tasks to robots====<br />
<br />
====Scalability====<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
The robots behaviour underwater would generate sound. Although the underwater world might seem silent to humans, fish experience sound intensly. The effects of human generated sounds on fish might therefore be harmful. Research results vary from little to no effect, to immediate death. Because the variety of sounds and fish is so large, we will try to minimize the sound level but not take extra measures to protect the fish from our robot's noices.<br />
<br />
===Big Data and IoT===<br />
<br />
<i>The farm comes equipped with a lot of sensors to monitor its own condition and its enviroment. Using all of this data one can analyze it in real time, and after collecting more data extrapolate long-term trends. With all the robotic agents on the farm, combined with the data collected, the farm can be administrated remotely. The farm can be made smart to send out maintenance calls on its.</i><br />
<br />
====Science====<br />
<br />
<i>The data collected by the farm and its robots can be shared with scientists and governments. More farms mean more sensors and thus a larger sensor size. This data would for example be very useful to The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) on which engineers and scientist can find all the data available about the european waters. The European Commission has started Marine Knowledge 2020 with the aim to bring to bring all of the marine data from different sources together. This initiative examplifies the need for marine data.</i><br />
<br />
==Robot prototype==<br />
<br />
===Design process===<br />
<br />
===Technical description===<br />
<br />
===Demonstration===<br />
<br />
==Business and law==<br />
<br />
===Business case===<br />
<br />
====Cost vs. profit====<br />
<br />
===Laws===<br />
<br />
====International law====<br />
<br />
====European law====<br />
<br />
====Dutch law====<br />
<br />
==Looking ahead==<br />
<br />
===Future farms===<br />
<br />
===Recommendations===<br />
<br />
===Horizon 2020===<br />
<br />
'''Applicable areas:'''<br />
<br />
*Agriculture & forestry<br />
*Aquatic resources<br />
*Bio-based industries<br />
*Environment & climate action<br />
*Food & healthy diet<br />
*Innovation<br />
*SME (small-medium enterprise)<br />
<br />
'''Relevant research calls:'''<br />
<br />
*High value-added specialized vessel concepts enabling more efficient servicing of emerging coastal and offshore activities. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/5119-bg-02-2016-2017.html (link)] € 7 million<br />
*New sources of proteins for animal feed from co-products to address the EU protein gap. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/17081-bbi-2016-d08.html (link)] € 15 million<br />
*Promoting and supporting the eco-intensification of aquaculture production systems: inland (including fresh water), coastal zone, and offshore. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/6050-sfs-32-2017.html (link)] € 6 million<br />
<br />
==Discussion==<br />
<br />
==Conclusion==<br />
<br />
==Sources and references==<br />
<br />
===Sources===<br />
<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Doty, M.S. & Caddy, J.F. & Santelices, B. (1987), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Juanich, Godardo L. (1988), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/ac416e00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE(1. EUCHEUMA SPP.)]<br />
*Kitadai, Yuuki & Kadowaki, Shusaki (2007), [https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf Growth, nitrogen and phosphorous uptake rates and O2 production rate of seaweeds cultured on coastal fish farms]<br />
*Kleis, Roelof (2010), [http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification]<br />
*Lacey, Stephen & Mellino, Cole (2011), [http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
* NOAA Ocean Explorer Webmaster (2013), [http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/technology/tools/tools.html NOAA Observing Systems and Sensors]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Popper, Arthur N. & Hastings, Mardi C. (2009), [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1749-4877.2008.00134.x/epdf The effects of human-generated sound on fish]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image]. <br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
===References===<br />
<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
<!--<br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
<br />
= Group members =<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
= Preliminary brainstorm =<br />
==Benefits==<br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
<br />
===Proposals===<br />
*Floating robot<br />
**Solar panel<br />
**Lowering (anker-style) cutter<br />
**Hard to position,<br />
***Drifts<br />
***“Dijnst[dutch]”<br />
*Rover robot<br />
**Stable polypoid (crab-style)<br />
**Hard to cut above his head<br />
*Swimming robot<br />
**May become struck between the weed<br />
**Perfect mobility and can cut everywhere<br />
Combination of multiple robot’s for every seafruit a suitable robot.<br />
<br />
= Problem =<br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15). </ref><br />
<br />
<br />
= Mariculture =<br />
<br />
<i>In this section cover what mariculture is and various aspects of mariculture.</i><br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
== Environmental effects ==<br />
<br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms. These can be classified in two categories:<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
<br />
* '''Positive aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
** Pond-farms can make use of otherwise unfertile and underutilised land.<br />
** Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
** Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
** Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
** Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
** The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
** Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<br />
* '''Negative aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
** Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
** Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
** Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
** Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
** Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
** Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
** Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
** Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
** Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
These effects should be considered when deploying seaweed farms to ensure sustainable aquaculture development.<br />
<br />
= Maritime robotics =<br />
== Types of maritime robots ==<br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
<br />
== Specifications ==<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
== Practical tips ==<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
== Responsibility ==<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!<br />
<br />
= State of the art =<br />
<br />
== Robots for mariculture ==<br />
<i>In this section we link mariculture and maritime robots, we elaborate on the type of (maritime) robots that are especially useful for sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= Automation =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the automation of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
= Scaling =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the scalability of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
== Sea farm design ==<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we propose a design for an innovative high-tech sea farm.</i><br />
<br />
= Sea robot prototype =<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we showcase a prototype of a robot to be used on our cutting-edge sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= USE: stakeholders =<br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
The USE aspects:<br />
The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
Enterprise: It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
=Tasks=<br />
[[{{TALKPAGENAME}}|Logbook]]<br />
<br />
=Drive=<br />
[https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=66031F8492322E24!604219&authkey=!AOO7hi5CT65E46Y&ithint=folder%2cdocx USE Waterpret]<br />
<br />
= Sources =<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/AC416E00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE 1. EUCHEUMA SPP.]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image].<br />
*[http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification, December 23, 2010 By Roelof Kleis ]<br />
*[http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?] <br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
== References ==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
--></div>S146529https://cstwiki.wtb.tue.nl/index.php?title=PRE2015_4_Groep5&diff=26894PRE2015 4 Groep52016-04-30T17:31:18Z<p>S146529: /* Sources */</p>
<hr />
<div>__FORCETOC__<br />
<br />
[[File:HASP_logo_v0.1.png|600px|right]]<br />
<br />
== Group members ==<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
==Introduction==<br />
<br />
===Abstract===<br />
<br />
===Problem statement===<br />
<br />
<i><br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15). </ref><br />
</i><br />
<br />
===Motivation===<br />
<br />
<i><br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
==Mariculture==<br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
===Mariculture as a solution===<br />
<br />
===Environment===<br />
<br />
<i><br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms. These can be classified in two categories:<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
<br />
* '''Positive aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
** Pond-farms can make use of otherwise unfertile and underutilised land.<br />
** Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
** Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
** Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
** Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
** The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
** Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<br />
* '''Negative aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
** Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
** Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
** Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
** Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
** Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
** Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
** Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
** Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
** Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
These effects should be considered when deploying seaweed farms to ensure sustainable aquaculture development.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
====Dead zones====<br />
<br />
[[File:Deadzones.jpg|thumb|Dead zones in oceans around the world.]]<br />
<br />
Ocean dead zones are areas with low oxygen levels and hardly any marine life. These areas are caused by agriculture fertilizers that increase the level of nitrogen and phosphorus, also known as eutriphication. The result is a rapid increase in phytoplankton, because they are 'build' from phosphorus and nitrogen. These algal blooms cause deadzones. The number of deadzones is increasing.<br />
As a result, the fertility of the marine life drops dramatically, and in more extreme cases, fish fall unconcious and then suffocate. Slow moving creatures on the seafloor are unable to escape.<br />
Seaweed is capable of uptaking both nitrogen and phosphorus and replacing it with oxygen. For this reason seaweed is also cultivated around fishfarms. Seaweed would be a cheap although perhaps slow solution in the reviving of deadzones.[https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf]<br />
<br />
====Climate====<br />
<br />
====Locations====<br />
<br />
===Nutrition===<br />
<br />
===State of the art===<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
<i><br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
<br />
===Types of farms===<br />
<br />
====Anchored====<br />
<br />
====Drifting====<br />
<br />
===Tasks to be carried out on farms===<br />
<br />
==Stakeholders==<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
The USE aspects:<br />
The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
Enterprise: It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===User===<br />
Seaweed farmers.<br />
<br />
Drawback: Introduction of our system on the mariculture market could cost the jobs of the few brave seaweed farmers we have today. These farmers operate on a small scale on a small market and would be easily competed out. To prevent this, our systems user group is are the already existing seaweed farmers that want to expand their business, and the more industrialized farmers in Asia.<br />
<br />
===Society===<br />
<br />
===Enterprise===<br />
<br />
==Maritime robotics==<br />
<br />
<br />
<i><br />
::Specifications<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
::Practical tips<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
::Responsibility<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!</i><br />
<br />
===Types of robots===<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===Locomotion===<br />
<br />
[[File:Drifterandjet.jpg|thumb|A passive ocean drifter and a high-speed jet.]]<br />
<br />
*Jet propulsion — water is taken in and propelled out at high speed, using a directed nozzle makes this very maneuverable.<br />
*Ocean current — passively drifting along the ocean current.<br />
*Propeller — a classic ship's screw to propel forwards and backwards.<br />
*Undulation — moving the body like a fish does.<br />
*Wind — using the power of the wind to sail.<br />
<br />
===Sensing===<br />
<br />
[[File:bathymetry.jpg |thumb|Sonar can be used for bathymetry, measuring the depth of the ocean floor.]]<br />
<br />
*Acoustic Doppler current profiler — measures the speed and direction of ocean currents using the principle of “Doppler shift”.<br />
*Camera — for visual data, has a limited range.<br />
*Conductivity — together with temperature and depth information, a good estimate of the salinity may be determined.<br />
*GPS — find the position, only works above the surface of the water.<br />
*Hydrophone — listen for sounds in the water.<br />
*Oxygen — determine the oxygen levels of the water.<br />
*Pressure — determine the depth the robot is at.<br />
*Semipermeable membrane density — a passive sampling device used to monitor trace levels of organic contaminants. When placed in an aquatic environment, SPMDs accumulate hydrophobic organic compounds, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and organochlorine pesticides from the surrounding waters.<br />
*Sonar — is used to find and identify objects in water. It is also used to determine water depth (bathymetry. May disturb marine life.<br />
*Temperature — determine the temperature of the water.<br />
*pH — determine the acidity of the water.<br />
<br />
===Communication===<br />
<br />
==Proposed design==<br />
<br />
===Description===<br />
<br />
===Automation===<br />
<br />
====Mapping tasks to robots====<br />
<br />
====Scalability====<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
The robots behaviour underwater would generate sound. Although the underwater world might seem silent to humans, fish experience sound intensly. The effects of human generated sounds on fish might therefore be harmful. Research results vary from little to no effect, to immediate death. Because the variety of sounds and fish is so large, we will try to minimize the sound level but not take extra measures to protect the fish from our robot's noices.<br />
<br />
===Big Data and IoT===<br />
<br />
<i>The farm comes equipped with a lot of sensors to monitor its own condition and its enviroment. Using all of this data one can analyze it in real time, and after collecting more data extrapolate long-term trends. With all the robotic agents on the farm, combined with the data collected, the farm can be administrated remotely. The farm can be made smart to send out maintenance calls on its.</i><br />
<br />
====Science====<br />
<br />
<i>The data collected by the farm and its robots can be shared with scientists and governments. More farms mean more sensors and thus a larger sensor size. This data would for example be very useful to The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) on which engineers and scientist can find all the data available about the european waters. The European Commission has started Marine Knowledge 2020 with the aim to bring to bring all of the marine data from different sources together. This initiative examplifies the need for marine data.</i><br />
<br />
==Robot prototype==<br />
<br />
===Design process===<br />
<br />
===Technical description===<br />
<br />
===Demonstration===<br />
<br />
==Business and law==<br />
<br />
===Business case===<br />
<br />
====Cost vs. profit====<br />
<br />
===Laws===<br />
<br />
====International law====<br />
<br />
====European law====<br />
<br />
====Dutch law====<br />
<br />
==Looking ahead==<br />
<br />
===Future farms===<br />
<br />
===Recommendations===<br />
<br />
===Horizon 2020===<br />
<br />
'''Applicable areas:'''<br />
<br />
*Agriculture & forestry<br />
*Aquatic resources<br />
*Bio-based industries<br />
*Environment & climate action<br />
*Food & healthy diet<br />
*Innovation<br />
*SME (small-medium enterprise)<br />
<br />
'''Relevant research calls:'''<br />
<br />
*High value-added specialized vessel concepts enabling more efficient servicing of emerging coastal and offshore activities. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/5119-bg-02-2016-2017.html (link)] € 7 million<br />
*New sources of proteins for animal feed from co-products to address the EU protein gap. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/17081-bbi-2016-d08.html (link)] € 15 million<br />
