Aquarius-Preserving the marine biodiversity

Aqurius is an autonomous underwater vehicle that can detect and collect micronanoplastics from ocean beds and other water bodies along with a few other wastes to save the marine ecosystem.

According to the UN environment  programme, 8 million tonnes of plastic end up the worlds ocean every year. 81% of people are concerned about potential health implications of consuming seafood that contains micronanoplastics. With their unparalleled functional properties at a relatively lower cost, plastics have become the ubiquitous propellant force of modern society.

Micronanoplastics are small plastic particles that are found in oceans, rivers, and even tap water.  The microplastic and nanoplastic pollution collectively called micronanoplastics is highly toxic to the environment, posing a direct and serious threat to freshwater and marine environments. Micronanoplastics are a result of physical weathering (i.e. shredding, ripping) and chemical dissolving of bigger, or macroplastic (> 1mm) products including plastic bags, pens, wrappers, and so on. Micronanoplastics are not uniformly defined in size, but can be characterised as being > 1m to 1mm in size, and are an ever-growing hazard for environmental and human health globally as the manufacture and ubiquity of plastic objects increases for the sake of human industry and convenience.They have a large surface to volume ratio which increases their ability to absorb pollutants, making it easier for contaminants to be transferred to organisms that ingest them. These particles have been found in the circulatory systems and other tissues of filter feeding organisms such as the blue mussels, causing inflammatory responses. Very small micronanoplastics, nano-size, have been shown to cross cell membranes under laboratory conditions, causing tissue damage. The presence of acid conditions and surface active digestive substances in the guts of marine organisms can desorb and release contaminants in significant quantities. 

 People in India are suffering from a variety of health issues as a result of the impact of micronanoplastics. Micronanoplastics have a wide range of effects, affecting marine life, fisheries, economics, tourism, plants, marine aesthetics, and human health. The Global aquatic environment is drastically affected as its very difficult to recognize microplastics due to their extreme small sizes.

Every year, these extremely small plastic particles kill almost one million individuals. Every year, an estimated 100,000 marine species perish. According to a National Geographic study, in 2017, Belgian scientists announced that mussels, a popular meal in that nation, could contain up to 11,000 plastic particles every year.

We propose to you Aquarius, a fully autonomous underwater vehicle that is capable of detecting and collecting these micronanoplastics from the beds of the oceans and other water bodies. 

Aquarius, an underwater vehicle which is fully autonomous and is capable to detect and collect these micronanoplastics, to combat this massive problem. This vehicle has multiple sensors onboard, a camera for underwater filmography and a secondary power system based on thermal energy harvesting in which the vehicle would locate thermal gradients under the water and self-charge. The sensors include two proximity sensors for navigation through the world’s waterways, a weight sensor attached to the accumulation chamber that is inspired by membrane bioreactor or MBR, thermal sensor, pressure sensor, depth sensor, vibration sensor etc. The GPS antenna is used to communicate with the vehicle or drone from land and can easily connected with a laptop. The detection of these particles is achieved using IR spectroscopy and an advanced AI technique called Convolutional Neural Network to analyze the results obtained.

Our solution, the Aquarius underwater vehicle, serves the target population of government agencies, NGOs, industries impacted by micronanoplastics, biodiversity preservation organizations, and environmental conservation organizations.

The solution will impact their lives by providing an efficient and effective means of detecting and collecting micronanoplastics in the world's waterways. This will help to protect and preserve the marine environment, and prevent negative impacts on human health and livelihoods.

The target population that we are working to directly and meaningfully improve are the government agencies, NGOs, industries and organizations working to preserve and protect the marine environment from the negative impacts of micronanoplastics pollution. They are currently underserved by the existing solutions that are inefficient and not effective in removing micronanoplastics from the waterways. Our solution addresses their needs by providing an autonomous and efficient underwater vehicle that can detect and collect micronanoplastics particles using advanced technologies like FTIR spectroscopy and convolutional neural network. This will help these organizations to conserve the marine biodiversity and protect the environment from the negative impacts of micronanoplastics pollution, thus preserving the marine ecosystem and human health.

My team members are Aerospace Engineering Undergraduates and have deep knowledge about the technology being used in our solution. Ria P Dey, read about this problem first when she went through an article in a Mumbai daily stating Marine earthworms were disappearing from Marine Drive, a bay in Mumbai, India. After that, we came up with this solution to cater to this alarming scenario. I (team lead) am well versed in designing tools and knowledge to integrate technology into the product. 

