Oxygen Profiler
Description
This is a unique payload for the autonomous vehicle MOVE. It uses fiber optic probes to measure in-situ oxygen profiles into benthic sediments. A mechanical arm extends from the MOVE vehicle and lowers a 'nano-lander' tripod onto undisturbed sediment. From the tripod lander several oxygen probes are inserted into the sediment in micrometer size steps while data are acquired and logged. Each fiber optic probe is held in a titanium needle and measures oxygen at the tip which is only a few micrometers across. This device was designed and built at Royal NIOZ.
Responsibilities
- Realize the project as part of a development team at Royal NIOZ.
- Embedded software design.
- Electronic hardware build.
- Maintain and service the oxygen profiler during deployment and recovery from research vessels at sea.
Resource Links
Embedded controller for an oxygen measuring payload.
Oxygen measuring payload using a tripod 'nano-lander' with probes for insertion into sediment. The probes are inserted with micrometer size steps while oxygen measurements are made at the tips.
Here the titanium probes can be seen, complete with fiber optic tips that use light pulses to measure oxygen levels within seabed sediment.
The oxygen profiler 'nano-lander' during tests from the MOVE vehicle at 1900m depth.