January 26, Dr. Andrew Rawicz School of Engineering Science Simon Fraser University Burnaby BC V5A 1S6

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1 January 26, 2011 Dr. Andrew Rawicz School of Engineering Science Simon Fraser University Burnaby BC V5A 1S6 Re: ENSC 440/305W Project Proposal for a GPS Ice Tracking System To Whom It May Concern: We enclose a proposal for a GPS ice tracking system that outlines the project we wish to complete for our Capstone Engineering Project course. This tracking system will be an autonomous unit that, when placed in a typically harsh environment such as an ice floe, will hourly communicate via an internal modem its GPS position as well as information about its surrounding area, for example outside air temperature and pressure. This proposal outlines the basic requirements of our tracking system and the design solutions we have considered. It also contains information about our fiscal and time budgets as well as any future possible market applications. It contains a brief outline of our company members and areas of expertise. ArcTech consists of five senior engineering students with a wide range of expertise in both technical and nontechnical areas. If you have any questions about this document, please contact me by at bjm11@sfu.ca. Sincerely, Brendan Moran CEO, ArcTech encl: Proposal for a GPS ice tracking system.

2 Project Proposal for GPS Ice Tracking System Project Team: Andrei Simion Brendan Moran Conrad Lichota Gianmarco Spiga Lydia Zajiczek Submitted to: Dr. Andrew Rawicz ENSC 440 Mr. Michael Sjoerdsma ENSC 305W School of Engineering Science Simon Fraser University Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6 Submitted: January 26, 2011 Revision: 1.1

3 Executive Summary The causes of climate change are up for debate, and it is challenging to say anything definitive about its immediate impact; how much extreme weather can be blamed on climate change and how much on climate cycles and normal weather patterns? However, it is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore the claims made by the scientific community that human activity has triggered the phenomenon of rising yearly temperatures and shrinking glaciers. In the face of uncertainty, rising sea levels and extreme weather, the best course of action usually involves more information. The Arctic is a very sensitive environment and thus is a good indicator of global climate trends. In particular, collecting data about the location of large sheets of ice can be very informative about the macroscopic trends of ice formation. In addition to the position of these ice floes, the air temperature and relative humidity as well as several other characteristics of the surrounding environment can provide a better long-term picture of ice formation in the Arctic. In this vein, we are proposing an autonomous unit capable of powering itself and communicating hourly via an internal modem its GPS position, air temperature, relative pressure, humidity and any other characteristics of its surrounding environment. The unit will have to be robust enough to operate at subzero temperatures and power itself for an extended period of time, possibly up to eight months. ArcTech consists of five senior engineering science students with backgrounds ranging from mechanical design to embedded software development and power management. We hope to provide tools for the increasingly important study of climate change that are easy to use, inexpensive and reliable. From our initial research, we propose a unit that is tentatively budgeted to cost between $1,000 and $1,300 and a working prototype will be presented in the first week of April ii

4 Table of Contents Executive Summary ii 1 Introduction 1 2 Design Considerations Possible Solutions Proposed Solution System Overview 2 4 Possible Future Markets 3 5 Sources of Information 4 6 Budget 4 7 Schedule 5 8 Company Dynamics 5 9 Conclusion 6 10 References 7 List of Figures 1 Block diagram of ice tracking system illustrating data flow and required sensors. 2 2 Gantt chart showing time allocation for principal tasks Milestone chart showing task deadlines List of Tables 1 Estimated cost of components needed for GPS ice tracking system iii

5 1 1 Introduction Climate change is one of the most important issues facing our society and the public s interest in scientific research in this area has increased accordingly. The movement and surrounding environment of these giant sheets of ice can provide valuable information about the effects of climate change on the Arctic, a region noted for its sensitivity to rising global temperatures. Certain branches of climatology require more accurate models of ice movement to analyze our changing environment and its impact on the world as a whole. In order to facilitate the construction of these models, we will develop a monitoring system for tracking ice floes. While some products are already on the market for tracking marine assets, these do not provide other atmospheric data which would be helpful to the researchers. In addition, many marine asset tracking devices lack the proper construction for deployment in the harsh arctic environments. This document provides an overview of possible solutions to the problem of monitoring these massive sheets of ice, with a full description of our proposed solution including a schematic as well as a tentative budget and schedule of deliverables. Since collecting arctic data is an expensive operation and we propose to deliver a reasonably priced solution, we expect that the product will be adopted rapidly by arctic research teams; we have already received significant interest from a potential client, who has offered to fund our project. 2 Design Considerations 2.1 Possible Solutions Satellite Photographic Analysis Satellites regularly image the earth. If we were able to obtain regular updates from an imagery company, we could identify common features of the ice and process them to determine drift speed and position Pros: No hardware requirement, no deployment costs, no danger of in-field failure Cons: No ability to solve secondary problems, poor performance in winter months, due to low light conditions, loss of monitoring during storms, poor update frequency UAV Monitoring A UAV could be sent to track ice movement by identifying distinctive features of the ice, record atmospheric conditions and return to a base for recharging Pros: The UAV will be recovered after each mission, so it will not be a recurring expense. The UAV would be able to solve the secondary problems. Cons: Identifying distinctive features of the ice is likely to be a very complex problem. The UAV cannot measure over a large area simultaneously. It requires a base station to be in operation throughout the deployment season.