*Promoting and supporting the eco-intensification of aquaculture production systems: inland (including fresh water), coastal zone, and offshore. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/6050-sfs-32-2017.html (link)] € 6 million<br />
<br />
==Discussion==<br />
<br />
==Conclusion==<br />
<br />
==Sources and references==<br />
<br />
===Sources===<br />
<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Doty, M.S. & Caddy, J.F. & Santelices, B. (1987), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Juanich, Godardo L. (1988), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/ac416e00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE(1. EUCHEUMA SPP.)]<br />
*Kitadai, Yuuki & Kadowaki, Shusaki (2007), [https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf Growth, nitrogen and phosphorous uptake rates and O2 production rate of seaweeds cultured on coastal fish farms]<br />
*Kleis, Roelof (2010), [http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification]<br />
*Lacey, Stephen & Mellino, Cole (2011), [http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
* NOAA Ocean Explorer Webmaster (2013), [http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/technology/tools/tools.html NOAA Observing Systems and Sensors]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Popper, Arthur N. & Hastings, Mardi C. (2009), [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1749-4877.2008.00134.x/epdf The effects of human-generated sound on fish]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image]. <br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
===References===<br />
<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
<!--<br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
<br />
= Group members =<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
= Preliminary brainstorm =<br />
==Benefits==<br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
<br />
===Proposals===<br />
*Floating robot<br />
**Solar panel<br />
**Lowering (anker-style) cutter<br />
**Hard to position,<br />
***Drifts<br />
***“Dijnst[dutch]”<br />
*Rover robot<br />
**Stable polypoid (crab-style)<br />
**Hard to cut above his head<br />
*Swimming robot<br />
**May become struck between the weed<br />
**Perfect mobility and can cut everywhere<br />
Combination of multiple robot’s for every seafruit a suitable robot.<br />
<br />
= Problem =<br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15). </ref><br />
<br />
<br />
= Mariculture =<br />
<br />
<i>In this section cover what mariculture is and various aspects of mariculture.</i><br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
== Environmental effects ==<br />
<br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms. These can be classified in two categories:<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
<br />
* '''Positive aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
** Pond-farms can make use of otherwise unfertile and underutilised land.<br />
** Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
** Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
** Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
** Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
** The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
** Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<br />
* '''Negative aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
** Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
** Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
** Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
** Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
** Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
** Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
** Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
** Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
** Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
These effects should be considered when deploying seaweed farms to ensure sustainable aquaculture development.<br />
<br />
= Maritime robotics =<br />
== Types of maritime robots ==<br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
<br />
== Specifications ==<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
== Practical tips ==<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
== Responsibility ==<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!<br />
<br />
= State of the art =<br />
<br />
== Robots for mariculture ==<br />
<i>In this section we link mariculture and maritime robots, we elaborate on the type of (maritime) robots that are especially useful for sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= Automation =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the automation of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
= Scaling =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the scalability of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
== Sea farm design ==<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we propose a design for an innovative high-tech sea farm.</i><br />
<br />
= Sea robot prototype =<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we showcase a prototype of a robot to be used on our cutting-edge sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= USE: stakeholders =<br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
The USE aspects:<br />
The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
Enterprise: It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
=Tasks=<br />
[[{{TALKPAGENAME}}|Logbook]]<br />
<br />
=Drive=<br />
[https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=66031F8492322E24!604219&authkey=!AOO7hi5CT65E46Y&ithint=folder%2cdocx USE Waterpret]<br />
<br />
= Sources =<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/AC416E00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE 1. EUCHEUMA SPP.]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image].<br />
*[http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification, December 23, 2010 By Roelof Kleis ]<br />
*[http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?] <br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
== References ==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
--></div>S146529https://cstwiki.wtb.tue.nl/index.php?title=PRE2015_4_Groep5&diff=26893PRE2015 4 Groep52016-04-30T17:30:47Z<p>S146529: /* Sources */</p>
<hr />
<div>__FORCETOC__<br />
<br />
[[File:HASP_logo_v0.1.png|600px|right]]<br />
<br />
== Group members ==<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
==Introduction==<br />
<br />
===Abstract===<br />
<br />
===Problem statement===<br />
<br />
<i><br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15). </ref><br />
</i><br />
<br />
===Motivation===<br />
<br />
<i><br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
==Mariculture==<br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
===Mariculture as a solution===<br />
<br />
===Environment===<br />
<br />
<i><br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms. These can be classified in two categories:<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
<br />
* '''Positive aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
** Pond-farms can make use of otherwise unfertile and underutilised land.<br />
** Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
** Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
** Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
** Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
** The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
** Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<br />
* '''Negative aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
** Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
** Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
** Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
** Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
** Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
** Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
** Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
** Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
** Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
These effects should be considered when deploying seaweed farms to ensure sustainable aquaculture development.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
====Dead zones====<br />
<br />
[[File:Deadzones.jpg|thumb|Dead zones in oceans around the world.]]<br />
<br />
Ocean dead zones are areas with low oxygen levels and hardly any marine life. These areas are caused by agriculture fertilizers that increase the level of nitrogen and phosphorus, also known as eutriphication. The result is a rapid increase in phytoplankton, because they are 'build' from phosphorus and nitrogen. These algal blooms cause deadzones. The number of deadzones is increasing.<br />
As a result, the fertility of the marine life drops dramatically, and in more extreme cases, fish fall unconcious and then suffocate. Slow moving creatures on the seafloor are unable to escape.<br />
Seaweed is capable of uptaking both nitrogen and phosphorus and replacing it with oxygen. For this reason seaweed is also cultivated around fishfarms. Seaweed would be a cheap although perhaps slow solution in the reviving of deadzones.[https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf]<br />
<br />
====Climate====<br />
<br />
====Locations====<br />
<br />
===Nutrition===<br />
<br />
===State of the art===<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
<i><br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
<br />
===Types of farms===<br />
<br />
====Anchored====<br />
<br />
====Drifting====<br />
<br />
===Tasks to be carried out on farms===<br />
<br />
==Stakeholders==<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
The USE aspects:<br />
The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
Enterprise: It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===User===<br />
Seaweed farmers.<br />
<br />
Drawback: Introduction of our system on the mariculture market could cost the jobs of the few brave seaweed farmers we have today. These farmers operate on a small scale on a small market and would be easily competed out. To prevent this, our systems user group is are the already existing seaweed farmers that want to expand their business, and the more industrialized farmers in Asia.<br />
<br />
===Society===<br />
<br />
===Enterprise===<br />
<br />
==Maritime robotics==<br />
<br />
<br />
<i><br />
::Specifications<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
::Practical tips<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
::Responsibility<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!</i><br />
<br />
===Types of robots===<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===Locomotion===<br />
<br />
[[File:Drifterandjet.jpg|thumb|A passive ocean drifter and a high-speed jet.]]<br />
<br />
*Jet propulsion — water is taken in and propelled out at high speed, using a directed nozzle makes this very maneuverable.<br />
*Ocean current — passively drifting along the ocean current.<br />
*Propeller — a classic ship's screw to propel forwards and backwards.<br />
*Undulation — moving the body like a fish does.<br />
*Wind — using the power of the wind to sail.<br />
<br />
===Sensing===<br />
<br />
[[File:bathymetry.jpg |thumb|Sonar can be used for bathymetry, measuring the depth of the ocean floor.]]<br />
<br />
*Acoustic Doppler current profiler — measures the speed and direction of ocean currents using the principle of “Doppler shift”.<br />
*Camera — for visual data, has a limited range.<br />
*Conductivity — together with temperature and depth information, a good estimate of the salinity may be determined.<br />
*GPS — find the position, only works above the surface of the water.<br />
*Hydrophone — listen for sounds in the water.<br />
*Oxygen — determine the oxygen levels of the water.<br />
*Pressure — determine the depth the robot is at.<br />
*Semipermeable membrane density — a passive sampling device used to monitor trace levels of organic contaminants. When placed in an aquatic environment, SPMDs accumulate hydrophobic organic compounds, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and organochlorine pesticides from the surrounding waters.<br />
*Sonar — is used to find and identify objects in water. It is also used to determine water depth (bathymetry. May disturb marine life.<br />
*Temperature — determine the temperature of the water.<br />
*pH — determine the acidity of the water.<br />
<br />
===Communication===<br />
<br />
==Proposed design==<br />
<br />
===Description===<br />
<br />
===Automation===<br />
<br />
====Mapping tasks to robots====<br />
<br />
====Scalability====<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
The robots behaviour underwater would generate sound. Although the underwater world might seem silent to humans, fish experience sound intensly. The effects of human generated sounds on fish might therefore be harmful. Research results vary from little to no effect, to immediate death. Because the variety of sounds and fish is so large, we will try to minimize the sound level but not take extra measures to protect the fish from our robot's noices.<br />
<br />
===Big Data and IoT===<br />
<br />
<i>The farm comes equipped with a lot of sensors to monitor its own condition and its enviroment. Using all of this data one can analyze it in real time, and after collecting more data extrapolate long-term trends. With all the robotic agents on the farm, combined with the data collected, the farm can be administrated remotely. The farm can be made smart to send out maintenance calls on its.</i><br />
<br />
====Science====<br />
<br />
<i>The data collected by the farm and its robots can be shared with scientists and governments. More farms mean more sensors and thus a larger sensor size. This data would for example be very useful to The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) on which engineers and scientist can find all the data available about the european waters. The European Commission has started Marine Knowledge 2020 with the aim to bring to bring all of the marine data from different sources together. This initiative examplifies the need for marine data.</i><br />
<br />
==Robot prototype==<br />
<br />
===Design process===<br />
<br />
===Technical description===<br />
<br />
===Demonstration===<br />
<br />
==Business and law==<br />
<br />
===Business case===<br />
<br />
====Cost vs. profit====<br />
<br />
===Laws===<br />
<br />
====International law====<br />
<br />
====European law====<br />
<br />
====Dutch law====<br />
<br />
==Looking ahead==<br />
<br />
===Future farms===<br />
<br />
===Recommendations===<br />
<br />
===Horizon 2020===<br />
<br />
'''Applicable areas:'''<br />
<br />
*Agriculture & forestry<br />
*Aquatic resources<br />
*Bio-based industries<br />
*Environment & climate action<br />
*Food & healthy diet<br />
*Innovation<br />
*SME (small-medium enterprise)<br />
<br />
'''Relevant research calls:'''<br />
<br />
*High value-added specialized vessel concepts enabling more efficient servicing of emerging coastal and offshore activities. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/5119-bg-02-2016-2017.html (link)] € 7 million<br />
*New sources of proteins for animal feed from co-products to address the EU protein gap. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/17081-bbi-2016-d08.html (link)] € 15 million<br />
*Promoting and supporting the eco-intensification of aquaculture production systems: inland (including fresh water), coastal zone, and offshore. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/6050-sfs-32-2017.html (link)] € 6 million<br />
<br />
==Discussion==<br />
<br />
==Conclusion==<br />
<br />
==Sources and references==<br />
<br />
===Sources===<br />
<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Doty, M.S. & Caddy, J.F. & Santelices, B. (1987), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Juanich, Godardo L. (1988), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/ac416e00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE(1. EUCHEUMA SPP.)]<br />
*Kitadai, Yuuki & Kadowaki, Shusaki (2007), [https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf Growth, nitrogen and phosphorous uptake rates and O2 production rate of seaweeds cultured on coastal fish farms]<br />
*Kleis, Roelof (2010), [http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification]<br />
*Lacey, Stephen & Mellino, Cole (2011), [http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
* NOAA Ocean Explorer Webmaster (2013), [http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/technology/tools/tools.html NOAA Observing Systems and Sensors]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Popper, Arthur N. & Hastings, Mardi C. (2009), [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1749-4877.2008.00134.x/epdf The effects of human-generated sound on fish]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
<br />
<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image]. <br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
===References===<br />
<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
<!--<br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
<br />
= Group members =<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
= Preliminary brainstorm =<br />
==Benefits==<br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
<br />
===Proposals===<br />
*Floating robot<br />
**Solar panel<br />
**Lowering (anker-style) cutter<br />
**Hard to position,<br />
***Drifts<br />
***“Dijnst[dutch]”<br />
*Rover robot<br />
**Stable polypoid (crab-style)<br />
**Hard to cut above his head<br />
*Swimming robot<br />
**May become struck between the weed<br />
**Perfect mobility and can cut everywhere<br />
Combination of multiple robot’s for every seafruit a suitable robot.<br />
<br />
= Problem =<br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15). </ref><br />
<br />
<br />
= Mariculture =<br />
<br />
<i>In this section cover what mariculture is and various aspects of mariculture.</i><br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
== Environmental effects ==<br />
<br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms. These can be classified in two categories:<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
<br />
* '''Positive aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