Our team had previously submitted this idea of an AUV or Underwater drone for surveillance of aquatic ecosystems in river Ganga and the coral reefs. Although a high-resolution camera miniaturized version 76 cm  76 cm  36 cm, 18 kg in the air for surveying the deep sea fauna, due to waters opacity in certain regions a sensor is used to detect the same. Currently, we are associated with NGOs who are working in sea cleaning activity. 

The steps we have taken to understand the needs of the population for underwater micronanoplastic include:

• Conducting research in areas affected by micronanoplastics pollution, such as the Yamuna River in Delhi and Marine Drive in Mumbai.
• Interviewing activists, government officials, and business people working on the issue of micronanoplastics pollution to gather information about the problem and potential solutions.
• Utilising advanced technologies like IR spectroscopy and Convolutional Neural Network to detect and analyse the micronanoplastics particles
• Approached the Chief Ministers of Delhi, Maharashtra, and West Bengal to gain support for our solution.
• Contacted the President of India, Prime Minister, and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for their input and potential involvement in the project (Deep ocean mission project) related to micronanoplastics pollution.
  It is a good step to take as it will give the more insights on the problem and how it is seen by the government and how they can support the efforts in tackling the problem.

Our solution is different than what's already present in the market. No other underwater vehicle in the world collects micronanoplastics from the water bodies. This underwater vehicle can automatically collect such types of hazardous waste from the water bodies and return back to land. Another fun fact, two Aquarius can communicate with each other.

Our impact goals for the next year are:

1. Reduce the level of micronanoplastics pollution in the oceans: We will achieve this goal by providing cleaning services to specific areas affected by micronanoplastics pollution using our Aquarius underwater vehicle.

2. Provide reliable and accurate data on micronanoplastics pollution: We will achieve this goal by collecting and analyzing data using advanced technologies such as IR spectroscopy and Convolutional Neural Network and making it available to government agencies, research institutions, and companies for research and analysis purposes.

3. Expand our market presence: We will achieve this goal by actively promoting our solution to potential customers and partners, building a strong brand and reputation, and leveraging our network of industry experts and advisors.

4. Increase our revenue: We will achieve this goal by diversifying our revenue streams and expanding our customer base through government contracts, video and picture sales, data trade, drone sales and rentals, and cleaning services.

5. Exploration of the ocean depths: We will achieve this goal by expanding the capabilities of our Aquarius underwater vehicle to explore deeper depths and by conducting research and mapping projects in collaboration with government agencies and research institutions.

We will achieve these impact goals by executing a comprehensive marketing and sales strategy, building strong relationships with key partners and customers, and continuously improving and updating our solution based on feedback and market demand.

We have integrated a variety of technologies into our product/solution Aquarius. The complete solution has three major functionalities viz. detection, collection, and mobility.

• Detection: For detection, we have used FTIR spectroscopy technology along with Convolutional Neural Network. This will help us achieve the best results possible.
• Collection: Using Marine Bioreactor inspired technology which is integrated outside the vehicle for 1 st prototype has helped us to achieve 95% accuracy in collecting the micronanoplastics from water.
• Mobility: For mobility, we are currently working and experimenting with different AI-based algorithms that can be easily deployed on hardware. For Aquarius to return back on land, a technology like "Return to home" technology is also being touched upon.

As our solution, the Aquarius underwater vehicle, is not yet launched, it currently serves 0 people.
We plan to serve various government agencies, NGOs, industries and organizations working to preserve and protect the marine environment from the negative impacts of micronanoplastics pollution in the this year. The number of people that will be directly and meaningfully affected by our solution is about 170 million of the country's 1.4 billion people, this population belongs to India's coastal regions . we believe that our solution will have a significant impact in helping to conserve the marine biodiversity and protect the environment from the negative impacts of micronanoplastics pollution, thus preserving the marine ecosystem and human health

As it is a big problem leading to problems such as bioaccumulation and cancer, our solution, the Aquarius underwater vehicle, not only serves the current population but also the next generations. Micronanoplastics pollution is a long-term problem that affects the marine environment and human health, so it is important to address it for the present and future generations. Our solution aims to detect and collect micronanoplastics in the world's waterways, thus helping to protect and preserve the marine environment, and prevent negative impacts on human health and livelihoods. This will have a positive impact on not only the current population but also on the future generations.

