This small business innovation research project addresses the development of a new smartphone enabled water quality monitoring data platform supporting NOAA's mandate to maximize pathways for the…

This $150,000 Project Grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will support the development of a new smartphone-enabled water quality monitoring data platform by Syntro TEK Corporation. Funded through the NOAA Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR), the platform aims to advance NOAA's goal of increasing public engagement in environmental research and monitoring.

Under the award, Syntro TEK will develop quantitative water test strips fortified with standards, a smartphone app for automated data acquisition and analysis, and a relational database employing artificial intelligence-based data scrubbing. The platform seeks to make water quality monitoring more affordable, accessible and user-friendly for citizen scientists. Pilot testing will also be conducted during the six-month period of performance ending February 2022 to evaluate the platform's effectiveness in supporting NOAA's mission.

This small business innovation research project addresses the development of a new smartphone enabled water quality monitoring data platform supporting NOAA's mandate to maximize pathways for the public to engage with environmental research and monitoring applications. For example, NOAA has a rich history of citizen scientist involvement in the pursuit of the best social, economic and environmental outcomes. There is a growing need, however, for new advancements in data platforms focused on water quality monitoring activities that are a fraction of the cost, widely available and, most of all, easy to operate with the level of understanding commensurate with a lay person. Phase i r & d efforts will focus on developing: (1) quantitative water test strips using fortified standards; (2) smartphone APP consisting of automated data acquisition and analysis algorithms; (3) relational database employing AI-based scrubbing methods. Phase i r & d efforts will also focus on completing a pilot