Chennai: Madras Christian College has introduced an innovative solution for monitoring the water quality of a lake situated within its vast 300-acre campus in Tambaram. A high-tech duck equipped with IoT technology has been deployed to collect real-time data on key parameters like water temperature, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, and pH as it navigates the lake. The lake, a significant water source on the campus, underwent desilting by Bisleri International Limited as part of a corporate social responsibility initiative, with additional funding provided for developing a water quality monitoring prototype. The 3D-printed sensor-equipped duck was created by a team from MCC-MRF Innovation Park, along with an accompanying app for data reception and analysis. Principal Paul Wilson expressed that the collected data will enable informed decision-making to conserve the lake, safeguarding the campus's ecology and wildlife. The duck, designed by startup KOLOZEN, features solar panels for power, with a two-day energy reserve in the absence of sunlight, and a manual charging option. The startup has successfully been collecting and transmitting data for the last two weeks. There are plans to extend this monitoring approach to other water bodies beyond the campus, with potential applications in understanding seasonal changes, environmental health, and disease monitoring. Professor T Pradeep from IIT Madras highlighted the potential for creating a comprehensive hydro informatics platform using the gathered data. The MCC campus, home to diverse wildlife such as spotted deer, porcupines, toddy cats, and bats, stands to benefit from this cutting-edge technology.The college set up cameras with sensors in their eyes to monitor the movements of wild animals on campus.