** Pond-farms can make use of otherwise unfertile and underutilised land.<br />
** Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
** Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
** Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
** Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
** The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
** Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<br />
* '''Negative aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
** Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
** Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
** Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
** Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
** Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
** Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
** Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
** Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
** Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
These effects should be considered when deploying seaweed farms to ensure sustainable aquaculture development.<br />
<br />
= Maritime robotics =<br />
== Types of maritime robots ==<br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
<br />
== Specifications ==<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
== Practical tips ==<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
== Responsibility ==<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!<br />
<br />
= State of the art =<br />
<br />
== Robots for mariculture ==<br />
<i>In this section we link mariculture and maritime robots, we elaborate on the type of (maritime) robots that are especially useful for sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= Automation =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the automation of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
= Scaling =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the scalability of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
== Sea farm design ==<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we propose a design for an innovative high-tech sea farm.</i><br />
<br />
= Sea robot prototype =<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we showcase a prototype of a robot to be used on our cutting-edge sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= USE: stakeholders =<br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
The USE aspects:<br />
The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
Enterprise: It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
=Tasks=<br />
[[{{TALKPAGENAME}}|Logbook]]<br />
<br />
=Drive=<br />
[https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=66031F8492322E24!604219&authkey=!AOO7hi5CT65E46Y&ithint=folder%2cdocx USE Waterpret]<br />
<br />
= Sources =<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/AC416E00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE 1. EUCHEUMA SPP.]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image].<br />
*[http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification, December 23, 2010 By Roelof Kleis ]<br />
*[http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?] <br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
== References ==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
--></div>S146529https://cstwiki.wtb.tue.nl/index.php?title=PRE2015_4_Groep5&diff=26892PRE2015 4 Groep52016-04-30T17:27:28Z<p>S146529: /* Sources */</p>
<hr />
<div>__FORCETOC__<br />
<br />
[[File:HASP_logo_v0.1.png|600px|right]]<br />
<br />
== Group members ==<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
==Introduction==<br />
<br />
===Abstract===<br />
<br />
===Problem statement===<br />
<br />
<i><br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15). </ref><br />
</i><br />
<br />
===Motivation===<br />
<br />
<i><br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
==Mariculture==<br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
===Mariculture as a solution===<br />
<br />
===Environment===<br />
<br />
<i><br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms. These can be classified in two categories:<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
<br />
* '''Positive aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
** Pond-farms can make use of otherwise unfertile and underutilised land.<br />
** Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
** Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
** Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
** Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
** The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
** Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<br />
* '''Negative aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
** Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
** Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
** Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
** Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
** Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
** Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
** Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
** Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
** Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
These effects should be considered when deploying seaweed farms to ensure sustainable aquaculture development.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
====Dead zones====<br />
<br />
[[File:Deadzones.jpg|thumb|Dead zones in oceans around the world.]]<br />
<br />
Ocean dead zones are areas with low oxygen levels and hardly any marine life. These areas are caused by agriculture fertilizers that increase the level of nitrogen and phosphorus, also known as eutriphication. The result is a rapid increase in phytoplankton, because they are 'build' from phosphorus and nitrogen. These algal blooms cause deadzones. The number of deadzones is increasing.<br />
As a result, the fertility of the marine life drops dramatically, and in more extreme cases, fish fall unconcious and then suffocate. Slow moving creatures on the seafloor are unable to escape.<br />
Seaweed is capable of uptaking both nitrogen and phosphorus and replacing it with oxygen. For this reason seaweed is also cultivated around fishfarms. Seaweed would be a cheap although perhaps slow solution in the reviving of deadzones.[https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf]<br />
<br />
====Climate====<br />
<br />
====Locations====<br />
<br />
===Nutrition===<br />
<br />
===State of the art===<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
<i><br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
<br />
===Types of farms===<br />
<br />
====Anchored====<br />
<br />
====Drifting====<br />
<br />
===Tasks to be carried out on farms===<br />
<br />
==Stakeholders==<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
The USE aspects:<br />
The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
Enterprise: It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===User===<br />
Seaweed farmers.<br />
<br />
Drawback: Introduction of our system on the mariculture market could cost the jobs of the few brave seaweed farmers we have today. These farmers operate on a small scale on a small market and would be easily competed out. To prevent this, our systems user group is are the already existing seaweed farmers that want to expand their business, and the more industrialized farmers in Asia.<br />
<br />
===Society===<br />
<br />
===Enterprise===<br />
<br />
==Maritime robotics==<br />
<br />
<br />
<i><br />
::Specifications<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
::Practical tips<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
::Responsibility<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!</i><br />
<br />
===Types of robots===<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===Locomotion===<br />
<br />
[[File:Drifterandjet.jpg|thumb|A passive ocean drifter and a high-speed jet.]]<br />
<br />
*Jet propulsion — water is taken in and propelled out at high speed, using a directed nozzle makes this very maneuverable.<br />
*Ocean current — passively drifting along the ocean current.<br />
*Propeller — a classic ship's screw to propel forwards and backwards.<br />
*Undulation — moving the body like a fish does.<br />
*Wind — using the power of the wind to sail.<br />
<br />
===Sensing===<br />
<br />
[[File:bathymetry.jpg |thumb|Sonar can be used for bathymetry, measuring the depth of the ocean floor.]]<br />
<br />
*Acoustic Doppler current profiler — measures the speed and direction of ocean currents using the principle of “Doppler shift”.<br />
*Camera — for visual data, has a limited range.<br />
*Conductivity — together with temperature and depth information, a good estimate of the salinity may be determined.<br />
*GPS — find the position, only works above the surface of the water.<br />
*Hydrophone — listen for sounds in the water.<br />
*Oxygen — determine the oxygen levels of the water.<br />
*Pressure — determine the depth the robot is at.<br />
*Semipermeable membrane density — a passive sampling device used to monitor trace levels of organic contaminants. When placed in an aquatic environment, SPMDs accumulate hydrophobic organic compounds, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and organochlorine pesticides from the surrounding waters.<br />
*Sonar — is used to find and identify objects in water. It is also used to determine water depth (bathymetry. May disturb marine life.<br />
*Temperature — determine the temperature of the water.<br />
*pH — determine the acidity of the water.<br />
<br />
===Communication===<br />
<br />
==Proposed design==<br />
<br />
===Description===<br />
<br />
===Automation===<br />
<br />
====Mapping tasks to robots====<br />
<br />
====Scalability====<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
The robots behaviour underwater would generate sound. Although the underwater world might seem silent to humans, fish experience sound intensly. The effects of human generated sounds on fish might therefore be harmful. Research results vary from little to no effect, to immediate death. Because the variety of sounds and fish is so large, we will try to minimize the sound level but not take extra measures to protect the fish from our robot's noices.<br />
<br />
===Big Data and IoT===<br />
<br />
<i>The farm comes equipped with a lot of sensors to monitor its own condition and its enviroment. Using all of this data one can analyze it in real time, and after collecting more data extrapolate long-term trends. With all the robotic agents on the farm, combined with the data collected, the farm can be administrated remotely. The farm can be made smart to send out maintenance calls on its.</i><br />
<br />
====Science====<br />
<br />
<i>The data collected by the farm and its robots can be shared with scientists and governments. More farms mean more sensors and thus a larger sensor size. This data would for example be very useful to The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) on which engineers and scientist can find all the data available about the european waters. The European Commission has started Marine Knowledge 2020 with the aim to bring to bring all of the marine data from different sources together. This initiative examplifies the need for marine data.</i><br />
<br />
==Robot prototype==<br />
<br />
===Design process===<br />
<br />
===Technical description===<br />
<br />
===Demonstration===<br />
<br />
==Business and law==<br />
<br />
===Business case===<br />
<br />
====Cost vs. profit====<br />
<br />
===Laws===<br />
<br />
====International law====<br />
<br />
====European law====<br />
<br />
====Dutch law====<br />
<br />
==Looking ahead==<br />
<br />
===Future farms===<br />
<br />
===Recommendations===<br />
<br />
===Horizon 2020===<br />
<br />
'''Applicable areas:'''<br />
<br />
*Agriculture & forestry<br />
*Aquatic resources<br />
*Bio-based industries<br />
*Environment & climate action<br />
*Food & healthy diet<br />
*Innovation<br />
*SME (small-medium enterprise)<br />
<br />
'''Relevant research calls:'''<br />
<br />
*High value-added specialized vessel concepts enabling more efficient servicing of emerging coastal and offshore activities. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/5119-bg-02-2016-2017.html (link)] € 7 million<br />
*New sources of proteins for animal feed from co-products to address the EU protein gap. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/17081-bbi-2016-d08.html (link)] € 15 million<br />
*Promoting and supporting the eco-intensification of aquaculture production systems: inland (including fresh water), coastal zone, and offshore. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/6050-sfs-32-2017.html (link)] € 6 million<br />
<br />
==Discussion==<br />
<br />
==Conclusion==<br />
<br />
==Sources and references==<br />
<br />
===Sources===<br />
<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*Doty, M.S. & Caddy, J.F. & Santelices, B. (1987), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Juanich, Godardo L. (1988), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/ac416e00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE(1. EUCHEUMA SPP.)]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image].<br />
*Kleis, Roelof (2010), [http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification]<br />
*Lacey, Stephen & Mellino, Cole (2011), [http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?] <br />
*POPPER, Arthur N. & HASTINGS, Mardi C. (2009), [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1749-4877.2008.00134.x/epdf The effects of human-generated sound on fish]<br />
* NOAA Ocean Explorer Webmaster (2013), [http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/technology/tools/tools.html NOAA Observing Systems and Sensors]<br />
*Kitadai, Yuuki & Kadowaki, Shusaki (2007), [https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf Growth, nitrogen and phosphorous uptake rates and O2 production rate of seaweeds cultured on coastal fish farms]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
===References===<br />
<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
<!--<br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
<br />
= Group members =<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
= Preliminary brainstorm =<br />
==Benefits==<br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
<br />
===Proposals===<br />
*Floating robot<br />
**Solar panel<br />
**Lowering (anker-style) cutter<br />
**Hard to position,<br />
***Drifts<br />
***“Dijnst[dutch]”<br />
*Rover robot<br />
**Stable polypoid (crab-style)<br />
**Hard to cut above his head<br />
*Swimming robot<br />
**May become struck between the weed<br />
**Perfect mobility and can cut everywhere<br />
Combination of multiple robot’s for every seafruit a suitable robot.<br />
<br />
= Problem =<br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15). </ref><br />
<br />
<br />
= Mariculture =<br />
<br />
<i>In this section cover what mariculture is and various aspects of mariculture.</i><br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
== Environmental effects ==<br />
<br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms. These can be classified in two categories:<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
<br />
* '''Positive aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
** Pond-farms can make use of otherwise unfertile and underutilised land.<br />
** Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
** Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
** Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
** Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
** The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
** Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<br />
* '''Negative aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
** Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
** Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
** Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
** Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
** Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
** Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
** Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
** Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
** Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
These effects should be considered when deploying seaweed farms to ensure sustainable aquaculture development.<br />
<br />
= Maritime robotics =<br />
== Types of maritime robots ==<br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
<br />
== Specifications ==<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
== Practical tips ==<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
== Responsibility ==<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!<br />
<br />
= State of the art =<br />
<br />
== Robots for mariculture ==<br />
<i>In this section we link mariculture and maritime robots, we elaborate on the type of (maritime) robots that are especially useful for sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= Automation =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the automation of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
= Scaling =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the scalability of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
== Sea farm design ==<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we propose a design for an innovative high-tech sea farm.</i><br />
<br />
= Sea robot prototype =<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we showcase a prototype of a robot to be used on our cutting-edge sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= USE: stakeholders =<br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
The USE aspects:<br />
The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
Enterprise: It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
=Tasks=<br />
[[{{TALKPAGENAME}}|Logbook]]<br />
<br />
=Drive=<br />
[https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=66031F8492322E24!604219&authkey=!AOO7hi5CT65E46Y&ithint=folder%2cdocx USE Waterpret]<br />
<br />
= Sources =<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/AC416E00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE 1. EUCHEUMA SPP.]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image].<br />
