A Collaboration between the UWM’s School of Freshwater Sciences and Metro Milwaukee Sewer District

Buoyancy Controlled Drifter Robot

Goal: Track Combined Sewage Overflow(CSO) plumes of pollution dumped into Lake Michigan from Milwaukee’s sewer system.

Project: Create a vehicle with the ability to track these plumes via external drag force, sensors, and control over

its buoyancy.

Combined Sewage Overflow Plume from Milwaukee Harbor

Researcher/Designer: Jud RigginsAdvisor: Tom Consi

• Use Archimedes’ Principle to control buoyancy

Drag Force for lateral mobility•

Depth From Pressure Readingsg

The Drifter

Proof of Concept Vehicle

Prototype Field Vehicle

• PID Controller• P: Proportional• I: Integral• D: Derivative

CONTROLLER DESIGN/MODELLING