Niskin3D water sampler

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The Niskin bottle, a straightforward tube designed for collecting water samples at precise depths, is one of the oceanography field's most crucial tools. Paired with a CTD, an assortment of Niskin bottles fit seamlessly into the rosette, a unified system that equips oceanographers to profile the ocean efficiently. Although Niskin bottles are not inexpensive and require some expertise to operate, they are essential for collecting accurate water samples. For Rogue Ecologist and citizen scientists, obtaining high-quality, discrete water samples is an ongoing challenge. With tools like the OpenROV and the soon-to-be-launched EcoDrone, I sought a lightweight Niskin bottle that could be easily mounted on both underwater robots and quadcopters. Until now, a feasible solution had eluded me. After several months of brainstorming and planning, I sat down last Friday to begin building a 3D printable Niskin bottle that can be hand deployed or mounted on an OpenROV or drone. Although this prototype is based on a 1.25 inch acrylic tube, the trigger mechanism can be adapted to fit any size pipe. The trigger is driven by a waterproof servo developed by the talented engineers at OpenROV. Everything else can either be purchased off-the-shelf or printed using a home 3D printer. Later this month, I will take my prototypes on board the RV Blue Heron for field testing in Lake Superior.Read full build instructions at Southern Fried Science: http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p=18730Support more projects like this by contributing to my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Andrew_Thaler