Team Project by Alvin Zheng, Belinda Liu, Naomi yang
Let the river express its own will through data. Humans are not here to protect the river, but to listen to its condition and follow its decisions.
Will of River
Rivers—
through which we move,
which we make use of,
yet rarely acknowledge our impact on.
Reframes the River as a Resident.
By combining a physical monitoring device with a social media campaign, it interprets environmental data into the river’s needs and opinions — revealing when human activity harms or supports its wellbeing.
The system guides people on when to engage, when to step back, and when to let the river recover.
Through discussions with environmental scientists, we identified four key indicators— PH, turbidity, conductivity and temperature—as both essential and feasible for continuous river monitoring.
Together, these sensors form a feasible, modular system for real-time environmental monitoring. Each component captures a different ecological dimension—physical, chemical, or biological—allowing us to build a comprehensive picture of how human activity influences river health.
PH Sensor
Measures the acidity or alkalinity of the water, an important indicator of chemical balance and biological tolerance.
Flow Sensor
Measures the velocity and volume of water flow, providing dynamic information about hydrologic response and discharge rate.
Temperature Sensor
Monitors thermal variation in the river, which influences dissolved oxygen capacity and aquatic metabolism.
Turbidity + Conductivity Sensor
Combines optical clarity and ionic measurement, capturing both sediment disturbance and chemical balance.
HYDRODYNAMIC FORM
Engineered with an ergonomic, streamlined exoskeleton, the outer structure redirects flow to reduce turbulence and minimize flow-induced noise.
SENSING ACCURACY
By suppressing chaotic water interactions and guiding energy along its curved surfaces, the system preserves sensor integrity and ensures highly accurate hydrologic measurements.
ENVIRONMENTAL COMPATIBILITY
Constructed with corrosion-resistant alloys and inert composites, the device minimizes chemical interaction with freshwater ecosystems. The selected materials ensure long-term durability without leaching, preventing secondary pollution and maintaining ecological safety throughout extended deployment.
Multi-Point Deployment
To capture a more complete ecological picture of the river system, monitoring units are strategically deployed at both midstream and downstream locations. These distributed sampling points allow the device to record variations in water quality as the river flows through zones with differing levels of human activity.
Comparative Analysis
The dual-station setup enables rigorous comparative analysis between relatively undisturbed segments and areas influenced by tourism, recreation, or nearby urban use.
Idea Iteration
Interaction Flow
Experiment--Ultrasonic Sensor
Experiment--PIR Sensor
Experiment--Thermal Camera
