CoralReef Restoration

The Problem

Restoration of Corals. Now this problem is split into 3 subproblems. 1. The remote sensing part 2. The Breeding part 3. The deployment of corals from the lab autnomously onto the region of interest Value of Corals: As of now corals and the associated marine ecosystem has generated global tourism wealth. Sole value of Coral Reef at Great Barrier Reef is estimated at $36 Billion/year, out of which 19 Billion USD is generated from on-reef tourism and 16 Billion from reef-adjacent tourism. More than 70 countries have reefs that generate more than $1million/km² annually. Travel and Tourism are worth over 9% of the Global GDP and support over 100 million jobs - one of the world's largest industries. Now the time has come to build an ecosystem for that value to return to the corals, themselves. Our mission is to enforce business models to help sustain that cycle: namely, the reinvestment of part of that wealth to save the corals.

Our Proposal

We will build a hyperspectral imaging sensor with gps which tourists perfoming snorkeling rent/buy. They get a better snorkeling experience: identification of underwater species, corals (families of corals). They get rewards in terms of cheap hotel stay and holiday packages offered when they plant corals. We get the on site remote data and information of ongoing coral health. We reduce the cost of paying human divers to go and plant corals. We have lost over half of coral reefs already, and a 100 x 120m patch of coral is lost every minute. Restoring at the same rate just breaks even over time, and current approaches do not come close to matching this rate of loss. Hand planting, which is the primary method of restoration, can plant 6-8 corals per hour covering 1-2m per hour. Paying divers just $10/hour would require $173 million per day and take 720,000 divers continuously planting to reach a pace of 100 x 120m restoration rate. Full restoration using current techniques could cost upwards of $1 trillion dollars using current technologies and more than double that to maintain. Autonomous breeding and UAV deployment will decrease those costs.

We Assume that...

1. We assume a greater replantation o f 100x120 patch of coral per minute. 2. Current divers are assumed to pay 10 USD/h which would require $173 million per day. We aim a cost lower than this

Assumption based on information from: https://www.herox.com/xprizevisioneers-2018-design-challenge/resource/213

Constraints to Overcome

1. Underwater hyperspectral imaging. (Possible solution with software using multiple normal cameras) 2. We assume really fast growth during breeding in labs and using 3D printed corals to acclerate the growth. 3. Assisted deployment of corals from snorkeling tourists with swarm robots, deployed at the right location

Current Work

1. Complete the video analysis algorithm to clearly define where the corals are most vulnerable. Get more Data from Marine Institutions. Perform cloud computing with AI for image analysis. 2. Integrate the map with oceanography data to actualise map 3. Perform Protoype 1.0 of breeding and developing probe for replanatation process. 4. use of self-built underwater autonomous probes. no human intervention

Current Needs

1. Marine Biologist to get to know more about corals. 2. Mechanial and Design Engineer to build the autnonomous probe