A Convenient Platform for Long-Term Deployments–Product Owner Tom Koniuta Discusses the New Rugged Buoy

We sat down with Product Owner Tom Koniuta to talk about the recent release of In-Situ’s Rugged Buoy.

In-Situ: Describe your Product Owner role at In-Situ.

Tom: My title is Product Owner, so I make sure our designers and developers understand what they are building and for whom. This comes from market research and direct interactions with our customers and sales team.

In-Situ: What were the design priorities? Why are they important to the customer?

Tom: The top priority was usability. There are other buoys on the market, but we wanted to improve the experience of setup and deployment. So, we tasked our engineers and designers with coming up with user-friendly features.

We also wanted our customers to be able to avoid costly freight charges when shipping the buoy. The adjustable well allows the Rugged Buoy to fit in a 43in x 21in x 21in box, so it qualifies for standard shipping rates. Another priority was reliability. Our buoy is made from durable materials that can withstand deployment in saltwater.

In-Situ: What is unique about the Rugged Buoy?

Tom: The most stand-out feature of the buoy is the ability for one person to handle it alone. Most buoys are bulky and awkward to carry around. The Rugged Buoy has molded handles at the bottom and a lift strap that make it super easy to get it into your boat and into the water.

Other features that make it easy to transport: It fits in a standard shipping box, and it has faceted sides, so it won’t roll around in the back of a boat or truck.

It also has an adjustable well. Our design is unique in that the user can choose to deploy the buoy with the well at its shortest (.3 m) or expand it to 1 m (in 2-inch increments). It’s also possible to suspend the instrument out of the well for measurements at greater depths. Our VuLink telemetry systems can support up to 8 connected instruments. Customers can use our cable splitter devices to “daisy-chain” instruments to the VuLink, to measure at up to 8 discrete depths for precise profiling data.

In-Situ: Who will the buoy be most useful for?

Tom: Scientists and local agencies interested in water health, especially those monitoring for harmful algal blooms. VuLink telemetry, an Aqua TROLL 700 with algae sensors and a buoy make for an easy-to-deploy monitoring station that will send data to HydroVu. Our buoy will also enable dredging operations to easily and cost effectively deploy VuLink and an Aqua TROLL 500 with a turbidity sensor to ensure access to continuous critical data.

In-Situ: Why was In-Situ the right company to develop this product?

Tom: We listen to our customers and understand that the Rugged Buoy is an essential accessory within our ecosystem to deploy VuLinks and Aqua TROLLs. Our R&D team works hard to make it easy for our users and understands the value of tying new products holistically into our portfolio. Our telemetry and software work seamlessly with our instruments, and we strived to create the same experience with the Rugged Buoy.

In-Situ: How does the buoy work with the rest of In-Situ’s shared ecosystem? What does it enable customers to do that they couldn’t before?

Tom: We understand that the data our customers collect is truly what they’re after. So, we want to make it as simple and foolproof as possible to collect that data. The Rugged Buoy floats into that role perfectly. It comes fully assembled and ready to be attached to an anchor for deployment. Customers don’t need to buy additional parts to complete the buoy. They can install their telemetry and instrumentation right away and collect the critical data they need in the exact locations they need it from.

In-Situ: What was the testing process like? How did that inform the design?

Tom: When designing the Rugged Buoy, we knew it needed to be suitable for a life in saltwater. So, we tested to make sure it was durable enough to withstand the rough conditions experienced in coastal environments. This entailed both internal mechanical testing and long-term field deployments. Our beta testers had excellent feedback for us and suggested means to secure instruments and VuLink within the well, which we were able to implement by the buoy’s release.

In-Situ: Any final thoughts?

Tom: We’re very grateful to be able to draw from the knowledge of our customers and application experts as we develop new products. We’re super excited to release the Rugged Buoy and show customers how it ties into our solution for long-term deployment and continuous data collection.