Students, faculty, volunteers, and community partners from South Korea, Pakistan, and Tanzania collaborated to successfully develop and deploy a sustainable, affordable colorimetric pH sensor for detecting fish freshness using biowaste-derived chitosan. Through the EPICS in IEEE project “A Pseudo-Digital pH Colorimetric Sensor for Fish Freshness Detection Using Biowaste-Derived Chitosan,” the team combined technological innovation with significant social impact to benefit local farmers.
Student Experience
Students from Yonsei University participated in this project, from design to testing and deployment of this innovative solution. Through this project, students learned about advanced smart farming techniques using IoT and AI, while also managing the shells, which served as the main raw material for chitosan extraction. The extraction process included pre-treatment, demineralization, deproteinization, and deacetylation. Students gained hands-on laboratory experience in the processing of sustainable materials. The extracted chitosan was then used to develop a pH sensor, which successfully demonstrated reliable color changes for detecting fish freshness.
The project addresses the challenge of costly, environmentally harmful, and inefficient water quality monitoring in aquaculture. “The system integrates a biopolymer-based sensor with a mobile application powered by machine learning, enabling real-time, eco-friendly pH monitoring and predictive analysis for fish farming environments,” said team member Ezekiel Edward Nettey-Oppong, a Biomedical Engineering student at Yonsei University.
This project was led by Professor Dr. Ahmed Ali, who supported and guided the students throughout the project. “Working on the mealworm-chitosan pH sensor took our students from the lab bench to real communities. They learned to translate science into a simple, strap-on tool, troubleshoot in the field, and communicate complex ideas in plain language. It’s been a powerful lesson in leadership, ethics, and engineering for social good, said Dr. Ali.
Partnership in Action
The team partnered with Tilapia Industry Professionals (TIP) due to their active involvement in sustainable aquaculture and their willingness to adopt innovative technologies for fish farming. Additionally, their facilities offered optimal real-world conditions for sensor testing and feedback collection, allowing the students to better meet the community’s needs.
“The project promotes environmental sustainability, waste reduction, and cost-effective aquaculture management. Using biowaste-derived materials minimizes chemical pollution and enhances water monitoring practices,” said Ezekiel Edward Nettey-Oppong. “Fish farmers benefit through better yield, early detection of spoilage, and improved water quality management—contributing to food security and sustainable livelihoods in local communities.
Through this collaborative partnership
, the students were given access to aquaculture environments for real testing. They had a strong relationship with the organization, which included practical feedback from fish farmers and technicians, thereby fostering technology transfer from students to end-users. “The colorimetric sensor gave farmers a clear, objective freshness cue, improving safety, reducing waste, and strengthening trust in markets without reliable refrigeration,” Said Dr. Ahmed Ali. By engaging directly with fish farmers, the students were able to bridge the gap between innovation and usability, ensuring the final solution is practical, affordable, and aligned with the community’s real needs.
The next steps for the project include finalizing field testing and calibration in collaboration with TIP, then scaling up the production of the sensor prototypes. A key future development is the addition of more parameters, such as temperature and dissolved oxygen, to the system for comprehensive aquaculture monitoring. After successfully reaching these technical milestones, the team intends to publish the project’s results and actively pursue funding for commercialization.
Lasting Impact
This project not only benefited the local farmers but also helped prepare students for their future careers. “This project strengthened my expertise in sustainable materials engineering, sensor technology, and applied AI—all central to my career goal of advancing biomedical and environmental sensing technologies for global sustainability and digital health innovation,” said Nettey-Oppong.
This project was funded by the IEEE Instrumentation and Measurement Society (IMS), a partner of EPICS in IEEE. The funding from IMS supported the procurement of key materials, sensor fabrication, and field-testing equipment. It also allowed the students to collaborate with TIP, directly translating resources into impactful engineering solutions for sustainable aquaculture. This project demonstrated to students that community collaboration can transform technology into a meaningful impact.
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