6 2 Autonomous Monitoring Stations Small autonomous monitoring stations could be deployed on the surface of the ice. These monitoring stations would need to relay measured data back through a satellite network. Pros: The monitoring stations can measure all of the secondary data directly. The monitoring stations will remain static with respect to the ice, so no image processing is necessary. A group of monitoring stations can all perform measurements simultaneously. Cons: The monitoring stations need power supplies which will last over the measurement season. Data transmittal accounts with a satellite communications provider are necessary. The monitoring stations will be difficult to locate and recover, so the customers will need to purchase new ones each year. 2.2 Proposed Solution The proposed design solution is an autonomous monitoring station, deployed by research teams and affixed to the ice. Our focus will be on a low-powered unit with careful power budgeting and high performance batteries. Since the devices will likely be disposable, a key requirement is that the units are RoHS compliant in order to avoid introducing any harmful contaminants into the environment after the unit is discarded. The following section provides an overview of the specific components of the system as well as a block diagram (Fig. 1). 3 System Overview A schematic of our system is shown in Fig. 1. In order to save power, only the microcontroller and the real time clock will be connected to a power source at all times. Every hour, the microcontroller will turn on all sensors and GPS for a short time period in order to take data and determine its location. After the data has been taken, it will be compressed and sent to the satellite modem for transfer. Based on initial power consumption estimates, the satellite modem is the main source of power consumption so it must be turned off as soon as the transfer is complete.

7 3 Figure 1: Block diagram of ice tracking system illustrating data flow and required sensors. 4 Possible Future Markets While the device, in its current configuration, is designed for a specific use, minor adaptation and/or additional modules would favour a range of similar future applications. In particular, a design centred on operation in extreme environments provides a key element for success in market such as marine navigation and sports. Navigation The ice tracker can be easily adapted to have a dual power supply, thus being able to draw power from a vessel s on-board network. The device would work as an all-in-one navigation device, providing information about position, weather assessment and tracking. In addition, and differently from common on-board GPS/Weather systems, our device would also be able to provide a measure of the waves strength, useful in the evaluation of whether sea conditions are suitable for navigation. Furthermore, the satellite modem provides data uplink capability. This would make the tracker useful as a safety device, particularly in case of emergency. To this purpose, the device could be marketed with an alternative plastic packaging, to reduce weight and allow its inclusion in life boats.

8 4 Outdoor Activities Existing portable weather stations usually provide barometric and thermometric functions, with the addition of some high-end portable devices which provide integrated GPS capabilities. Our device, with a choice of components and packaging, to reflect the milder operating conditions and stricter weight requirements, could be marketed at price that would make it competitive with these devices. Intended applications would be expeditions and semipermanents camps in remote areas. It is interesting noticing that in this case too, the satellite uplink capabilities of the device would add useful capability. In case of emergency, the tracker could in fact use the satellite network to inform rescue services, giving accurate information about the position of the device, and the weather conditions around it. Global Sensor Network Different companies around the world are interested in the macroscopic study of climate change and weather patterns. These study are only possible through the aggregation of a significant amount of data coming from a high number of sensing stations around the globe. Companies such as Earth Systems are starting to invest large amounts of money into the implementation of such networks ( The cost of these operations, nevertheless, is still high, with costs in the millions of dollars. Our device would provide an easy, ready-to-go, affordable and low cost method of implementing such a network. This would make such methods of analysis readily accessible to academic institutions and small non-governmental organizations.

