Intelligent Sustainable Robot for Efficient Marine Environment Monitoring using Li-Fi Technology

This study presents the design and development of a light fidelity (Li-Fi) technology-based smart rover for sustainable monitoring of marine environments. A rover equipped with Li-Fi transmitters, receivers, and environmental monitoring sensors (pH and temperature) is designed for underwater navigation and environmental data collection. Data transmission between the rover (transmitter) and a receiver is achieved by aligning a laser and a photo-resistor in a direct line-of-sight configuration. The smart-designed rover has 6 degrees of freedom (DoF) movement capabilities, allowing it to continuously and effectively gather important marine environmental data using integrated sensors. The rover’s movements are controlled through an externally designed mobile application, which enhances operational flexibility. This application also offers real-time sensor data visualization, facilitating comprehensive data analysis and monitoring. The performance of the realized rover was tested in different environments using a commercial pool setup. The recorded readings of pH levels and temperature were in good agreement with the change in the water quality. Integrating Li-Fi technology into marine environment monitoring offers significant potential for revolutionizing underwater communication and advancing environmental sustainability.

I. Introduction

The continual monitoring of the marine environment is essential for the protection of the underwater ecosystem. Climate change, underwater pollution, and over-exploitation have emerged as the major threats to the marine environments [1], [2]. Real-time monitoring of the changes in the underwater environment provides insights to maintain the biodiversity and protection of the underwater ecosystem.