The science

There is considerable research on the consequences of rising water temperatures on our oceans, but little is known about the impact of these increased temperatures on coastal ecosystems. None of the traditional methods for collecting oceanographic data are ideal for studying the nearshore ecosystem.

Satellite acquired data, while accurate for the open ocean, is not accurate for coastal regions. Traditional buoys and moored sensors cannot withstand the persistent punishment of coastal ocean waves and are too expensive to be deployed in large numbers.

Smartfins deployed in large numbers can affordably gather, in near-real time, coastal data across the globe.

The global ocean may be the most critical part of Earth’s environmental system. Since the Industrial Revolution, the ocean has absorbed 90% of the excess heat from global warming and half of the excess carbon dioxide.

The nearshore coastal zones are highly productive, rich in biodiversity, and are where the vast majority of human activity occurs. Coral reefs and mangroves, both sources of blue carbon and protection against coastal erosion, and fisheries all inhabit the nearshore zone.

Because coastal zones are so dynamic, it is challenging and expensive to measure the trends and effects of climate change in these areas. As a result, scientists do not have consistent, reliable nearshore data and our understanding of climate change in our coastal zones remains incomplete.

Smartfin is a patented, Internet of Things (IoT) enabled longboard fin for surfing and paddle boarding with embedded sensor technology that enables citizen scientists to measure water chemistry. The device provides near real-time data, with high spatial and temporal resolution, to researchers through a cloud database.

Smartfin is a longboard fin, and turns on automatically in salt water via a wet/dry sensor. It records GPS, temperature, and wave data while in the water, and then automatically transmits the data via LTE signal.

After calibration, temperature data are accurate to ±0.05ºC.

Smartfin data are useful for a range of oceanographic applications, including changes in temperature, water quality, coastal physics such as riptides and changing swell patterns, and validating satellites. Two ongoing examples are:

Coral Bleaching Disease: With Smartfin data, scientists can understand micro-habitat changes in temperature, so that coral reefs can be restored in places with habitable temperatures.

Glacier Retreat: Smartfin data feed models that enable communities to anticipate how much sea level will rise, and how quickly.