SBIR-STTR Award

NOAA SBIR topic 9.5 includes as a research priority the development of tools, platforms, … to make environmental information… more accessible, usable, understandable, and relatable to students, citizen scientists, and the public. Sunburst Sensors has twice used NOAA SBIR funding to successfully create new products. We propose using phase 1 funding to demonstrate the prototype pHyter as a tool for students and citizen scientists to collect ocean biogeochemical data. The pHyter is an inexpensive instrument that accurately measures pH using colorimetric methods. It uses an iPhone app that records location, time, temperature, pH and meta-data via Bluetooth. The instrument will work well in the hands of students and citizen scientists, and it will serve as basis for the development of other inexpensive instrumentation in phase 2. The prototype instrument was developed over the past few years and requires real-world demonstration. We will build 50 instruments and distribute them to 3 programs doing educational or citizen science work requiring accurate pH measurements. We will assess performance both in terms of data quality and user experience. Simultaneously we will develop a dual platform application (iOS and Android) for the device and evaluate existing data portals as potential repositories for collected da

The pHyter is a handheld device that accurately measures pH using colorimetry, communicating with a cellphone via Bluetooth Low Energy. The app records location, time, temperature, pH and meta-data. In Phase I, we redesigned the instrument using an ‘internet of things’ development platform, modified the app to operate on both Android and iOS phones, and showed, through a network of partners, that it is an excellent tool for coastal pH measurements, education, and citizen science. With this technology, we have the basis to develop inexpensive instrumentation for citizen scientists and students to measure other important water quality parameters, such as total alkalinity (TA), fluorescent dissolved organic matter (FDOM), the partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2), and the differential pressure of CO2 in air/water (DCO2). With Phase II funding we will develop inexpensive TA, FDOM, pCO2, and DCO2 measurement systems, and a ‘pHyterPro’ (higher accuracy pHyter), while working closely with educators to facilitate curriculum development. Additionally, we will develop a web portal for access, storage, and visualization of the data from the devices. Following NOAA objectives, we will strive to make these data sets “…accessible, usable, understandable, and relatable to students, citizen scientists, and the public,” by responding to u