Design Structure of SYMBIOSIS: An Opto-Acoustic System for Monitoring Pelagic Fish

In this paper, we present the mechanical structure of SYMBIOSIS: an opto-acoustic system that provides a mature, cost effective autonomous capability for the characterization, classification, and biomass evaluation of six target pelagic fish that are important to the fishery industry and that reflect on the health of the environment. SYMBIOSIS is devised as a blend of acoustic and optical components. The acoustic unit relies on an active underwater acoustic array that transmit wideband signals and analyze reflections to find moving targets. Once found, the optical system takes command and identifies the fish's species. The system is completely autonomous and made to withstand a few months of deployment between recharging. We describe the basic components of SYMBIOSIS, as well as operational procedures for the system.