Smartphone Water Quality Monitoring Platform for Increasing Public Engagement

This Small Business Innovation Research project addresses the development of a new smartphone enabled water quality monitoring data platform supporting NOAA’s mandate to maximize pathways for the public to engage with environmental research and monitoring applications. For example, NOAA has a rich history of Citizen Scientist involvement in the pursuit of the best social, economic and environmental outcomes. There is a growing need, however, for new advancements in data platforms focused on water quality monitoring activities that are a fraction of the cost, widely available and, most of all, easy to operate with the level of understanding commensurate with a lay person. Phase I R&D efforts will focus on developing: (1) quantitative water test strips using fortified standards; (2) smartphone app consisting of automated data acquisition and analysis algorithms; (3) relational database employing AI-based scrubbing methods. Phase I R&D efforts will also focus on completing a pilot study with Citizen Scientists to help optimize the end-user application of the proposed technology. Successfully completing the proposed project will provide a new pathway for growing workforce NOAA’s proficiency and water pollution management operations via an expanding number of American civilians interested in helping protect coastal lagoons, deltas, estuaries and bays.