Ocean Pi

Run your code on our oceanographic research and learning sailing vessel.

[Here is an embed of our data streams]

Data streams

Raspberry Pi #1

This Raspberry Pi 4 computer is installed on our arch above the cockpit. It is in a weather-sealed container with a transparent bow-facing cover. There is a small hole drilled in the bottom of the container to enable airflow to the pressure and humidity sensors. The LED array faces forward towards the bow of the ship.

  • Raspberry Pi High Quality (HQ) Camera from Raspberry Pi offers a 12 megapixels resolution. It features a 6mm, 3MP wide-angle lens. This camera faces forward towards the bow.

  • SenseHAT 2, which has the following included:

  • 8×8 RGB LED matrix

  • Five-button joystick

  • Gyroscope sensor

  • Accelerometer sensor

  • Magnetometer sensor

  • Temperature sensor

  • Barometric pressure sensor

  • Humidity sensor

  • Color and brightness sensor

You can read more about the SenseHat here. The primary difference between the original SenseHat and SenseHat 2 is the addition of the color and brightness sensor.

Raspberry Pi #4

This Raspberry Pi 4 computer is installed below deck as part of a flow-through system connected to two through-hull seacocks. Water enters the system via a T-junction inboard of the seacock controlling the engine’s water intake, passes through the sensor array, and then exits through a T-junction with the galley sink drain. This entire system exists below the waterline and relies on a pressure differential between the two through-hulls as well as a smaller diameter intake hose.

All measurements from these sensors are taken from the sea water.

Raspberry Pi #2

This Raspberry Pi 4 computer is also installed on our arch. This Raspberry Pi is completely weather sealed with no ventilation.

  • Raspberry Pi High Quality (HQ) Camera from Raspberry Pi offers a 12 megapixels resolution. It features a 6mm, 3MP wide-angle lens. This camera faces aft.

  • Anemometer for measuring wind speed.

  • Wind direction sensor.

This Raspberry Pi has the opportunity for additional sensors to be added given the availability of GPIO pins.

Raspberry Pi #5

This Raspberry Pi 5 computer is installed below deck and mounted with a SenseHat 2. As opposed to our other SenseHat on deck, this Pi is oriented so the SenseHat is flat (LED array facing up), providing a complimentary set of magnetometer, accelerometer, and gyroscopic readings. This Raspberry Pi is primarily used for coding and debugging and is the Raspberry Pi we have connected to an HDMI display. As a result, this Raspberry Pi is subject to being moved from time to time.

  • SenseHAT 2, which has the following included:

  • 8×8 RGB LED matrix

  • Five-button joystick

  • Gyroscope sensor

  • Accelerometer sensor

  • Magnetometer sensor

  • Temperature sensor

  • Barometric pressure sensor

  • Humidity sensor

  • Color and brightness sensor

You can read more about the SenseHat here. The primary difference between the original SenseHat and SenseHat 2 is the addition of the color and brightness sensor.

Raspberry Pi #3

This Raspberry Pi 4 computer is installed below deck as part of Rose’s hydroponic garden. Its sensor array is therefore measuring conditions in Rose’s living quarters.

  • CO2 sensor.

  • Light sensor. This sensor is facing up in the direction of the sunlight hitting the plants.

  • Temperature, pressure, humidity sensor.

  • Raspberry Pi Camera 2 pointed at the plants.

  • Soil moisture sensor embedded in the growth medium of the plants.

The following sensors are immersed in the hydroponic water and measuring its characteristics:

  • pH sensor.

  • Electrical conductivity sensor.

  • Temperature sensor.

NMEA 2000 Ship Systems

NMEA 2000 is a data communication standard used in the marine industry. All of the ship’s sensors are connected to a NMEA 2000 backbone and are published alongside our Raspberry Pi data.

  • Victron charge controller (measuring solar panel power generation)

  • Wind generator charge controller

  • Battery charge levels

  • Water tank levels

  • Diesel tank level

  • Diesel flow rate

  • Ultrasonic wind direction and wind speed

  • Ship speed over ground

  • Ship speed through the water (frequently clogs)

  • Depth (only measured when close to shore and depths are less than its maximum depth reading)

  • AC power consumption

  • DC power consumption

  • GPS position

  • Compass heading

  • Rudder angle

  • AIS status