The evaluation of river water quality is of paramount importance in the maintenance of the well-being and durability of our water reservoirs. Real-time sensors can be used to analyze river water properties, but being able to automatically extract water from a natural setting for controlled laboratory analysis can expand research opportunities in quality assurance and test types. In this paper, we outline the conceptual design of a portable submersible autosampler. Quality function deployment prioritizes customer needs by utilizing both physical and digital (phygital) means, including interviews conducted both physically and virtually, and transforming them into precise design attributes represented in digits within a house of quality. The proposed device incorporates a nickel and titanium (NITINOL)-based shape memory alloy (SMA) spring architecture to draw water samples from rivers effectively via an active syringe. SMA-based actuation is proposed as a disruptive technology owing to its benefits, such as its lightweight, high energy density, and corrosion resistance. The autosampler can collect up to 10 samples at user-controlled intervals. Open-source Arduino hardware and software are incorporated with the actuator, allowing customization for deployment needs. In this autosampler, water samples are collected in a syringe, and the volume of water is determined by the SMA spring’s actuation time.