About This Project

Smartwatches have the same sensors used on buoys to measure waves. We hypothesize that we can extract wave height and amplitude from motion data registered by smartwatches. This project will develop the data processing protocols to differentiate between wave and other types of motion when a watch is in the water. We will use our software to make a free app that lets anyone collect and view data using a smartwatch, and makes it easy for surfers and swimmers to contribute to science.

Ask the Scientists

What is the context of this research?

Coastal ocean data are currently sparse and generally accessible only with a time delay of hours to months. But Americans take 2 billion trips to the coast each year and 40% of Americans live in a coastal county. Coastal scientists, communities, and businesses need not only more data but up-to-date data, suitable for monitoring and planning resiliency on the pace and scale at which ocean changes are happening.

We want to make it easier and cheaper for anyone to fill the gaps in existing datasets. Consumer electronics with our easy-to-use app can give scientists unprecedented control over their data collection at a lower cost than is currently possible. They will also be able to easily access and use coastal ocean data contributed by surfers and swimmers.

What is the significance of this project?

Oceanographers are building ocean-sensing networks today using the same techniques they used in the 1980s. This project will develop a completely new method for collecting wave and water conditions.

Our tests so far confirm that smartwatch temperature and pressure sensors operate at or exceeding listed instrument capabilities, and can be used to monitor coastal ocean conditions when used as a scientific instrument. If smartwatch motion sensors perform similarly, then measuring waves with smartwatches would significantly enhance the utility of smartwatch data collection capabilities. But measuring waves requires more sophistication than measuring temperature and pressure: we need an algorithm that separates wave motion from human motion.

What are the goals of the project?

The primary goal of this project is to determine whether the motion sensors on a smartwatch can be used to determine local wave height and frequency. We will gather data while surfing and swimming, write code, transform motion data into wave conditions, and then evaluate data accuracy.

Our secondary goal is to increase access to ocean data. Anyone who wants to collect their own data with a smartwatch or view data contributed by others can download our free app from Apple's App Store. Scientists who want access to raw, contributed data will be able to use it in database/spreadsheet form. All data from this project will be publicly hosted Github, along with the processing code.