Cost effective sensor buoy for ocean environmental monitoring

A low cost prototype sensor module comprising of a microcontroller and digital sensors for measuring the temperature, light as well as pressure, housed in a miniaturized buoy similar to a Sonobuoy has been developed for sampling the sea surface temperature, light intensity and sea level changes respectively. This standalone data logger module is interfaced with a ZigBee module, allowing addressable secure communication, for real time transfer of the parameters to a shore station, which will have a very good correlation with climate. The sensor module yielded satisfactory results during the field trials carried out in a hydroelectric reservoir with a small reduction in the measured values due to the encapsulation. An RF link was also established between the buoy and the shorestation and its performance was evaluated.