*[http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification, December 23, 2010 By Roelof Kleis ]<br />
*[http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?] <br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
== References ==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
--></div>S146529https://cstwiki.wtb.tue.nl/index.php?title=PRE2015_4_Groep5&diff=26891PRE2015 4 Groep52016-04-30T17:20:14Z<p>S146529: /* Sources */</p>
<hr />
<div>__FORCETOC__<br />
<br />
[[File:HASP_logo_v0.1.png|600px|right]]<br />
<br />
== Group members ==<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
==Introduction==<br />
<br />
===Abstract===<br />
<br />
===Problem statement===<br />
<br />
<i><br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15). </ref><br />
</i><br />
<br />
===Motivation===<br />
<br />
<i><br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
==Mariculture==<br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
===Mariculture as a solution===<br />
<br />
===Environment===<br />
<br />
<i><br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms. These can be classified in two categories:<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
<br />
* '''Positive aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
** Pond-farms can make use of otherwise unfertile and underutilised land.<br />
** Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
** Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
** Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
** Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
** The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
** Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<br />
* '''Negative aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
** Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
** Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
** Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
** Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
** Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
** Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
** Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
** Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
** Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
These effects should be considered when deploying seaweed farms to ensure sustainable aquaculture development.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
====Dead zones====<br />
<br />
[[File:Deadzones.jpg|thumb|Dead zones in oceans around the world.]]<br />
<br />
Ocean dead zones are areas with low oxygen levels and hardly any marine life. These areas are caused by agriculture fertilizers that increase the level of nitrogen and phosphorus, also known as eutriphication. The result is a rapid increase in phytoplankton, because they are 'build' from phosphorus and nitrogen. These algal blooms cause deadzones. The number of deadzones is increasing.<br />
As a result, the fertility of the marine life drops dramatically, and in more extreme cases, fish fall unconcious and then suffocate. Slow moving creatures on the seafloor are unable to escape.<br />
Seaweed is capable of uptaking both nitrogen and phosphorus and replacing it with oxygen. For this reason seaweed is also cultivated around fishfarms. Seaweed would be a cheap although perhaps slow solution in the reviving of deadzones.[https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf]<br />
<br />
====Climate====<br />
<br />
====Locations====<br />
<br />
===Nutrition===<br />
<br />
===State of the art===<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
<i><br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
<br />
===Types of farms===<br />
<br />
====Anchored====<br />
<br />
====Drifting====<br />
<br />
===Tasks to be carried out on farms===<br />
<br />
==Stakeholders==<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
The USE aspects:<br />
The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
Enterprise: It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===User===<br />
Seaweed farmers.<br />
<br />
Drawback: Introduction of our system on the mariculture market could cost the jobs of the few brave seaweed farmers we have today. These farmers operate on a small scale on a small market and would be easily competed out. To prevent this, our systems user group is are the already existing seaweed farmers that want to expand their business, and the more industrialized farmers in Asia.<br />
<br />
===Society===<br />
<br />
===Enterprise===<br />
<br />
==Maritime robotics==<br />
<br />
<br />
<i><br />
::Specifications<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
::Practical tips<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
::Responsibility<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!</i><br />
<br />
===Types of robots===<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===Locomotion===<br />
<br />
[[File:Drifterandjet.jpg|thumb|A passive ocean drifter and a high-speed jet.]]<br />
<br />
*Jet propulsion — water is taken in and propelled out at high speed, using a directed nozzle makes this very maneuverable.<br />
*Ocean current — passively drifting along the ocean current.<br />
*Propeller — a classic ship's screw to propel forwards and backwards.<br />
*Undulation — moving the body like a fish does.<br />
*Wind — using the power of the wind to sail.<br />
<br />
===Sensing===<br />
<br />
[[File:bathymetry.jpg |thumb|Sonar can be used for bathymetry, measuring the depth of the ocean floor.]]<br />
<br />
*Acoustic Doppler current profiler — measures the speed and direction of ocean currents using the principle of “Doppler shift”.<br />
*Camera — for visual data, has a limited range.<br />
*Conductivity — together with temperature and depth information, a good estimate of the salinity may be determined.<br />
*GPS — find the position, only works above the surface of the water.<br />
*Hydrophone — listen for sounds in the water.<br />
*Oxygen — determine the oxygen levels of the water.<br />
*Pressure — determine the depth the robot is at.<br />
*Semipermeable membrane density — a passive sampling device used to monitor trace levels of organic contaminants. When placed in an aquatic environment, SPMDs accumulate hydrophobic organic compounds, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and organochlorine pesticides from the surrounding waters.<br />
*Sonar — is used to find and identify objects in water. It is also used to determine water depth (bathymetry. May disturb marine life.<br />
*Temperature — determine the temperature of the water.<br />
*pH — determine the acidity of the water.<br />
<br />
===Communication===<br />
<br />
==Proposed design==<br />
<br />
===Description===<br />
<br />
===Automation===<br />
<br />
====Mapping tasks to robots====<br />
<br />
====Scalability====<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
The robots behaviour underwater would generate sound. Although the underwater world might seem silent to humans, fish experience sound intensly. The effects of human generated sounds on fish might therefore be harmful. Research results vary from little to no effect, to immediate death. Because the variety of sounds and fish is so large, we will try to minimize the sound level but not take extra measures to protect the fish from our robot's noices.<br />
<br />
===Big Data and IoT===<br />
<br />
<i>The farm comes equipped with a lot of sensors to monitor its own condition and its enviroment. Using all of this data one can analyze it in real time, and after collecting more data extrapolate long-term trends. With all the robotic agents on the farm, combined with the data collected, the farm can be administrated remotely. The farm can be made smart to send out maintenance calls on its.</i><br />
<br />
====Science====<br />
<br />
<i>The data collected by the farm and its robots can be shared with scientists and governments. More farms mean more sensors and thus a larger sensor size. This data would for example be very useful to The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) on which engineers and scientist can find all the data available about the european waters. The European Commission has started Marine Knowledge 2020 with the aim to bring to bring all of the marine data from different sources together. This initiative examplifies the need for marine data.</i><br />
<br />
==Robot prototype==<br />
<br />
===Design process===<br />
<br />
===Technical description===<br />
<br />
===Demonstration===<br />
<br />
==Business and law==<br />
<br />
===Business case===<br />
<br />
====Cost vs. profit====<br />
<br />
===Laws===<br />
<br />
====International law====<br />
<br />
====European law====<br />
<br />
====Dutch law====<br />
<br />
==Looking ahead==<br />
<br />
===Future farms===<br />
<br />
===Recommendations===<br />
<br />
===Horizon 2020===<br />
<br />
'''Applicable areas:'''<br />
<br />
*Agriculture & forestry<br />
*Aquatic resources<br />
*Bio-based industries<br />
*Environment & climate action<br />
*Food & healthy diet<br />
*Innovation<br />
*SME (small-medium enterprise)<br />
<br />
'''Relevant research calls:'''<br />
<br />
*High value-added specialized vessel concepts enabling more efficient servicing of emerging coastal and offshore activities. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/5119-bg-02-2016-2017.html (link)] € 7 million<br />
*New sources of proteins for animal feed from co-products to address the EU protein gap. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/17081-bbi-2016-d08.html (link)] € 15 million<br />
*Promoting and supporting the eco-intensification of aquaculture production systems: inland (including fresh water), coastal zone, and offshore. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/6050-sfs-32-2017.html (link)] € 6 million<br />
<br />
==Discussion==<br />
<br />
==Conclusion==<br />
<br />
==Sources and references==<br />
<br />
===Sources===<br />
<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*Doty, M.S. & Caddy, J.F. & Santelices, B. (1987) [http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Juanich, Godardo L. (1988) [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/ac416e00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE(1. EUCHEUMA SPP.)]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image].<br />
*Kleis, Roelof (2010), [http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification]<br />
*Lacey, Stephen & Mellino, Cole (2011) [http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?] <br />
*POPPER, Arthur N. & HASTINGS, Mardi C. ( ) [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1749-4877.2008.00134.x/epdf The effects of human-generated sound on fish]<br />
* [http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/technology/tools/tools.html NOAA Observing Systems and Sensors]<br />
*[https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf Growth, nitrogen and phosphorous uptake rates and O2 production rate of seaweeds cultured on coastal fish farms]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
===References===<br />
<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
<!--<br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
<br />
= Group members =<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
= Preliminary brainstorm =<br />
==Benefits==<br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
<br />
===Proposals===<br />
*Floating robot<br />
**Solar panel<br />
**Lowering (anker-style) cutter<br />
**Hard to position,<br />
***Drifts<br />
***“Dijnst[dutch]”<br />
*Rover robot<br />
**Stable polypoid (crab-style)<br />
**Hard to cut above his head<br />
*Swimming robot<br />
**May become struck between the weed<br />
**Perfect mobility and can cut everywhere<br />
Combination of multiple robot’s for every seafruit a suitable robot.<br />
<br />
= Problem =<br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15). </ref><br />
<br />
<br />
= Mariculture =<br />
<br />
<i>In this section cover what mariculture is and various aspects of mariculture.</i><br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
== Environmental effects ==<br />
<br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms. These can be classified in two categories:<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
<br />
* '''Positive aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
** Pond-farms can make use of otherwise unfertile and underutilised land.<br />
** Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
** Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
** Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
** Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
** The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
** Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<br />
* '''Negative aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
** Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
** Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
** Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
** Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
** Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
** Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
** Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
** Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
** Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
These effects should be considered when deploying seaweed farms to ensure sustainable aquaculture development.<br />
<br />
= Maritime robotics =<br />
== Types of maritime robots ==<br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
<br />
== Specifications ==<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
== Practical tips ==<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
== Responsibility ==<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!<br />
<br />
= State of the art =<br />
<br />
== Robots for mariculture ==<br />
<i>In this section we link mariculture and maritime robots, we elaborate on the type of (maritime) robots that are especially useful for sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= Automation =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the automation of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
= Scaling =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the scalability of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
== Sea farm design ==<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we propose a design for an innovative high-tech sea farm.</i><br />
<br />
= Sea robot prototype =<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we showcase a prototype of a robot to be used on our cutting-edge sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= USE: stakeholders =<br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
The USE aspects:<br />
The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
Enterprise: It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
=Tasks=<br />
[[{{TALKPAGENAME}}|Logbook]]<br />
<br />
=Drive=<br />
[https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=66031F8492322E24!604219&authkey=!AOO7hi5CT65E46Y&ithint=folder%2cdocx USE Waterpret]<br />
<br />
= Sources =<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/AC416E00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE 1. EUCHEUMA SPP.]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image].<br />
*[http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification, December 23, 2010 By Roelof Kleis ]<br />
*[http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?] <br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
== References ==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
--></div>S146529https://cstwiki.wtb.tue.nl/index.php?title=PRE2015_4_Groep5&diff=26890PRE2015 4 Groep52016-04-30T17:06:35Z<p>S146529: /* Sources */</p>
<hr />
<div>__FORCETOC__<br />
<br />
[[File:HASP_logo_v0.1.png|600px|right]]<br />
<br />
== Group members ==<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
==Introduction==<br />
<br />
===Abstract===<br />
<br />
===Problem statement===<br />
<br />
<i><br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15). </ref><br />
</i><br />
<br />
===Motivation===<br />
<br />
<i><br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
==Mariculture==<br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
===Mariculture as a solution===<br />
<br />
===Environment===<br />
<br />
<i><br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms. These can be classified in two categories:<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
<br />
* '''Positive aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
** Pond-farms can make use of otherwise unfertile and underutilised land.<br />
** Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
** Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
** Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
** Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
** The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
** Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<br />
* '''Negative aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
** Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
** Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
** Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
** Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
** Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
** Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
** Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
** Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
** Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
These effects should be considered when deploying seaweed farms to ensure sustainable aquaculture development.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
====Dead zones====<br />
<br />
[[File:Deadzones.jpg|thumb|Dead zones in oceans around the world.]]<br />
<br />
Ocean dead zones are areas with low oxygen levels and hardly any marine life. These areas are caused by agriculture fertilizers that increase the level of nitrogen and phosphorus, also known as eutriphication. The result is a rapid increase in phytoplankton, because they are 'build' from phosphorus and nitrogen. These algal blooms cause deadzones. The number of deadzones is increasing.<br />