9 5 5 Sources of Information While designing our ice tracking system we will consult a variety of sources with the main source being the user manual of the previous ice tracker that our prospective client purchased. As the previous ice tracker had a 100% fail rate, we will be using the previous manual as a guide to improve upon rather than a design specification. Additional sources of information will include the datasheets accompanying the various sensors, the GPS receiver and satellite modem. Lastly, we will be in contact with our client to ensure our design is consistent with any changing requirements. 6 Budget We expect each unit to cost approximately $1,000 to $1,300. The amounts shown in Table 1 are high estimates including development costs such as breakout boards and development kits and will decrease once the unit is produced at higher quantities. The high allocated cost for the enclosure provides us with flexibility when choosing materials or machining processes. Table 1: Estimated cost of components needed for GPS ice tracking system Component Estimated Cost Enclosure $500 satellite Modem $340 Antenna $200 Battery Pack $70 Accelerometer $50 GPS $45 Temperature/Humidity Sensor $40 Pressure Sensor $40 Microcontroller $20 Power Board $20 Total $1,325 The funding for development, materials purchasing, fabrication etc. will be provided by the client as it is needed.

10 6 7 Schedule The Gantt chart in Fig. 2 illustrates the time that will be allocated for each stage of development with major deliverable milestones indicated in Fig. 3. January February March April Task Documentation Research Proposal Functional Specification Design Specification Assembly Testing Figure 2: Gantt chart showing time allocation for principal tasks. January February March April !"#$%&'(!"#)#*+,( 8%*26/( 1)%&23&+0#/( 9#";2/6( 8%<#( >/20+,(?,2%/'( =%%0/6( -./&0#/+,( 1)%&23&+0#/4 5"+,(!"#6"%**( 7%)#"'( 9"2:%/(!"#6"%**( 7%)#"'(!#*'( =#"'%<( Figure 3: Milestone chart showing task deadlines. 8 Company Dynamics ArcTech s strength as a company stems from the diverse areas of expertise of its members, both technical and non-technical. Our corporate structure facilitates project development that is on budget and on time. Our open communication style ensures all group members are consulted on relevant decisions but leaves some autonomy in the hands of those working on a specific task. VP of Software Andrei Simion is a fifth-year student, studying Computer Engineering and Math at Simon Fraser University. His specialty lies in embedded software, microprocessor, and digital design. With a wide range of experience programming FPGAs and microcontrollers, and designing digital hardware, he has developed an intimate knowledge of the the interrelationship between software and hardware. He has gained valuable business

11 7 experience over the years, having worked closely with the executives of a tourism company in bringing them a website and an online marketing strategy. Andrei s ability to work with both technical and business-oriented people makes him a strong addition to the ArcTech team. VP of Hardware Conrad Lichota is a fifth year Systems Engineering student at SFU. He is familiar with the operation of many different types of sensors, actuators and feedback systems. He also has programming experience in mid- to high-level languages such as C++ and MATLAB but also has experience with assembly language. His primary expertise is in the design and implementation of mechanical systems with his skills ranging from computeraided design e.g. SolidWorks to physical implementation and machining. CEO Brendan Moran is a fourth-year Electronics Engineering student at SFU. He has a background in Electronics which stretches before his SFU career, having completed a diploma of Electronics Engineering Technology at BCIT and spending five subsequent years doing electronic design and software development in industry. He has also completed three cooperative education placements in industry. He has extensive experience in power supply design, digital design, software development, and firmware design. In addition to his technical skills, he has successfully managed projects from conception to production and acted as the technical contact for customers. COO Gianmarco Spiga is a fourth-year Engineering Physics student at SFU. He possesses thorough training in the physical sciences with a focus on accelerator physics. He has held research positions at SFU s 4D Labs and Dolby Corporation. His experience includes extensive training in mechanical design and fabrication, systems integration, software development, algorithm development, optimization and testing. Secretary Lydia Zajiczek is a fifth-year student at SFU studying Engineering Physics and History. She spent three years as a physics major before transferring to engineering and has enjoyed two extended research terms at a biomedical engineering lab and an atomic physics lab respectively. The common denominator in her research has been assembling and testing digital electronic circuits, an area she considers her specialty. She also has both volunteer and work experience in a communications capacity: she is currently serving as the Secretary for the SFU Rugby Club and has worked in the Technical Communication and Human Resources departments of large oil and gas companies. 9 Conclusion The issue of climate change is a controversial one, and this controversy can be addressed only with additional information and irrefutable scientific proof. ArcTech hopes to provide tools to the scientists and researchers working in this area in the hope that if such proof can be established, real action can be taken to address this pressing issue.

12 8 We propose to design, build and test an autonomous unit capable of tracking the location of ice floes via GPS and communicating this in addition to other information about the surrounding environment. The device will be capable of operating at temperatures as low as -40 C and will withstand the harsh marine environment of the Arctic. The fiscal and time budgets provided illustrate our commitment to designing and building a product on time and on budget that will reliably provide valuable information to climatologists wishing to learn more about the impacts of human activity on the delicate balance of the Arctic s climate. 10 References /gw-overview.html /RedelinghuysN.pdf /global_warming_and_canada.html