The barriers that currently exist for us to accomplish our goals in the next year include:

• Financial: lack of funds to support the development and launch of our solution, Aquarius underwater vehicle.
• Market: lack of market presence and awareness, being an early-stage startup.
• Technical: ensuring the Aquarius underwater vehicle is fully autonomous and reliable.
• Legal: legal restrictions and regulations that may apply to our solution.
• Market: risk of failure and strong competition in the market.
• Financial: price fluctuation that may affect the marketability of our solution.

All the above barriers will limit our impact in the next year. We need to consider these barriers and overcome them with effective strategies for funding, marketing, and technical development, as well as complying with legal regulations and managing financial risks.

We currently do not have partners but are being supported by Amity Incubation Center, ECell IIT Delhi, and the Government of Maharashtra, India.

• Amity Incubation Center is helping us with Research and Development and prototyping.
• ECell IIT Delhi is helping us with investments and networking.
• Government of Maharashtra is helping us with mentorships and projects.

Our business model is based on providing various services to different industries and organizations using our Aquarius underwater vehicle.
Our key customers and beneficiaries include:

• Government agencies and universities for environmental monitoring and research, detecting and collecting micronanoplastics
• Offshore oil and gas industries for inspection and survey services
• Search and recovery operations for ships and aircraft
• Inspection and maintenance of underwater infrastructure such as bridges, dams, and pipelines.
• Underwater mapping and exploration for mining and construction industries.
• Photography and videography services for film and television production companies.
• Inspection and maintenance services for aquatic renewable energy systems such as tidal and wave energy.
• Fish and marine life research for fishing and aquaculture industries.
• Underwater archaeology and heritage site exploration.
• Leisure activities such as scuba diving and snorkeling tours.

Our main revenue streams include:

1. Government Contracts: Governments will contract out the use of the underwater drone to detect and capture micronanoplastics. This could include tasks such as identifying and removing sources of micronanoplastics, mapping areas with high concentrations of micronanoplastics, and collecting data for scientific research.

2. Video and Picture Sales: The underwater drone can be used to capture stunning footage and pictures of the ocean floor which can be sold to media companies, film makers, and researchers.

3. Data Trade: The data collected from the underwater drone can be sold to research institutions and companies for research, mapping, and analysis. Companies could also use the data for their own research and analysis purposes.

   
   

   Our business model for providing these products and services includes:

1. Drone Sales: We will sell the Aquarius underwater vehicle to government agencies, universities, offshore oil and gas industries, search and recovery operations, and other organizations that need to conduct inspections, surveys, and research in the underwater environment.
2. Drone Rental: We will also offer the Aquarius underwater vehicle for rent to organizations that need it for a short-term or specific project.
3. Cleaning Services: We will offer contract-based cleaning services for specific areas affected by micronanoplastics pollution, using our Aquarius underwater vehicle to detect and collect the particles.
4. Video and Picture Sales: We will sell the footage and pictures captured by the Aquarius underwater vehicle to media companies, film makers, and researchers, who can use them for their production, research or analysis
5. Data Trade: We will offer data trade to research institutions and companies for research, mapping, and analysis.

We will provide all these services by using advanced technologies like FTIR spectroscopy and Convolutional Neural Network to detect and analyze the micronanoplastics particles. We will provide technical assistance and training to the client on how to use the Aquarius underwater vehicle effectively. Our team of experts will be available to provide support and maintenance services to ensure that the Aquarius underwater vehicle is operating at peak performance.

Our path to financial sustainability includes a combination of different revenue streams:

1. Government Contracts: We will seek out contracts with government agencies and organizations to provide services such as micronanoplastics detection and removal, environmental monitoring, and research.

2. Video and Picture Sales: We will sell the footage and pictures captured by the Aquarius underwater vehicle to media companies, film makers, and researchers.

3. Data Trade: We will sell the data collected by the Aquarius underwater vehicle to research institutions and companies for research, mapping, and analysis.

4. Drone Sales and Rentals: We will sell the Aquarius underwater vehicle to various industries and organizations and will also offer rental services for short-term projects.

5. Cleaning Services: We will offer contract-based cleaning services for specific areas affected by micronanoplastics pollution.

6. Investment Capital: We will raise investment capital from angel investors, venture capital firms, and other investors to support the development and launch of our solution.

We believe that by diversifying our revenue streams, we will be able to achieve financial sustainability and generate enough revenue to cover our expenses and continue to develop and improve our solution.