Academics who study the Great Lakes at the University of Windsor aren't letting the COVID-19 pandemic stop their research.
With the pandemic making the research field tricky thanks to control guidelines, U of W has turned to technology to continue its work on algae blooms in Lake Erie. Researchers at the Real-time Aquatic Ecosystem Observation Network (RAEON) have teamed up with similar institutions in the U.S. to develop a robot they've named The Cormorant.
The Cormorant is an autonomous underwater vehicle that has been placed in shallow areas of Lake Erie. Already, the device has uncovered areas of low oxygen called hypoxia, which can negatively affect fish and compromise treatment processes for drinking water.
"The Cormorant has been a vital alternative to scientific cruises, surveys, and other fieldwork," said RAEON director Katelynn Johnson in a media release. "It can be deployed for weeks and months at a time, providing continuous data that can’t be collected with normal sampling methods by scientists aboard ships."
Dr. Aaron Fisk, RAEON's science director, said the pandemic put a crimp in their research plans.
"2020 was to be a big rollout year for RAEON to support multiple research programs across the Great Lakes, but then the pandemic hit," said Fisk. "We are fortunate to be able to carry out a glider mission to provide needed data for research and models in Lake Erie."
RAEON is headquartered at the university and is funded by a $15.9-million grant from the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation, and the Canadian Foundation for Innovation.
