Senior Design Project Crowdsources Water Quality Reporting

Water quality is a global concern affecting millions of people worldwide. Recognizing the significance of this issue, a senior design team has developed a groundbreaking solution — a "smart fluorometer." This innovative water quality sensor, accompanied by a user-friendly app, aims to empower individuals to test, track, and share local water quality results using their smartphones.

The team, comprised of engineering technology majors Darius Phillips, John Barrett and Eric Rodos, combined their diverse expertise to create a simple, compact, and cost-effective instrument that harnesses smartphone technology. The smart fluorometer utilizes a specific reagent to induce fluorescence in a water sample when contaminants are present. The smartphone's camera captures the fluorescence, and the team's software interprets the results, providing accurate and real-time information on water quality. The app marks the results with timestamps and location data, allowing users to identify trends and patterns over time.

Water quality is a pressing issue that demands localized solutions. The Smart Fluorometer generates precise and reliable data, enabling communities to plan targeted cleanup efforts and monitor their effectiveness. By empowering individuals to identify and mark contaminated water supplies, the team hopes to make a tangible impact in improving water quality around the world.

"We realized that issues with water are widespread, affecting both developed and developing regions,” said Rodos. “Recent events in Flint, Michigan, and East Palestine, Ohio highlighted the urgency of addressing this problem. We wanted to contribute to the solution by developing a practical and accessible tool that could help people access clean water."

The team's collaborative approach played a pivotal role in overcoming challenges during the development process. Barrett, responsible for the software aspects of the project, emphasized the importance of their diverse skill sets. "We formed this team because we believed our individual strengths would complement each other,” he said. “My software abilities, Darius's experience with optics, and Eric’s interest in environmental issues provided a strong foundation for tackling the task at hand."

Phillips shared insights into the team's biggest challenge, stating, "Integrating all the components into a cohesive system proved to be our most significant obstacle. While each subsystem performed well independently, making them work together seamlessly required considerable effort. For instance, the optical subsystem's design and testing were relatively straightforward, and the programming software had an extension to read data from the user's phone light sensor. However, it took us two weeks to achieve consistent and accurate readings. Fortunately, my college experiences and education equipped me with the necessary knowledge and skills in chemistry, circuitry, optical physics, modeling and simulation, and programming. Design and testing, problem-solving, and analytical thinking were vital skills that helped us overcome these challenges."

The team's hard work and perseverance have paid off, culminating in the creation of the smart fluorometer and its accompanying app. They envision a future where their concept is applied to enable individuals to identify and flag contaminated water sources, creating a safer and healthier environment for all.