Four University of Miami engineering students have created an innovative device to shield corals from strong ultraviolet rays during the summer, which can cause corals to expel their algae, bleach, and die.
The Kanopi shade is built from interlocking hexagons and can be expanded or contracted to fit different reefs and will float on the ocean’s surface above coral reefs. It includes an inflatable border, forming a thin, floating, blanket-like structure to shade the corals. It will attach to mooring balls, and the main coverage “cloth” will block harmful UV rays, while remaining safe for the marine environment.
“We wanted to create something with minimal impact on the coral substrate,” said Joshua Prabahar, one of the team members. “We also did not want to fully block the photosynthetic properties in the coral algae.”
The Florida Reef, which forms part of Biscayne National Park, has been experiencing coral bleaching due to increased water temperatures caused by climate change. It experienced its worst bleaching event in the summer of 2023, when water temperatures were five degrees hotter than usual as a result of El Niño. Many reefs had 100% of their corals bleached during the event. The Kanopi could potentially help to reduce events like this in the future.
The students are hoping to test their prototype soon in Florida waters. “Since 2023, 80 percent of corals across the world have incurred bleaching-level stress,” said Montale Tuen, another member of the team. “So, the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation wants us to show a pure engineering solution.”
The Kanopi was designed as a solution to the Coral Thermal Stress Design Thinking Challenge put forth by the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation last year. The team won, earning a grant to manufacture the Kanopi.
“We are all very passionate about saving the coral reefs and we understand how important they are to ocean ecosystems, so what we are producing now has the potential to reduce stress on corals internationally,” said Kylee Rux, another team member.
Since last year, they have worked to refine their idea with guidance from faculty at the College of Engineering and the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. They’ve revised the Kanopi’s design several times and recently manufactured and tested their first prototype in a pool at the University.
The team hopes the Kanopi will serve as a temporary tool for ocean conservation worldwide.
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