{"id":145,"date":"2022-09-15T15:53:27","date_gmt":"2022-09-15T15:53:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dmr.eu\/equipment\/?page_id=145"},"modified":"2023-03-08T07:21:18","modified_gmt":"2023-03-08T07:21:18","slug":"edna-robot","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.dmr.eu\/ongoing-projects\/edna-robot\/","title":{"rendered":"eDNA robot"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Application environmental DNA (eDNA) has proven to be a very useful tool for effective and improved surveillance of the environment as many different species can be detected in a water sample. Environmental DNA has the potential for detection of e.g., invasive and endangered species.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even though eDNA applications has proven its potential, and all parts of the analysis are relatively standard in many commercial laboratories, it is still necessary to collect the sample and transport it to the laboratory for analysis. As many sites are relatively remote, this is probably one of the largest challenges for routine eDNA environmental surveillance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As all steps of eDNA sampling, handling, and analysis are routine yet manual tasks, it is realistic to envision and develop an automated solution for eDNA surveillance. Basically, it is a matter of automating the individual manual steps mentioned above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are finding ourselves at the forefront of automation and AI, with novel robotics being developed and implemented across the world. This is promoted through different electronics development platforms such as Arduino and Raspberry Pi, which are relatively simple and cost-effective means to get started with design and prototyping of equipment. The \u201cinternet of things\u201d is another driver for the large expansion of automation, and has been incorporated from the start by e.g. Arduino and Raspberry Pi, making remote monitoring relatively simple.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The possibility of automated eDNA surveillance, as requested by the Norwegian Environmental Protection Agency, can be achieved through the combination of existing standard methods for eDNA testing with readily available mature platforms for automatic electronic proto\u00adtypes, and remote sampling and analysis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our solution to eDNA automation is a fully automated field robot placed in an off-road trailer. This robot can be equipped with different units\/modules, depending on the project for which you are using the robot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We have developed modules for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n