As a result, the fertility of the marine life drops dramatically, and in more extreme cases, fish fall unconcious and then suffocate. Slow moving creatures on the seafloor are unable to escape.<br />
Seaweed is capable of uptaking both nitrogen and phosphorus and replacing it with oxygen. For this reason seaweed is also cultivated around fishfarms. Seaweed would be a cheap although perhaps slow solution in the reviving of deadzones.[https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf]<br />
<br />
====Climate====<br />
<br />
====Locations====<br />
<br />
===Nutrition===<br />
<br />
===State of the art===<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
<i><br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
<br />
===Types of farms===<br />
<br />
====Anchored====<br />
<br />
====Drifting====<br />
<br />
===Tasks to be carried out on farms===<br />
<br />
==Stakeholders==<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
The USE aspects:<br />
The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
Enterprise: It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===User===<br />
Seaweed farmers.<br />
<br />
Drawback: Introduction of our system on the mariculture market could cost the jobs of the few brave seaweed farmers we have today. These farmers operate on a small scale on a small market and would be easily competed out. To prevent this, our systems user group is are the already existing seaweed farmers that want to expand their business, and the more industrialized farmers in Asia.<br />
<br />
===Society===<br />
<br />
===Enterprise===<br />
<br />
==Maritime robotics==<br />
<br />
<br />
<i><br />
::Specifications<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
::Practical tips<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
::Responsibility<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!</i><br />
<br />
===Types of robots===<br />
<br />
<i><br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
===Locomotion===<br />
<br />
[[File:Drifterandjet.jpg|thumb|A passive ocean drifter and a high-speed jet.]]<br />
<br />
*Jet propulsion — water is taken in and propelled out at high speed, using a directed nozzle makes this very maneuverable.<br />
*Ocean current — passively drifting along the ocean current.<br />
*Propeller — a classic ship's screw to propel forwards and backwards.<br />
*Undulation — moving the body like a fish does.<br />
*Wind — using the power of the wind to sail.<br />
<br />
===Sensing===<br />
<br />
[[File:bathymetry.jpg |thumb|Sonar can be used for bathymetry, measuring the depth of the ocean floor.]]<br />
<br />
*Acoustic Doppler current profiler — measures the speed and direction of ocean currents using the principle of “Doppler shift”.<br />
*Camera — for visual data, has a limited range.<br />
*Conductivity — together with temperature and depth information, a good estimate of the salinity may be determined.<br />
*GPS — find the position, only works above the surface of the water.<br />
*Hydrophone — listen for sounds in the water.<br />
*Oxygen — determine the oxygen levels of the water.<br />
*Pressure — determine the depth the robot is at.<br />
*Semipermeable membrane density — a passive sampling device used to monitor trace levels of organic contaminants. When placed in an aquatic environment, SPMDs accumulate hydrophobic organic compounds, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and organochlorine pesticides from the surrounding waters.<br />
*Sonar — is used to find and identify objects in water. It is also used to determine water depth (bathymetry. May disturb marine life.<br />
*Temperature — determine the temperature of the water.<br />
*pH — determine the acidity of the water.<br />
<br />
===Communication===<br />
<br />
==Proposed design==<br />
<br />
===Description===<br />
<br />
===Automation===<br />
<br />
====Mapping tasks to robots====<br />
<br />
====Scalability====<br />
<br />
===Benefits and drawbacks===<br />
<br />
====Benefits====<br />
<br />
====Drawbacks====<br />
The robots behaviour underwater would generate sound. Although the underwater world might seem silent to humans, fish experience sound intensly. The effects of human generated sounds on fish might therefore be harmful. Research results vary from little to no effect, to immediate death. Because the variety of sounds and fish is so large, we will try to minimize the sound level but not take extra measures to protect the fish from our robot's noices.<br />
<br />
===Big Data and IoT===<br />
<br />
<i>The farm comes equipped with a lot of sensors to monitor its own condition and its enviroment. Using all of this data one can analyze it in real time, and after collecting more data extrapolate long-term trends. With all the robotic agents on the farm, combined with the data collected, the farm can be administrated remotely. The farm can be made smart to send out maintenance calls on its.</i><br />
<br />
====Science====<br />
<br />
<i>The data collected by the farm and its robots can be shared with scientists and governments. More farms mean more sensors and thus a larger sensor size. This data would for example be very useful to The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) on which engineers and scientist can find all the data available about the european waters. The European Commission has started Marine Knowledge 2020 with the aim to bring to bring all of the marine data from different sources together. This initiative examplifies the need for marine data.</i><br />
<br />
==Robot prototype==<br />
<br />
===Design process===<br />
<br />
===Technical description===<br />
<br />
===Demonstration===<br />
<br />
==Business and law==<br />
<br />
===Business case===<br />
<br />
====Cost vs. profit====<br />
<br />
===Laws===<br />
<br />
====International law====<br />
<br />
====European law====<br />
<br />
====Dutch law====<br />
<br />
==Looking ahead==<br />
<br />
===Future farms===<br />
<br />
===Recommendations===<br />
<br />
===Horizon 2020===<br />
<br />
'''Applicable areas:'''<br />
<br />
*Agriculture & forestry<br />
*Aquatic resources<br />
*Bio-based industries<br />
*Environment & climate action<br />
*Food & healthy diet<br />
*Innovation<br />
*SME (small-medium enterprise)<br />
<br />
'''Relevant research calls:'''<br />
<br />
*High value-added specialized vessel concepts enabling more efficient servicing of emerging coastal and offshore activities. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/5119-bg-02-2016-2017.html (link)] € 7 million<br />
*New sources of proteins for animal feed from co-products to address the EU protein gap. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/17081-bbi-2016-d08.html (link)] € 15 million<br />
*Promoting and supporting the eco-intensification of aquaculture production systems: inland (including fresh water), coastal zone, and offshore. [https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/portal/desktop/en/opportunities/h2020/topics/6050-sfs-32-2017.html (link)] € 6 million<br />
<br />
==Discussion==<br />
<br />
==Conclusion==<br />
<br />
==Sources and references==<br />
<br />
===Sources===<br />
<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/ac416e00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE(1. EUCHEUMA SPP.)]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image].<br />
*Kleis, Roelof (2010), [http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification]<br />
*[http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?] <br />
*POPPER, Arthur N. & HASTINGS, Mardi C. ( ) [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1749-4877.2008.00134.x/epdf The effects of human-generated sound on fish]<br />
* [http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/technology/tools/tools.html NOAA Observing Systems and Sensors]<br />
*[https://www.fra.affrc.go.jp/bulletin/bull/bull19/16.pdf Growth, nitrogen and phosphorous uptake rates and O2 production rate of seaweeds cultured on coastal fish farms]<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
===References===<br />
<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
<!--<br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
<br />
= Group members =<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
= Preliminary brainstorm =<br />
==Benefits==<br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
<br />
===Proposals===<br />
*Floating robot<br />
**Solar panel<br />
**Lowering (anker-style) cutter<br />
**Hard to position,<br />
***Drifts<br />
***“Dijnst[dutch]”<br />
*Rover robot<br />
**Stable polypoid (crab-style)<br />
**Hard to cut above his head<br />
*Swimming robot<br />
**May become struck between the weed<br />
**Perfect mobility and can cut everywhere<br />
Combination of multiple robot’s for every seafruit a suitable robot.<br />
<br />
= Problem =<br />
The need for mariculture come from the fact that the food production and food consumption are out scaling each other, the food consumption grows harder than the food production can cope<br />
with. <ref name="World may not have enough food by 2050: Report">[http://www.cnbc.com/2014/10/15/world-may-not-have-enough-food-to-eat-by-2050-report.html World may not have enough food by 2050: Report], CNBC, M. K. (2014, October 15). </ref><br />
<br />
<br />
= Mariculture =<br />
<br />
<i>In this section cover what mariculture is and various aspects of mariculture.</i><br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
== Environmental effects ==<br />
<br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms. These can be classified in two categories:<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
<br />
* '''Positive aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
** Pond-farms can make use of otherwise unfertile and underutilised land.<br />
** Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
** Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
** Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
** Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
** The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
** Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<br />
* '''Negative aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
** Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
** Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
** Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
** Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
** Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
** Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
** Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
** Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
** Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
These effects should be considered when deploying seaweed farms to ensure sustainable aquaculture development.<br />
<br />
= Maritime robotics =<br />
== Types of maritime robots ==<br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
<br />
== Specifications ==<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
== Practical tips ==<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
== Responsibility ==<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!<br />
<br />
= State of the art =<br />
<br />
== Robots for mariculture ==<br />
<i>In this section we link mariculture and maritime robots, we elaborate on the type of (maritime) robots that are especially useful for sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= Automation =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the automation of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
= Scaling =<br />
<i>In this section we cover the scalability of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
== Sea farm design ==<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we propose a design for an innovative high-tech sea farm.</i><br />
<br />
= Sea robot prototype =<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we showcase a prototype of a robot to be used on our cutting-edge sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
= USE: stakeholders =<br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
The USE aspects:<br />
The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mariculture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mariculture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
Enterprise: It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because in the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
=Tasks=<br />
[[{{TALKPAGENAME}}|Logbook]]<br />
<br />
=Drive=<br />
[https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=66031F8492322E24!604219&authkey=!AOO7hi5CT65E46Y&ithint=folder%2cdocx USE Waterpret]<br />
<br />
= Sources =<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac416e/AC416E00.htm MANUAL OF RUNNING WATER FISH CULTURE 1. EUCHEUMA SPP.]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/x5819e/x5819e00.htm Case Studies of Seven Commercial Seaweed Resources]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image].<br />
*[http://phys.org/news/2010-12-seaweed-acidification.html Growing seaweed can solve acidification, December 23, 2010 By Roelof Kleis ]<br />
*[http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2011/12/01/379291/seaweed-aquaculture-sustainable-food-fuel/ Seaweed Aquaculture: An Answer to Sustainable Food and Fuel?] <br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]<br />
<br />
== References ==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
--></div>S146529https://cstwiki.wtb.tue.nl/index.php?title=PRE2015_4_Groep5&diff=26663PRE2015 4 Groep52016-04-24T18:21:40Z<p>S146529: /* Sources */</p>
<hr />
<div>__FORCETOC__<br />
=Seaweed farming=<br />
<br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
<br />
== Group members ==<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
== Preliminary brainstorm ==<br />
===Benefits===<br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
<br />
===Proposals===<br />
*Floating robot<br />
**Solar panel<br />
**Lowering (anker-style) cutter<br />
**Hard to position,<br />
***Drifts<br />
***“Dijnst[dutch]”<br />
*Rover robot<br />
**Stable polypoid (crab-style)<br />
**Hard to cut above his head<br />
*Swimming robot<br />
**May become struck between the weed<br />
**Perfect mobility and can cut everywhere<br />
Combination of multiple robot’s for every seafruit a suitable robot.<br />
<br />
== Mariculture ==<br />
<br />
<i>In this section cover what mariculture is and various aspects of mariculture.</i><br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
=== Environmental effects ===<br />
<br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms. These can be classified in two categories:<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
<br />
* '''Positive aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
** Pond-farms can make use of otherwise unfertile and underutilised land.<br />
** Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
** Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
** Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
** Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
** The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
** Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<br />
* '''Negative aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
** Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
** Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
** Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
** Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
** Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
** Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
** Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
** Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
** Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
These effects should be considered when deploying seaweed farms to ensure sustainable aquaculture development.<br />
<br />
== Maritime robotics ==<br />
=== Types of maritime robots ===<br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
<br />
=== Specifications ===<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
=== Practical tips ===<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
=== Responsibility ===<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!<br />
<br />
== State of the art ==<br />
<br />
== Robots for mariculture ==<br />
<i>In this section we link mariculture and maritime robots, we elaborate on the type of (maritime) robots that are especially useful for sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
== Automation ==<br />
<i>In this section we cover the automation of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
== Scaling ==<br />
<i>In this section we cover the scalability of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
== Sea farm design ==<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we propose a design for an innovative high-tech sea farm.</i><br />
<br />
== Sea robot prototype ==<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we showcase a prototype of a robot to be used on our cutting-edge sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
== USE: stakeholders ==<br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
The USE aspects:<br />
The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mari-culture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mari-culture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
Enterprise: It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because is the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
==Tasks==<br />
[[{{TALKPAGENAME}}|Logbook]]<br />
<br />
==Drive==<br />
[https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=66031F8492322E24!604219&authkey=!AOO7hi5CT65E46Y&ithint=folder%2cdocx USE Waterpret]<br />
<br />
== Sources ==<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image].<br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]</div>S146529https://cstwiki.wtb.tue.nl/index.php?title=PRE2015_4_Groep5&diff=26662PRE2015 4 Groep52016-04-24T18:20:51Z<p>S146529: /* Sources */</p>
<hr />
<div>__FORCETOC__<br />
=Seaweed farming=<br />
<br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
<br />
== Group members ==<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
== Preliminary brainstorm ==<br />
===Benefits===<br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
