High Schooler Builds Underwater Eco-Detector
Teen Evan Budz felt so inspired by a chance encounter with a snapping turtle during an outdoors trip that he built an award-winning robot with massive environmental sustainability potential.
The 15-year-old from Burlington, Ontario, has developed BURT (Bionic Underwater Robotic Turtle). BURT offers a silent, non-disruptive alternative to contemporary underwater drones, which often use loud propellers or high-pressure streams that can damage delicate habitats.
Budz utilised 3D design software and 3D printing to replicate the kinematics of a green sea turtle. His device features large front flippers for propulsion and smaller rear flippers for steering and stability. The robot’s chassis consists of an acrylic tube housing a Raspberry Pi microcomputer and various sensors.
Coupled with artificial intelligence, BURT can identify ecological threats such as invasive species, microplastics and coral bleaching with a reported 96% accuracy.
The little water warrior is engineered for neutral buoyancy, allowing it to monitor ecosystems deep below the surface for up to eight hours per charge. It also features a solar panel to extend its operational life. Testing in backyard pools and Lake Ontario has proven the robot’s ability to navigate autonomous grid patterns and use ultrasonic transducers to avoid obstacles in murky water.
Budz’s invention has garnered international acclaim, earning first prize at the 2025 European Union Contest for Young Scientists and the Canada-Wide Science Fair. He envisions a future fleet of these bionic turtles and hopes his innovation will provide organisations with the data necessary to preserve the health of the world’s oceans.
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