Development of a Low-cost, Portable, and Noninvasive Oyster Heartbeat Monitor

Abstract

Aquaculture is an essential component of Prince Edward Island’s economy. One portion of it is dedicated to oyster farming, which is greatly influenced by environmental conditions, such as seasonal temperatures and water salinity. These conditions affect the wellbeing of oysters and, consequently, reflect on the quality and taste of the produce. One method to characterize oysters’ wellbeing is through the measurement of their heartbeats. Therefore, this paper presents the design of a noninvasive oyster heartbeat monitor that is built using off- the-shelf components to enable farmers to assess the quality of their product in real time. The paper also presents heartbeat measurements in deionized water and salt water.