What if surfers could help save the oceans while they catch waves? SmartPhin is a surfboard fin that measures and record data such as location, time, temperature, salinity, and pH.
Benjamin Thompson, founder of BoardFormula, had decided to invest his time and engineering knowledge in the protection of the environment and oceans. But how could he do it while riding waves?
SmartPhin answers that tricky question. Imagine thousands of surfers across the globe gathering and sharing information about their local breaks, and working cooperatively to fight global warming and ocean acidification.
The innovative project is competing in the Wendy Schmidt Ocean Health XPrize, a two-million dollar race to create pH sensor technology that will affordably and accurately measure ocean acidification.
SmartPhin is more than just a surfboard fin. This multi-sensor hardware device is ready to collect information the moment you touch the water so that scientists can establish comparisons over time, in different regions of the planet.
Thompson believes in what he is doing, and SmartPhin will definitely hit the market. If you own a smartphone with Bluetooth technology and are willing to help understand how oceans evolve and can be protected, get ready. The Scripps Institution of Oceanography in Sand Diego is already testing the surfboard fin.
Surfer Today, 6 November 2014. Article.
