“Energy Harvesting Smart Buoy" to Acquire Ocean Data Sustainably

Protecting the world's oceans through the visualization of ocean conditions to benefit not only the marine industry, but all of society.

To protect the world's oceans and benefit society.

We at Nagasaki University are currently working with Kyocera to develop an Energy Harvesting Smart Buoy. This system can measure and communicate ocean data while generating electricity from tidal power to sustainably collect ocean data necessary for fisheries, such as changes in seawater temperature, ocean currents, and the amount of microplastics. The main goal of the project is to "visualize the state of the ocean" and link this to the improvement of the marine environment, the development of offshore wind power, and the development of marine industries. Also, as Nagasaki is surrounded by ocean, solving environmental problems related to the sea is attracting attention, and the Nagasaki BLUE Economy (a project promoted mainly by Nagasaki University with Nagasaki Prefecture and local companies to sustainably develop society and the local economy while protecting the marine environment and living creatures) is innovating in areas such as aquaculture IoT – to improve the marine environment and protect the world's oceans through our Smart Buoy technology. Furthermore, we aim to help solve the world's food crisis and economic disparity.

The joy of contributing to society while being passionate about what I love.

It was automobiles that inspired me to pursue the engineering path. As a child, all I remember playing with were miniature cars, and even then I was eagerly reading car catalogs. I chose mechanical engineering because of my interest in cars, but I also became fascinated with research. It is a heart-stirring moment when you are able to figure out something that no one else could understand. As I gradually begin to understand what has seemed like a difficult problem, I become more and more enthusiastic about it. My actions accelerate, as I want to get to the lab as soon as possible, or write a program as soon as possible. It is not an exaggeration to say that I am doing research in search of the pleasure of figuring out, "This is how it's supposed to be!" I also realize the solid value of mechanical engineering because it is directly related to people's lives and the social environment. I myself was born and raised in Nagasaki, and while I am familiar with and fond of the ocean, I have always had a sense of crisis over the high amount of marine debris. I want to utilize my research to preserve the beauty and abundance of the ocean for future generations. With this in mind, I feel great joy and satisfaction in this project.

Our ultimate goal is to protect the world's oceans for the next generation.

While developing the Smart Buoy, we have been able to utilize Kyocera's communication units and sensors. These have helped us to achieve high performance even in harsh environments. We trust them for the quality of their products and their ability to understand our needs. I was also impressed by the enthusiasm of the engineers. I appreciate their willingness to work together with us in manufacturing, such as by offering ideas from the design stage and accompanying us to the work site. My goals for the future are, first of all, to make the aquaculture project that is underway at the university a success. At Nagasaki University, researchers are working together under the concept of "Planetary Health," which aims to realize a fair society with a balance between human society and the global environment. Furthermore, there are various goals to be pursued beyond that, such as improvement of the marine environment and development of offshore wind power. Another important theme is the growth of our students. We try to provide them with as many stimuli and opportunities as possible. If their senses are open to receive stimuli, it will give them hints to overcome difficulties, and it will also help them to have a strong belief in their research. I keep my ultimate goal of "protecting the world's oceans for the next generation" in mind at all times, and I hope to continue to work together with my students, receiving inspiration from them along the way.

For more information about the Energy Harvesting Smart Buoy, please visit:

https://global.kyocera.com/newsroom/news/2021/000045.html

(Information as of September 2023)