<br />
===Proposals===<br />
*Floating robot<br />
**Solar panel<br />
**Lowering (anker-style) cutter<br />
**Hard to position,<br />
***Drifts<br />
***“Dijnst[dutch]”<br />
*Rover robot<br />
**Stable polypoid (crab-style)<br />
**Hard to cut above his head<br />
*Swimming robot<br />
**May become struck between the weed<br />
**Perfect mobility and can cut everywhere<br />
Combination of multiple robot’s for every seafruit a suitable robot.<br />
<br />
== Mariculture ==<br />
<br />
<i>In this section cover what mariculture is and various aspects of mariculture.</i><br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
=== Environmental effects ===<br />
<br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms. These can be classified in two categories:<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
<br />
* '''Positive aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
** Pond-farms can make use of otherwise unfertile and underutilised land.<br />
** Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
** Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
** Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
** Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
** The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
** Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<br />
* '''Negative aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
** Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
** Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
** Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
** Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
** Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
** Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
** Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
** Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
** Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
These effects should be considered when deploying seaweed farms to ensure sustainable aquaculture development.<br />
<br />
== Maritime robotics ==<br />
=== Types of maritime robots ===<br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
<br />
=== Specifications ===<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
=== Practical tips ===<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
=== Responsibility ===<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!<br />
<br />
== State of the art ==<br />
<br />
== Robots for mariculture ==<br />
<i>In this section we link mariculture and maritime robots, we elaborate on the type of (maritime) robots that are especially useful for sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
== Automation ==<br />
<i>In this section we cover the automation of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
== Scaling ==<br />
<i>In this section we cover the scalability of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
== Sea farm design ==<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we propose a design for an innovative high-tech sea farm.</i><br />
<br />
== Sea robot prototype ==<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we showcase a prototype of a robot to be used on our cutting-edge sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
== USE: stakeholders ==<br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
The USE aspects:<br />
The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mari-culture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mari-culture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
Enterprise: It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because is the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
==Tasks==<br />
[[{{TALKPAGENAME}}|Logbook]]<br />
<br />
==Drive==<br />
[https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=66031F8492322E24!604219&authkey=!AOO7hi5CT65E46Y&ithint=folder%2cdocx USE Waterpret]<br />
<br />
== Sources ==<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image].<br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
<br />
World Robotic Sailing Competition [http://roboticsailing.org], EURathlon [http://eurathlon.eu], RoboBoat & RoboSub [auvsifoundation.org], Singapore AUV competition [http://www.sauvc.org], MATE ROV competition [http://www.marinetech.org]<br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*[http://www.roboticsailing.org/ World robotic sailing championship]</div>S146529https://cstwiki.wtb.tue.nl/index.php?title=PRE2015_4_Groep5&diff=26661PRE2015 4 Groep52016-04-24T18:15:07Z<p>S146529: /* Sources */</p>
<hr />
<div>__FORCETOC__<br />
=Seaweed farming=<br />
<br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
<br />
== Group members ==<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
== Preliminary brainstorm ==<br />
===Benefits===<br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
<br />
===Proposals===<br />
*Floating robot<br />
**Solar panel<br />
**Lowering (anker-style) cutter<br />
**Hard to position,<br />
***Drifts<br />
***“Dijnst[dutch]”<br />
*Rover robot<br />
**Stable polypoid (crab-style)<br />
**Hard to cut above his head<br />
*Swimming robot<br />
**May become struck between the weed<br />
**Perfect mobility and can cut everywhere<br />
Combination of multiple robot’s for every seafruit a suitable robot.<br />
<br />
== Mariculture ==<br />
<br />
<i>In this section cover what mariculture is and various aspects of mariculture.</i><br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
=== Environmental effects ===<br />
<br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms. These can be classified in two categories:<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
<br />
* '''Positive aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
** Pond-farms can make use of otherwise unfertile and underutilised land.<br />
** Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
** Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
** Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
** Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
** The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
** Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<br />
* '''Negative aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
** Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
** Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
** Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
** Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
** Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
** Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
** Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
** Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
** Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
These effects should be considered when deploying seaweed farms to ensure sustainable aquaculture development.<br />
<br />
== Maritime robotics ==<br />
=== Types of maritime robots ===<br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
<br />
=== Specifications ===<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
=== Practical tips ===<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
=== Responsibility ===<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!<br />
<br />
== State of the art ==<br />
<br />
== Robots for mariculture ==<br />
<i>In this section we link mariculture and maritime robots, we elaborate on the type of (maritime) robots that are especially useful for sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
== Automation ==<br />
<i>In this section we cover the automation of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
== Scaling ==<br />
<i>In this section we cover the scalability of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
== Sea farm design ==<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we propose a design for an innovative high-tech sea farm.</i><br />
<br />
== Sea robot prototype ==<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we showcase a prototype of a robot to be used on our cutting-edge sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
== USE: stakeholders ==<br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
The USE aspects:<br />
The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mari-culture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mari-culture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
Enterprise: It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because is the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
==Tasks==<br />
[[{{TALKPAGENAME}}|Logbook]]<br />
<br />
==Drive==<br />
[https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=66031F8492322E24!604219&authkey=!AOO7hi5CT65E46Y&ithint=folder%2cdocx USE Waterpret]<br />
<br />
== Sources ==<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image].<br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: <br />
<br />
World Robotic Sailing Competition [http://roboticsailing.org], EURathlon [http://eurathlon.eu], RoboBoat & RoboSub [auvsifoundation.org], Singapore AUV competition [http://www.sauvc.org], MATE ROV competition [http://www.marinetech.org]<br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]</div>S146529https://cstwiki.wtb.tue.nl/index.php?title=PRE2015_4_Groep5&diff=26660PRE2015 4 Groep52016-04-24T18:14:54Z<p>S146529: /* Sources */</p>
<hr />
<div>__FORCETOC__<br />
=Seaweed farming=<br />
<br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
<br />
== Group members ==<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
== Preliminary brainstorm ==<br />
===Benefits===<br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
<br />
===Proposals===<br />
*Floating robot<br />
**Solar panel<br />
**Lowering (anker-style) cutter<br />
**Hard to position,<br />
***Drifts<br />
***“Dijnst[dutch]”<br />
*Rover robot<br />
**Stable polypoid (crab-style)<br />
**Hard to cut above his head<br />
*Swimming robot<br />
**May become struck between the weed<br />
**Perfect mobility and can cut everywhere<br />
Combination of multiple robot’s for every seafruit a suitable robot.<br />
<br />
== Mariculture ==<br />
<br />
<i>In this section cover what mariculture is and various aspects of mariculture.</i><br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
=== Environmental effects ===<br />
<br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms. These can be classified in two categories:<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
<br />
* '''Positive aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
** Pond-farms can make use of otherwise unfertile and underutilised land.<br />
** Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
** Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
** Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
** Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
** The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
** Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<br />
* '''Negative aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
** Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
** Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
** Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
** Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
** Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
** Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
** Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
** Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
** Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
These effects should be considered when deploying seaweed farms to ensure sustainable aquaculture development.<br />
<br />
== Maritime robotics ==<br />
=== Types of maritime robots ===<br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
<br />
=== Specifications ===<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
=== Practical tips ===<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
=== Responsibility ===<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!<br />
<br />
== State of the art ==<br />
<br />
== Robots for mariculture ==<br />
<i>In this section we link mariculture and maritime robots, we elaborate on the type of (maritime) robots that are especially useful for sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
== Automation ==<br />
<i>In this section we cover the automation of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
== Scaling ==<br />
<i>In this section we cover the scalability of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
== Sea farm design ==<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we propose a design for an innovative high-tech sea farm.</i><br />
<br />
== Sea robot prototype ==<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we showcase a prototype of a robot to be used on our cutting-edge sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
== USE: stakeholders ==<br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
The USE aspects:<br />
The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mari-culture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mari-culture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
Enterprise: It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because is the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
==Tasks==<br />
[[{{TALKPAGENAME}}|Logbook]]<br />
<br />
==Drive==<br />
[https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=66031F8492322E24!604219&authkey=!AOO7hi5CT65E46Y&ithint=folder%2cdocx USE Waterpret]<br />
<br />
== Sources ==<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image].<br />
<br />
<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: \\<br />
<br />
World Robotic Sailing Competition [http://roboticsailing.org], EURathlon [http://eurathlon.eu], RoboBoat & RoboSub [auvsifoundation.org], Singapore AUV competition [http://www.sauvc.org], MATE ROV competition [http://www.marinetech.org]<br />
*euRathlon (2015), [http://www.eurathlon.eu/ Home page euRathlon]<br />
*Sauvc (2016), [http://www.sauvc.org/ The Singapore AUV challenge]<br />
*Mate, [http://www.marinetech.org/ Marine Advanced Technology Education]</div>S146529https://cstwiki.wtb.tue.nl/index.php?title=PRE2015_4_Groep5&diff=26659PRE2015 4 Groep52016-04-24T18:05:09Z<p>S146529: /* Sources */</p>
<hr />
<div>__FORCETOC__<br />
=Seaweed farming=<br />
<br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
<br />
== Group members ==<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
== Preliminary brainstorm ==<br />
===Benefits===<br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
<br />
===Proposals===<br />
*Floating robot<br />
**Solar panel<br />
**Lowering (anker-style) cutter<br />
**Hard to position,<br />
***Drifts<br />
***“Dijnst[dutch]”<br />
*Rover robot<br />
**Stable polypoid (crab-style)<br />
**Hard to cut above his head<br />
*Swimming robot<br />
**May become struck between the weed<br />
**Perfect mobility and can cut everywhere<br />
Combination of multiple robot’s for every seafruit a suitable robot.<br />
<br />
== Mariculture ==<br />
<br />
<i>In this section cover what mariculture is and various aspects of mariculture.</i><br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
=== Environmental effects ===<br />
<br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms. These can be classified in two categories:<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
<br />
* '''Positive aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
** Pond-farms can make use of otherwise unfertile and underutilised land.<br />
** Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
** Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
** Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
** Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
** The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
** Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<br />
* '''Negative aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
** Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
** Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
** Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
** Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
** Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
** Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
** Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
** Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
** Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
These effects should be considered when deploying seaweed farms to ensure sustainable aquaculture development.<br />
<br />
== Maritime robotics ==<br />
=== Types of maritime robots ===<br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
<br />
=== Specifications ===<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
=== Practical tips ===<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
=== Responsibility ===<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!<br />
<br />
== State of the art ==<br />
<br />
== Robots for mariculture ==<br />
<i>In this section we link mariculture and maritime robots, we elaborate on the type of (maritime) robots that are especially useful for sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
== Automation ==<br />
<i>In this section we cover the automation of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
== Scaling ==<br />
<i>In this section we cover the scalability of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
== Sea farm design ==<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we propose a design for an innovative high-tech sea farm.</i><br />
<br />
== Sea robot prototype ==<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we showcase a prototype of a robot to be used on our cutting-edge sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
== USE: stakeholders ==<br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
The USE aspects:<br />
The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mari-culture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mari-culture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
Enterprise: It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because is the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
==Tasks==<br />
[[{{TALKPAGENAME}}|Logbook]]<br />
<br />
==Drive==<br />
[https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=66031F8492322E24!604219&authkey=!AOO7hi5CT65E46Y&ithint=folder%2cdocx USE Waterpret]<br />
<br />
