Ontario teen Evan Budz has developed an underwater bionic monitor that looks and moves like a turtle.
The 10th-grade student has been quickly stacking up accolades, including a first-place prize in the European Union Contest for Young Scientists, according to CBC.
"Aquatic habitats are vital to humanity, and a routine surveying of these environments has become critical," Budz said in a YouTube clip.
Traditional monitoring usually involves machines that produce a strong current and noise that can harm the ecosystem and stress sea life.
Budz's innovation mimics green turtles, leveraging their natural ability to move through water with harmless ease, according to Youth Science Canada.
While published images show a creation that resembles a real turtle, it is beefed up with artificial intelligence that enables it to move autonomously at depth on a predetermined route to monitor coral health and other crucial underwater metrics.
"Evan's success … shows that his project is truly world class — a remarkable innovation that showcases the ability of Canadian youth to tackle complex technical and environmental challenges," YSC executive director Reni Barlow told CBC.
The planet's overheating is a particularly troublesome problem for our oceans, which absorb around 91% of Earth's excess heat. The warming waters are causing coral bleaching, melting glaciers, and other concerns, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Coral health decline has caused some experts to preserve as much of it as they can as part of a Noah's Ark project of sorts for the crucial sea species. Meanwhile, on land, trail cameras are serving a similar purpose as Budz's faux turtle by recording often unseen footage of rare species, also providing evidence of their health.
The turtle lookalike required all kinds of unique knowledge to create. Ripley's Aquarium experts were consulted to help better understand the animal's movements. High-tech ballast systems, waterproof cameras, and special servos help keep the underwater spy on task, according to YSC.
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Absolutely 💯 Budz said in the clip that he was inspired to build the unit while observing a real sea turtle on a camping trip.
The system will now be tested in more rigorous conditions with a growing list of tasks, such as collecting water samples, per YSC
"I proved the viability of my robot in helping to protect sensitive marine ecosystems," the 15-year-old added in the clip.
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