NSF Convergence Accelerator Track E: Convergence Towards Nationwide Smart Precision Aquaculture Networks for Sustainable Shellfish Farming

这一趋同加速项目旨在解决贝类水产养殖的可持续性问题。贝类养殖作为沿海经济的重要驱动力，是最具生态可持续性的水产养殖形式。贝类养殖提供了许多环境效益，贝类可以作为促进人类健康的健康蛋白质来源。然而，目前国内贝类生产受到过时的技术和工具的瓶颈。许多贝类养殖方法效率低下，劳动密集，对环境有害。这对于海底牡蛎养殖来说尤其如此，在过去的200年里，它几乎没有改变。这个融合加速器项目将为全国智能精准水产养殖网络（SPAN）开发一个新的框架，以实现可持续的贝类生产，同时保护健康的海洋生态系统。从长远来看，该项目将解决联合国确定的粮食、气候变化和健康等全球问题。计划中的教育努力将把慈善和社会变革作为理工科教育的核心价值，并促进多样性和包容性。这将有助于培养下一代劳动力，以推进网络化蓝色经济，改善地球的健康状况和所有人的生活质量。SPAN框架将利用先进技术（如物联网（IoT）、机器人、人工智能（AI））、生物学、环境科学、海洋科学的科学发现、利益相关者驱动的经济发展等为基础的革命性概念建立起来。该项目将从根本上推动以下具体方向的研究边界：i)将建立物联网传感器网络，以提高未来贝类养殖的监测能力；ii)将开发基于机器人和自动化解决方案的新型智能精密收获工具，以提高农业效率和生产力，减少劳动力和能源使用，并最大限度地减少对环境的影响；（iii）将建立经验动态模型，以便对生产与环境之间的反馈有新的了解，并作出生产预测；(4)建立基于经济模型的优化框架，支持生产决策，获得环境效益和经济效益。总的来说，这些研究活动最终将导致更好的农场管理、经济优化和更好地应对气候变化，从而提高产量和可持续性。这个融合加速器项目汇集了一个跨学科团队，他们在传感和成像、人工智能和计算机视觉、水下机器人和控制、贝类生物学、气候和海洋动力学和海洋学、环境经济学和水产养殖推广等方面拥有广泛的专业知识，以及乐于参与的利益相关者，以追求具有高社会影响潜力的研究。计划中的教育努力将把慈善和社会变革作为理工科教育的核心价值，并促进多样性和包容性。这将有助于培养下一代劳动力，以推进网络化蓝色经济，改善地球的健康状况和所有人的生活质量。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This convergence accelerator project is intended to address the sustainability issues of shellfish aquaculture. As an important driver of the coastal economy, shellfish aquaculture is the most ecologically sustainable form of aquaculture. Shellfish aquaculture offers numerous environmental benefits, and shellfish can serve as a healthy source of protein to enhance human health. However, current domestic shellfish production is bottlenecked by outdated technology and tools. Many shellfish farming practices are inefficient, labor intensive, and environmentally destructive. This is particularly true for on-bottom oyster farming, which has changed little in the past 200 years. This convergence accelerator project will develop a novel framework on nationwide smart precision aquaculture networks (SPAN) to achieve sustainable shellfish production, while preserving healthy marine ecosystems. In the long term, this project will address the global issues of food, climate change, and health as identified by the United Nations. . The planned education effort will bring philanthropy and social change as a core value for science and engineering education as well as promote diversity and inclusion. This will help prepare the next-generation workforce to advance the networked blue economy and to improve the health of the planet and quality of life for all.The SPAN framework will be established by using revolutionary concepts empowered by advanced technologies (e.g., Internet of Things (IoT), robotics, and artificial intelligence (AI)), scientific discoveries in biology, environmental science, and ocean sciences, and stakeholder-driven economic development. The project will fundamentally push research boundaries in the following specific directions: i) IoT sensor networks will be established to advance the monitoring capabilities for future shellfish aquaculture; ii) Novel smart precision harvesting tools based on robotics and automation solutions will be developed to improve farming efficiency and productivity, reduce labor and energy usage, and minimize environmental impact; iii) Empirical dynamic models will be created to gain new understanding on feedback between production and environment, as well as to make production predictions; and iv) An optimization framework based on economic models will be established to support production decision-making to gain environmental and economic benefits. Collectively, these research activities will ultimately lead to better farm management, economic optimization, and better coping with climate change, and thus enhance production and sustainability. This convergent accelerator project brings together an interdisciplinary team with extensive expertise in sensing and imaging, AI and computer vision, underwater robotics and controls, shellfish biology, climate and ocean dynamics and oceanography, environmental economics, and aquaculture extension, along with readily-engaged stakeholders, in pursuit of research with high potential for societal impact. The planned education effort will bring philanthropy and social change as a core value for science and engineering education as well as promote diversity and inclusion. This will help prepare the next-generation workforce to advance the networked blue economy and to improve the health of the planet and quality of life for all.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.