== Sources ==<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
*Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image].<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: World Robotic Sailing Competition [http://roboticsailing.org], EURathlon [http://eurathlon.eu], RoboBoat & RoboSub [auvsifoundation.org], Singapore AUV competition [http://www.sauvc.org], MATE ROV competition [http://www.marinetech.org]</div>S146529https://cstwiki.wtb.tue.nl/index.php?title=PRE2015_4_Groep5&diff=26658PRE2015 4 Groep52016-04-24T18:02:49Z<p>S146529: /* Sources */</p>
<hr />
<div>__FORCETOC__<br />
=Seaweed farming=<br />
<br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
<br />
== Group members ==<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
== Preliminary brainstorm ==<br />
===Benefits===<br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
<br />
===Proposals===<br />
*Floating robot<br />
**Solar panel<br />
**Lowering (anker-style) cutter<br />
**Hard to position,<br />
***Drifts<br />
***“Dijnst[dutch]”<br />
*Rover robot<br />
**Stable polypoid (crab-style)<br />
**Hard to cut above his head<br />
*Swimming robot<br />
**May become struck between the weed<br />
**Perfect mobility and can cut everywhere<br />
Combination of multiple robot’s for every seafruit a suitable robot.<br />
<br />
== Mariculture ==<br />
<br />
<i>In this section cover what mariculture is and various aspects of mariculture.</i><br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
=== Environmental effects ===<br />
<br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms. These can be classified in two categories:<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
<br />
* '''Positive aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
** Pond-farms can make use of otherwise unfertile and underutilised land.<br />
** Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
** Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
** Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
** Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
** The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
** Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<br />
* '''Negative aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
** Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
** Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
** Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
** Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
** Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
** Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
** Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
** Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
** Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
These effects should be considered when deploying seaweed farms to ensure sustainable aquaculture development.<br />
<br />
== Maritime robotics ==<br />
=== Types of maritime robots ===<br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
<br />
=== Specifications ===<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
=== Practical tips ===<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
=== Responsibility ===<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!<br />
<br />
== State of the art ==<br />
<br />
== Robots for mariculture ==<br />
<i>In this section we link mariculture and maritime robots, we elaborate on the type of (maritime) robots that are especially useful for sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
== Automation ==<br />
<i>In this section we cover the automation of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
== Scaling ==<br />
<i>In this section we cover the scalability of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
== Sea farm design ==<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we propose a design for an innovative high-tech sea farm.</i><br />
<br />
== Sea robot prototype ==<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we showcase a prototype of a robot to be used on our cutting-edge sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
== USE: stakeholders ==<br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
The USE aspects:<br />
The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mari-culture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mari-culture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
Enterprise: It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because is the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
==Tasks==<br />
[[{{TALKPAGENAME}}|Logbook]]<br />
<br />
==Drive==<br />
[https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=66031F8492322E24!604219&authkey=!AOO7hi5CT65E46Y&ithint=folder%2cdocx USE Waterpret]<br />
<br />
== Sources ==<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016), [https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*CCCen (2015), [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 Maritime Robotics 32C3] <br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image].<br />
*Merchant, Brian (2015), [https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
* Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), [http://www.niggli.ch/en/tools-for-the-design-revolution.html Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna]<br />
* Phillips, M.P. (1990), [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: World Robotic Sailing Competition [http://roboticsailing.org], EURathlon [http://eurathlon.eu], RoboBoat & RoboSub [auvsifoundation.org], Singapore AUV competition [http://www.sauvc.org], MATE ROV competition [http://www.marinetech.org]</div>S146529https://cstwiki.wtb.tue.nl/index.php?title=PRE2015_4_Groep5&diff=26657PRE2015 4 Groep52016-04-24T18:01:35Z<p>S146529: /* Sources */</p>
<hr />
<div>__FORCETOC__<br />
=Seaweed farming=<br />
<br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
<br />
== Group members ==<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
== Preliminary brainstorm ==<br />
===Benefits===<br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
<br />
===Proposals===<br />
*Floating robot<br />
**Solar panel<br />
**Lowering (anker-style) cutter<br />
**Hard to position,<br />
***Drifts<br />
***“Dijnst[dutch]”<br />
*Rover robot<br />
**Stable polypoid (crab-style)<br />
**Hard to cut above his head<br />
*Swimming robot<br />
**May become struck between the weed<br />
**Perfect mobility and can cut everywhere<br />
Combination of multiple robot’s for every seafruit a suitable robot.<br />
<br />
== Mariculture ==<br />
<br />
<i>In this section cover what mariculture is and various aspects of mariculture.</i><br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
=== Environmental effects ===<br />
<br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms. These can be classified in two categories:<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
<br />
* '''Positive aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
** Pond-farms can make use of otherwise unfertile and underutilised land.<br />
** Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
** Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
** Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
** Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
** The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
** Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<br />
* '''Negative aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
** Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
** Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
** Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
** Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
** Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
** Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
** Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
** Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
** Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
These effects should be considered when deploying seaweed farms to ensure sustainable aquaculture development.<br />
<br />
== Maritime robotics ==<br />
=== Types of maritime robots ===<br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
<br />
=== Specifications ===<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
=== Practical tips ===<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
=== Responsibility ===<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!<br />
<br />
== State of the art ==<br />
<br />
== Robots for mariculture ==<br />
<i>In this section we link mariculture and maritime robots, we elaborate on the type of (maritime) robots that are especially useful for sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
== Automation ==<br />
<i>In this section we cover the automation of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
== Scaling ==<br />
<i>In this section we cover the scalability of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
== Sea farm design ==<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we propose a design for an innovative high-tech sea farm.</i><br />
<br />
== Sea robot prototype ==<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we showcase a prototype of a robot to be used on our cutting-edge sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
== USE: stakeholders ==<br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
The USE aspects:<br />
The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mari-culture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mari-culture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
Enterprise: It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because is the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
==Tasks==<br />
[[{{TALKPAGENAME}}|Logbook]]<br />
<br />
==Drive==<br />
[https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=66031F8492322E24!604219&authkey=!AOO7hi5CT65E46Y&ithint=folder%2cdocx USE Waterpret]<br />
<br />
== Sources ==<br />
*Smith, Bren (2016),[https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990),[http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 CCCen (2015), Maritime Robotics 32C3] <br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image].<br />
*[https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction Merchant, Brian (2015), The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
* Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna<br />
* [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm Phillips, M.P. (1990), ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: World Robotic Sailing Competition [http://roboticsailing.org], EURathlon [http://eurathlon.eu], RoboBoat & RoboSub [auvsifoundation.org], Singapore AUV competition [http://www.sauvc.org], MATE ROV competition [http://www.marinetech.org]</div>S146529https://cstwiki.wtb.tue.nl/index.php?title=PRE2015_4_Groep5&diff=26656PRE2015 4 Groep52016-04-24T18:00:14Z<p>S146529: /* Sources */</p>
<hr />
<div>__FORCETOC__<br />
=Seaweed farming=<br />
<br />
Seaweed has been farmed by humans for hundreds of years in Asia and on the west-coast of America. It's being sold more and more on the Western market these days and the demand for seaweed is increasing. More and more fishermen are converting to seaweed farms.<br />
<br />
This can have troubling consequences. Seaweed, when farmed intensively, can reduce the water quality of coastal areas. Dense farming areas and seaweed monoculture increase the risk of diseases spreading. This is why we want to move the seaweed farms away from coastal areas, to the oceans. Here the seaweed can grow with much less negative effects on the environment and production of seaweed and the seaweed can make use of natural resources otherwise left unused in the ocean.<br />
<br />
However, these ocean farms are not very easy to maintain by humans, because the farms can be far away from the land. That is why we want to research and develop a prototype robot that can maintain such a seaweed farm on the ocean, requiring very little human attention. We will need to research existing literature, positive and negative effects of such a farm and develop a prototype robot with limited functionality to demonstrate our project at the end of the quartile.<br />
<br />
== Group members ==<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
== Preliminary brainstorm ==<br />
===Benefits===<br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
<br />
===Proposals===<br />
*Floating robot<br />
**Solar panel<br />
**Lowering (anker-style) cutter<br />
**Hard to position,<br />
***Drifts<br />
***“Dijnst[dutch]”<br />
*Rover robot<br />
**Stable polypoid (crab-style)<br />
**Hard to cut above his head<br />
*Swimming robot<br />
**May become struck between the weed<br />
**Perfect mobility and can cut everywhere<br />
Combination of multiple robot’s for every seafruit a suitable robot.<br />
<br />
== Mariculture ==<br />
<br />
<i>In this section cover what mariculture is and various aspects of mariculture.</i><br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
=== Environmental effects ===<br />
<br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms. These can be classified in two categories:<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
<br />
* '''Positive aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
** Pond-farms can make use of otherwise unfertile and underutilised land.<br />
** Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
** Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
** Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
** Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
** The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
** Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<br />
* '''Negative aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
** Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
** Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
** Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
** Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
** Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
** Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
** Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
** Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
** Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
These effects should be considered when deploying seaweed farms to ensure sustainable aquaculture development.<br />
<br />
== Maritime robotics ==<br />
=== Types of maritime robots ===<br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
<br />
=== Specifications ===<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
=== Practical tips ===<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
=== Responsibility ===<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!<br />
<br />
== State of the art ==<br />
<br />
== Robots for mariculture ==<br />
<i>In this section we link mariculture and maritime robots, we elaborate on the type of (maritime) robots that are especially useful for sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
== Automation ==<br />
<i>In this section we cover the automation of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
== Scaling ==<br />
<i>In this section we cover the scalability of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
== Sea farm design ==<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we propose a design for an innovative high-tech sea farm.</i><br />
<br />
== Sea robot prototype ==<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we showcase a prototype of a robot to be used on our cutting-edge sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
== USE: stakeholders ==<br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
The USE aspects:<br />
The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mari-culture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mari-culture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
Enterprise: It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because is the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
==Tasks==<br />
[[{{TALKPAGENAME}}|Logbook]]<br />
<br />
==Drive==<br />
[https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=66031F8492322E24!604219&authkey=!AOO7hi5CT65E46Y&ithint=folder%2cdocx USE Waterpret]<br />
<br />
== Sources ==<br />
*[https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al Smith, Bren (2016), The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Foscarini, Roberto & Prakash, Jayant (1990), Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8 CCCen (2015), Maritime Robotics 32C3] <br />
*[http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg World map of sea-depth (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image].<br />
*[https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction Merchant, Brian (2015), The last time oceans got this acidic this fast, 96% of marine life went exinct]<br />
* Gruendl, Harald & Haele, Ulrike & Kellhammer, Marco & Nägele, Christina (2014), Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna<br />
* [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm Phillips, M.P. (1990), ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: World Robotic Sailing Competition [http://roboticsailing.org], EURathlon [http://eurathlon.eu], RoboBoat & RoboSub [auvsifoundation.org], Singapore AUV competition [http://www.sauvc.org], MATE ROV competition [http://www.marinetech.org]</div>S146529https://cstwiki.wtb.tue.nl/index.php?title=PRE2015_4_Groep5&diff=26643PRE2015 4 Groep52016-04-23T08:10:22Z<p>S146529: /* USE: stakeholders */</p>
<hr />
<div>__FORCETOC__<br />
=Seaweed farming=<br />
== Group members ==<br />
* [mailto:n.m.f.aniceta@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Aniceta, N.M.F] (0876672)<br />
* [mailto:n.m.boelsums@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Boelsums, N.M] (0964376)<br />
* [mailto:a.brandts@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Brandts, A] (0895917)<br />
* [mailto:s.r.r.haenen@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Haenen, S.R.R] (0889428)<br />
* [mailto:j.j.l.kuijpers@student.tue.nl?subject=USE:%20Waterpret Kuijpers, J.J.L] (0838617)<br />
<br />
== Preliminary brainstorm ==<br />
===Benefits===<br />
* Enhances natural water ecosystem<br />
**Various types combats a monoculture<br />
*Cheaper and sustainable food supply<br />
