"Underwater Robotic Mapping with Fluorescence and Hyperspectral Analysis for Ecological Applications"
Laura Kvarnstrand is a Blue Food PhD student at KTH Royal Institute of Technology. In addition to her Blue Food PhD project, Laura Kvarnstrand is also working on two related research projects, KelpIT, led by the University of Gothenburg, and the Kingdom of Colors, led by SLU.
Laura Kvarnstrand's research in Blue Food focuses on underwater robotics with AI-supported sensor systems and methods to identify algae species and their health status, as well as to predict optimal harvest times and harvest amounts. The goal is to increase the success of algae cultivation along the Swedish coast. In this work, hyperspectral and RGB cameras combined with environmental sensors, integrated with a trained neural network, are used to perform these key tasks.
Using underwater robots offers significant advantages over current methods, which rely largely on divers. Diving is both costly and risky, especially during the winter and spring months when the water is cold and dark. These conditions mean that monitoring cannot take place as often as would be desirable. With the help of cost-effective and potentially more precise robotic systems, monitoring can instead be carried out more often, more safely and with higher quality - which in the long run contributes to increased sustainability and profitability in algae cultivation.
For me, the project is particularly meaningful from an ecological and environmental perspective, and I feel very grateful to be part of this work. /Laura Kvarnstrand
The project is particularly relevant in the research areas 1: Sustainability and resilience, 3: AI and digitalization and 4: Primary production - aquaculture.
Laura Kvarnstrand's project is expected to be completed in spring 2029.
Supervisors
Ivan Stenius, KTH Royal Institute of Technology