What our waterways don't (yet) tell us: New sensing technology

Key Takeaways

• Continuous Monitoring: Real-time data provides a comprehensive view of environmental processes rather than just isolated snapshots. 
• Early Detection: Gradual changes become visible before systems reach a tipping point.
• Wide Range of Applications: Can be used in water protection, agriculture, and aquaculture.
• Data as a Foundation: Reliable measurements support well-informed decisions.
• Flexible Technology: The sensor platform is expandable and adaptable to new applications.

When snapshots are no longer enough

Today, water monitoring is often based on isolated measurements. While these usually provide valuable data, they do not paint a complete picture. Environmental changes occur continuously, often through subtle dynamics that only become apparent over longer periods of time.

It is precisely this gap that is the focus of the FFG-COIN project DEEP11 at the FHV. The goal is to monitor water bodies not just at specific points, but continuously and under real-world conditions. To this end, miniaturized sensor systems are being developed that simultaneously measure several key parameters - such as temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen - directly in the water and in real time. Colleagues from the Microtechnology Research Centre and the Smart Engineering Technologies (SET) research group have developed a comprehensive system designed for autonomous long-term operation. The combination of sensor technology and specially developed electronics enables continuous, precise, and cost-effective data collection.

The in-situ sensor platform developed for this purpose enables continuous data collection directly in the water and provides significantly more detailed insights into local dynamics than remote sensing solutions, such as those using drones.

This is not only of great importance for our water bodies but also opens up new possibilities for monitoring soil quality in forests and agricultural areas.

Small sensors, big insights

What may seem unremarkable at first glance holds great potential. In the micro- and nanoworld, technologies are emerging that are barely visible but deliver crucial insights. The electrochemical sensors developed in the project continuously measure key “vital signs” of a body of water, thereby providing new insights into dynamic ecological processes.

It is only through this form of continuous monitoring that it becomes clear how environmental conditions actually change: not in sudden jumps, but through transitions that are often barely perceptible. This is precisely where the scientific value and the fascination of this field of research lie.  

From concept to field application

The path from development to application is crucial here. In the DEEP11 project, the sensors were first extensively tested in the laboratory and calibrated against established reference systems. The high degree of agreement in the measurement results shows that the technology is ready for the next step. This step leads to real-world environments. Initial field tests have already been conducted on the Dornbirner Ach, and further long-term measurements in the Lake Constance region are in the works. It is precisely here that it will become clear whether stable and reliable data can be obtained under changing environmental conditions. This is one of the key prerequisites for practical application.   Between Research and Application The potential applications of such systems extend far beyond basic research. Precise, continuous environmental data provide an important foundation for decision-making, whether in water protection, agriculture, or aquaculture. An example of this is the international collaboration within the RUN-EU network: In collaboration with the Polytechnic of Leiria in Portugal, researchers are investigating how environmental parameters influence the growth of kelp algae. These algae are considered promising for sustainable aquaculture and CO₂ sequestration. The sensor technology provides crucial data here to better understand such relationships and manage them in a targeted manner. At the same time, the technological flexibility opens up new possibilities. The systems can be expanded to include additional parameters and adapted to other application areas, such as soil monitoring. This creates potential applications ranging from optimized irrigation to the early detection of stress factors in plants.  

The challenge: understanding and utilizing data

As great as the progress in data collection may be, another question remains central: How is this data interpreted and used? Continuous measurements generate large amounts of information whose significance often becomes clear only in context.

This is precisely where one of the central challenges of future environmental monitoring systems lies: not merely collecting data, but making it understandable and translating it into concrete actions. 

Early detection before systems collapse

A look back at history shows just how crucial this knowledge can be. In the 1950s and 1960s, Lake Constance was at risk of ecological collapse. It was only through targeted measurements that the pressures on the lake were identified and appropriate countermeasures implemented.

Technologies such as those from the DEEP11 project build on this very foundation, with the goal of making changes visible earlier in the future. After all, the better we understand the “vital signs” of our water bodies, the more effectively we can respond to them.

The micro- and nanoworld thus not only provides new measurement methods; it also offers a more precise view of the processes that shape our environment in the long term, thereby making visible what we want to protect.

Contact

Dr. Volha Matylitskaya
Reasearch Assistant
Research Center Microtechnology

+43 5572 792 7206
volha.matylitskaya@fhv.at