Building a low-cost, open-source CTD for science and research

Among the most important tools for oceanography is the CTD. For many marine scientists working in near-shore environments, the cost of this essential tool can exceed their total research budget. The OpenCTD is a project to develop a low-cost, open-source CTD for use by both educators and scientists. It is designed to meet the needs of researchers struggling under the current funding environment. Building on the popular Arduino microcontroller platform, OpenCTD is an alternative to expensive commercial CTD's for coastal and estuarine use.During this talk, Andrew Thaler will discuss the conception and initial development of the first OpenCTD, the philosophy behind creating open-source hardware and software, the challengers and pitfalls of crowdfunding research projects, and present the current iteration of the OpenCTD and future directions as the project continues to evolve.