Project Summary
Client: Michael Banks, Coastal Oregon Marine Experiment Station (COMES)
Problem: Banks needed to collect DNA samples of fish through fin samples, which had previously been done by a manual operation. Due to the high number of samples Banks required, he wanted to develop an automated system.
Solution: The iLab developed a fish sampling tunnel which has the capacity to take a DNA sample as a fish passes down the length of the tunnel. The tunnel uses sensors down its length to determine if a fish is present and when it should fire a pneumatic actuator to take a DNA sample. The fish then passes out of the tunnel's floor.
Future: The iLab will reengage with this project prior to the next field season and work on developing the next version based on lessons learned from this initial tunnel design.
Student Engagement: iLab student interns Spencer Tanenholtz and Rahul Kumar Nalubandhu both contributed design and automation features to the tunnel.