D4BLOND
D4BLOND – “Drone for Biodiversity assessment with imaging, fLow cytOmetry aNd eDNA” is a project funded under the iNEST Calls, supported by the European Union – NextGenerationEU.
The aim of the project is to assess the environmental status of marine ecosystems by analyzing how natural and anthropogenic factors influence natural resources. This analysis seeks to identify potential threats to the environment and society, thus contributing to the conservation and sustainable management of marine and coastal areas.
Such assessment is essential to protect these areas, requiring the adoption of targeted and timely strategies. However, the process is often hindered by the scarcity of available scientific data and the lack of standardization in protocols and data collection. These challenges make it difficult to obtain a clear and accurate picture of the environmental status.
To overcome these obstacles, the project introduces the integration of cutting-edge technologies, including underwater robotics, metagenomics, and edge computing architectures. Specifically, new instruments will be installed on the underwater drone Blucy: an eDNA sampler, a phytoplankton and zooplankton sampler, and a flow cytometer. These technologies will allow for the digitization of the collected data, improving the accuracy and availability of information on the marine environment.
D4BLOND represents a significant step toward a better understanding and management of marine environments, leveraging advanced technologies to overcome current limitations in environmental data collection and analysis.
3D Research plays the role of developer of the hardware and software equipment required to achieve the project’s objectives. In particular, it is responsible for the design and implementation of a marinized prototype sensor for flow cytometry which, thanks to molecular stereoscopy, can recognize and classify individual marine organisms. The company is also developing an underwater robotic sampler to collect water samples useful for eDNA and phyto-zooplankton analyses.
These prototypes will be designed to operate both synchronously and autonomously, sharing the collected data on a cloud computing platform. This platform, developed by 3D Research, will serve as a shared and remotely accessible repository, enabling the storage of collected data and related analyses.
The design follows the specifications required by researchers at the Anton Dohrn Zoological Station, project partner and field expert, in order to develop devices compliant with the acquisition of the necessary data.
2024-2025
Developer
Anton Dohrn Zoological Station (SZN), University of Bologna (UNIBO)
iNEST Calls – Funded by the European Union, NextGenerationEU
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Funded by the European Union. However, the views and opinions expressed are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the EACEA can be held responsible for them.
D4BLOND
D4BLOND – “Drone for Biodiversity assessment with imaging, fLow cytOmetry aNd eDNA” is a project funded under the iNEST Calls, supported by the European Union – NextGenerationEU.
The aim of the project is to assess the environmental status of marine ecosystems by analyzing how natural and anthropogenic factors influence natural resources. This analysis seeks to identify potential threats to the environment and society, thus contributing to the conservation and sustainable management of marine and coastal areas.
Such assessment is essential to protect these areas, requiring the adoption of targeted and timely strategies. However, the process is often hindered by the scarcity of available scientific data and the lack of standardization in protocols and data collection. These challenges make it difficult to obtain a clear and accurate picture of the environmental status.
To overcome these obstacles, the project introduces the integration of cutting-edge technologies, including underwater robotics, metagenomics, and edge computing architectures. Specifically, new instruments will be installed on the underwater drone Blucy: an eDNA sampler, a phytoplankton and zooplankton sampler, and a flow cytometer. These technologies will allow for the digitization of the collected data, improving the accuracy and availability of information on the marine environment.
D4BLOND represents a significant step toward a better understanding and management of marine environments, leveraging advanced technologies to overcome current limitations in environmental data collection and analysis.
3D Research plays the role of developer of the hardware and software equipment required to achieve the project’s objectives. In particular, it is responsible for the design and implementation of a marinized prototype sensor for flow cytometry which, thanks to molecular stereoscopy, can recognize and classify individual marine organisms. The company is also developing an underwater robotic sampler to collect water samples useful for eDNA and phyto-zooplankton analyses.
These prototypes will be designed to operate both synchronously and autonomously, sharing the collected data on a cloud computing platform. This platform, developed by 3D Research, will serve as a shared and remotely accessible repository, enabling the storage of collected data and related analyses.
The design follows the specifications required by researchers at the Anton Dohrn Zoological Station, project partner and field expert, in order to develop devices compliant with the acquisition of the necessary data.
Funded by the European Union. However, the views and opinions expressed are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the EACEA can be held responsible for them.
2024-2025
Developer
Anton Dohrn Zoological Station (SZN), University of Bologna (UNIBO).
iNEST Calls – Funded by the European Union, NextGenerationEU
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