**For livestock (veevoer)<br />
***Decreases the need for deforestation <br />
**For humans<br />
*Descreases the magnitude of waves<br />
*Reduces the CO2/ increases the O2 in the water<br />
*Zee is better than in a basin<br />
**Natural nutrition supply<br />
<br />
Creating an automated robotic seaweed farm would make seaweed farming cheaper, bigger and safer, which would magnify the following benefits of seaweed farming: <br />
<br />
-Farming in the seas is a sustainable alternative to farming on land. It does not require cultivation of the area, fertilizing with phosphorus or water. <br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be used as livestock feed, which offers an alternative to the soy-based livestock feed. Soy farming is currently the main cause of deforestation and damages the climate. Seaweed based livestock feed would be a sustainable alternative to that.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed can be consumed by humans. With the growing world population, seaweed can become an important factor in feeding the planet and preventing famines.<br />
<br />
-Seaweed farms that are located nearby the shore break waves and thus increase the safety of the people living at the coasts.<br />
<br />
There are currently several "Aquatic dead zones", there is no life to be found in these areas. No plants, plankton or fish. When a seaweed farm is introduced to such an area, it will have a positive impact on the ecosystem. The plants will generate oxygen and attrackt plankton, the plankton will attrackt fish.<br />
Image: Aquatic dead zones [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Aquatic_Dead_Zones.jpg]<br />
<br />
The seaweed farm would be collecting data about its surroundings, this data could be used to monitor pollution and the effects of climate change on the oceans. All this data could be used to protect the seas.<br />
<br />
===Proposals===<br />
*Floating robot<br />
**Solar panel<br />
**Lowering (anker-style) cutter<br />
**Hard to position,<br />
***Drifts<br />
***“Dijnst[dutch]”<br />
*Rover robot<br />
**Stable polypoid (crab-style)<br />
**Hard to cut above his head<br />
*Swimming robot<br />
**May become struck between the weed<br />
**Perfect mobility and can cut everywhere<br />
Combination of multiple robot’s for every seafruit a suitable robot.<br />
<br />
== Mariculture ==<br />
<br />
[[File:greenwave.jpg|thumb|Representation of a sea farm]]<br />
<br />
=== Environmental effects ===<br />
<br />
There are several positive and negative aspects regarding seaweed farms. These can be classified in two categories:<br />
<br />
* Physical effects: effects on water movement, physical structure of terrestrial and aquatic habitats and aesthetic impacts, etc.<br />
* Ecological effects: water quality, primary and secondary productivity and native fisheries, etc.<br />
<br />
These effects tend to be more extreme when farming is more intensive.<br />
<br />
* '''Positive aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Income, employment and foreign exchange (import/export).<br />
** Pond-farms can make use of otherwise unfertile and underutilised land.<br />
** Large-scale farms influence coastal water movement, causing enhanced sedimentation and better protection of the coastal areas from erosion.<br />
** Introduction of seaweed culture rafts, ropes, anchors, etc. can increase the surface area of substrate, which may enhance production of other marine organisms in a similar way to what artificial reefs have been shown to do.<br />
** Seaweed culture mostly relies on a natural nutrient supply.<br />
** Seaweed farms offer shelter for other animals, increasing the biodiversity.<br />
** The area below seaweed farms can be used for invertebrate farming such as sea cucumbers.<br />
** Seaweed farms may be placed further offshore to better utilize offshore resources.<br />
<br />
* '''Negative aspects of seaweed farms:'''<br />
** Conflicts with other users of the coastal zone.<br />
** Concerns over potential environmental impacts.<br />
** Large surface area required for viable seaweed culture.<br />
** Site preparation may involve removal of native animals, plants and destroying the natural environment (e.g. removing rocks) which may damage the local ecosystem.<br />
** Routine management can result in damage through trampling and accidental damage of the local ecosystem.<br />
** Physical shading of an area can occur. The effects of this have not been well-studied.<br />
** Due to the large surface area required, the visual impact can be a strong argument against seaweed farms, especially in coastal areas.<br />
** Intensive farming may require additional fertilization. This has yet unknown effects on the local ecological system.<br />
** Large farms and intensive farming may cause deceases to spread more rapidly, causing production loss and other negative effects for the ecology.<br />
** Intensive farming may reduce the nutrient levels of coastal waters, making it harder for other organisms to survive.<br />
<br />
These effects should be considered when deploying seaweed farms to ensure sustainable aquaculture development.<br />
<br />
== Maritime robotics ==<br />
=== Types of maritime robots ===<br />
*The Sensor Buoy: floats at one spot on the surface. Mainly used for acquiring data.<br />
*The Traveler: like the sensor buoy but moves using solar energy and wave energy(enhances wave movement to accelerate) <br />
*Underwater Airplanes: like an airplane but with tiny wings, uses propellor. Can be tricky because it can not stop and it is unsure what lies ahead.<br />
*Diving Box: often equipped with lots of sensors. Can move in any direction and float in midwater. However, it is very energy inefficient and can only be used for a short moemnt unless you attach a thether.<br />
*Wild cards: weird, specialized and animal like robots.<br />
<br />
=== Specifications ===<br />
<br />
'''Buoyancy:'''<br />
<br />
Mass of water - mass of robot =<br />
*+ Robot will return to the surface.<br />
*0 Gravity free floating :D<br />
*- Make sure the robot can drop some weight or it will never return.<br />
<br />
'''Pressure:'''<br />
<br />
Increases 1 bar every 10 meters. Is important to consider in the design of the farm, up to what depth can it function?<br />
<br />
'''Communication & orientation:'''<br />
<br />
Above water: iridium SBD <br />
<br />
'''Under water:'''<br />
<br />
No wireless communication possible and lasers are very unreliable. <br />
So... we must use accoustic waves. It is the best thing we have but still not ideal because the speed of sound in water is slow. It is never really clear what is ahead, expecially when the robot is far away.<br />
<br />
=== Practical tips ===<br />
It's not all that difficult and expensive! Make sure that you can retrieve your robot when it breaks. Keep it small. A lot can already be achieved with just a water proof container with a battery, a phone and some tampons to soak up leaked water. Drinking bottles can be used as as pressure proof containers in shallow waters. Syringes can be usedfor building engines to change the weight of the verhicle and regulate the buoyancy. Sonars are very expensive but "fishfinders" are a good alternative.<br />
<br />
=== Responsibility ===<br />
The laws of the sea are rather unclear, but here are some general rules:<br />
*Dont go to nature protected areas.<br />
*Beware of materials that can be harmful (also think about paint for example)<br />
*Dont switch a robot between enviroments. It gives certain species a chance to invade an ecosystem whch can be harmful.<br />
*Be aware that salt water is conductive. Especially when touching your circuits!<br />
<br />
== State of the art ==<br />
<br />
== Robots for mariculture ==<br />
<i>In this section we link mariculture and maritime robots, we elaborate on the type of (maritime) robots that are especially useful for sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
== Automation ==<br />
<i>In this section we cover the automation of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
== Scaling ==<br />
<i>In this section we cover the scalability of sea farms more in-depth.</i><br />
<br />
== Sea farm design ==<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we propose a design for an innovative high-tech sea farm.</i><br />
<br />
== Sea robot prototype ==<br />
[Deliverable]<br />
<br />
<i>In this section we showcase a prototype of a robot to be used on our cutting-edge sea farms.</i><br />
<br />
== USE: stakeholders ==<br />
*Why? => Provide a feasible feedback<br />
*Users: Livestock farmers (veevoer), Foodbuyers<br />
*Enterprise: Seafarmers<br />
*Society: Reduces the shortage of food<br />
<br />
The USE aspects:<br />
The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mari-culture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mari-culture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
Enterprise: It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because is the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
==Tasks==<br />
[[{{TALKPAGENAME}}|Logbook]]<br />
<br />
==Drive==<br />
[https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=66031F8492322E24!604219&authkey=!AOO7hi5CT65E46Y&ithint=folder%2cdocx USE Waterpret]<br />
<br />
== Sources ==<br />
*[https://medium.com/invironment/an-army-of-ocean-farmers-on-the-frontlines-of-the-blue-green-economic-revolution-d5ae171285a3#.g1l0kq9al The Seas Will Save Us: How an Army of Ocean Farmers are Starting an Economic Revolution]<br />
*[http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ac287e/AC287E00.htm Handbook Seaweed Cultivation]<br />
* Maritime Robotics [32C3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iouy-vnBYA8<br />
* World map of sea-depth; [http://19thcenturyscience.org/HMSC/HMSC-Reports/1912-Murray/maps-600/m002-WorldDepths.jpg original image (slow commection)], [http://i.imgur.com/8ChchdM.jpg faster image].<br />
* https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction[ https://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-last-time-our-oceans-got-this-acidic-it-drove-earths-greatest-extinction]<br />
* Tools for the Design Revolution - IDRV Institute of Design Research Vienna<br />
* [http://www.fao.org/docrep/field/003/ab728e/AB728E05.htm ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF SEAWEED CULTURE]<br />
*Practical tips can be found in the documentation of the student teams that participated in these competitions: World Robotic Sailing Competition [http://roboticsailing.org], EURathlon [http://eurathlon.eu], RoboBoat & RoboSub [auvsifoundation.org], Singapore AUV competition [http://www.sauvc.org], MATE ROV competition [http://www.marinetech.org]</div>S146529https://cstwiki.wtb.tue.nl/index.php?title=Talk:PRE2015_4_Groep5&diff=26642Talk:PRE2015 4 Groep52016-04-23T08:09:52Z<p>S146529: /* Definitions */</p>
<hr />
<div>=Log=<br />
<br />
==Previous meetings==<br />
*18-04-2016 Course introductory<br />
**Formed groups<br />
**Came up with a lot of concepts<br />
**Decided final concept <br />
*21-04-2016 First meeting with group.<br />
**Digged info about Seaweed.<br />
**Prepared the presentation for week 2.<br />
**Ate seaweed<br />
**Individual Accomplishments<br />
***Neph<br />
****Wiki<br />
****Powerpoint<br />
***Nina<br />
****Benefits<br />
****Maritime Robitcs<br />
***Stijn<br />
****Environmental aspects<br />
***Jochem<br />
****USE aspects<br />
***Arduin<br />
****Roadmap<br />
****Agenda<br />
****Types of deliverables<br />
****Possible applications<br />
<br />
=Tasks=<br />
==Individual==<br />
*<s>Chairman <i>(Arduin)</i><br />
**Is the chairman at meeting and creates the agenda for the meetings</s> (there are only plenary meetings, so they will not be chaired)<br />
*Secretary <i>(Jochem)</i><br />
**Is responsible for the minutes of the meetings<br />
*Sourceman <i>(Stijn)</i><br />
**Finds extra info or extra sources and supporting information for a statement<br />
*Wiki&Drive maintenance <i>(Nina & Nephtaly)</i><br />
**Will maintain the organisation and cleanness of the wiki(talk)page as well as the organisation in the drive<br />
<br />
==Weekly==<br />
18-04-2016:<br />
(tabel)<br />
All, search info, for next meeting<br />
<br />
21-04-2016:<br />
<br />
<br />
=Ideas=<br />
*<s>Eat seaweed</s><br />
*Visit a seaweed restaurant<br />
**Interview the chef about the possiblities of seaweed<br />
**TASTE IT!!!<br />
<br />
=Talk=<br />
==General talk==<br />
* IoT, Big Data<br />
* mariculture (combination Seafarm and seadrones)<br />
==Arduin's talk==<br />
==Nina's talk==<br />
[[User:S133140|S133140]] Hoi even een testje (zonder timestamp)<br />
<br />
[[User:S133140|S133140]] 15:20, 21 April 2016 (UTC) En nu een test met timestamp<br />
<br />
==Jochems' talk==<br />
==Stijn's talk==<br />
==Nephtaly's talk==<br />
* Lammelle idee om het op te halen en te knippen en te klemmen [< vormig<br />
* secundaire lijn<br />
* trosjes in basis-station<br />
* Zie aantekeningen en/of foto's<br />
==USE==<br />
*<b>E:</b>Big New Innovation<br />
*<b>S:</b>Overpopulation call for new solutions<br />
**feed seaweed to:<br />
***humans<br />
***animal stock. (better for climate change, no deforestation)<br />
<br />
=Definitions=<br />
*Aquaculture = argiculture in water<br />
*Mariculture = aquaculture in the sea<br />
<br />
=Editing help=<br />
*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Cheatsheet Markup cheatsheet]<br />
*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style Manual of Style]<br />
*A signature can be made by inserting <pre>~~~</pre><br />
*A signature <i>with timestamp</i> can be made by inserting <pre>~~~~</pre></div>S146529https://cstwiki.wtb.tue.nl/index.php?title=Talk:PRE2015_4_Groep5&diff=26641Talk:PRE2015 4 Groep52016-04-23T08:09:37Z<p>S146529: /* Definitions */</p>
<hr />
<div>=Log=<br />
<br />
==Previous meetings==<br />
*18-04-2016 Course introductory<br />
**Formed groups<br />
**Came up with a lot of concepts<br />
**Decided final concept <br />
*21-04-2016 First meeting with group.<br />
**Digged info about Seaweed.<br />
**Prepared the presentation for week 2.<br />
**Ate seaweed<br />
**Individual Accomplishments<br />
***Neph<br />
****Wiki<br />
****Powerpoint<br />
***Nina<br />
****Benefits<br />
****Maritime Robitcs<br />
***Stijn<br />
****Environmental aspects<br />
***Jochem<br />
****USE aspects<br />
***Arduin<br />
****Roadmap<br />
****Agenda<br />
****Types of deliverables<br />
****Possible applications<br />
<br />
=Tasks=<br />
==Individual==<br />
*<s>Chairman <i>(Arduin)</i><br />
**Is the chairman at meeting and creates the agenda for the meetings</s> (there are only plenary meetings, so they will not be chaired)<br />
*Secretary <i>(Jochem)</i><br />
**Is responsible for the minutes of the meetings<br />
*Sourceman <i>(Stijn)</i><br />
**Finds extra info or extra sources and supporting information for a statement<br />
*Wiki&Drive maintenance <i>(Nina & Nephtaly)</i><br />
**Will maintain the organisation and cleanness of the wiki(talk)page as well as the organisation in the drive<br />
<br />
==Weekly==<br />
18-04-2016:<br />
(tabel)<br />
All, search info, for next meeting<br />
<br />
21-04-2016:<br />
<br />
<br />
=Ideas=<br />
*<s>Eat seaweed</s><br />
*Visit a seaweed restaurant<br />
**Interview the chef about the possiblities of seaweed<br />
**TASTE IT!!!<br />
<br />
=Talk=<br />
==General talk==<br />
* IoT, Big Data<br />
* mariculture (combination Seafarm and seadrones)<br />
==Arduin's talk==<br />
==Nina's talk==<br />
[[User:S133140|S133140]] Hoi even een testje (zonder timestamp)<br />
<br />
[[User:S133140|S133140]] 15:20, 21 April 2016 (UTC) En nu een test met timestamp<br />
<br />
==Jochems' talk==<br />
==Stijn's talk==<br />
==Nephtaly's talk==<br />
* Lammelle idee om het op te halen en te knippen en te klemmen [< vormig<br />
* secundaire lijn<br />
* trosjes in basis-station<br />
* Zie aantekeningen en/of foto's<br />
==USE==<br />
*<b>E:</b>Big New Innovation<br />
*<b>S:</b>Overpopulation call for new solutions<br />
**feed seaweed to:<br />
***humans<br />
***animal stock. (better for climate change, no deforestation)<br />
<br />
=Definitions=<br />
*Aquaculture = argiculture in water<br />
*Mariculture = aquaculture in the sea<br />
<br />
The USE aspects:<br />
The first users of the farming-robots are the farm-owners. They would not have employees anymore, but they would have robots. The farm-owners would use the robots to set and harvest the seaweed. The secondary users are the store-owners who sell the seaweed. The production costs are lower for product that are made with autonomic robots, so the store-owners can make more profit. Also the food industry is a secondary user which use the seaweed to make other food. The third users are the people who would eat the seaweed.<br />
Seaweed farming has several advantages for the society, but compared to normal food industry it has not the main disadvantages of (land) agriculture. The advantages of mari-culture compared to normal agriculture are: there is enough space for a sea-farm. Deforestation to make more space is not necessary for mari-culture. Sea-farms do not cause soil salinity and sea-farms do not need a crop rotation or a yearly greenfield land because the ocean flow serves enough nutrition to farm continue. An advantage of sea-farming is that it will benefit the ocean’s biosphere. The areas where fish cannot live , the dead zones, will disappear. The robots could also check the state of the ocean.<br />
Enterprise: It becomes harder and harder to feed the growing population with only agriculture. A good solution for this is use the oceans for food production. Sea-farming is the future. Autonomic robots are also the future. A combination of these two aspect is interesting for companies. The production is relative cheap compared to agriculture. And because is the future there might be food shortage, so new ways of food production are necessary. And if the farms are located in international waters the farmers do not comply to a lot of rules, thus food production will be easier.<br />
<br />
=Editing help=<br />
*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Cheatsheet Markup cheatsheet]<br />
*[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style Manual of Style]<br />
*A signature can be made by inserting <pre>~~~</pre><br />
*A signature <i>with timestamp</i> can be made by inserting <pre>~~~~</pre></div>S146529