If you happen to see a bright yellow, five-foot long robot fish swimming around in the ocean near Spain, just know he is up to a lot of good. The very expensive fish are pollution detectors and are currently being tested for any needed modifications.
Able to swim on their own for up to eight hours on a battery, the robots are fitted with sensors enabling them to detect pollutants that may be leaking from ships or underwater pipe lines.
The really cool fish have other robot friends, created by the same European scientists, who are capable of completing other tasks including cleaning up oil spills, monitoring underwater security, and diver monitoring. The makers are hopeful that water companies, aquariums and anyone else with an interest in keeping the oceans and water in the world cleaner will purchase these incredible robots. What a cool invention!
Amazingly, these robot fish swim like real fish, can communicate with the other robots in the water, and are able to transmit messages to a shore station up to a half a mile away. They're so smart that they even return to home base when their battery is running low.
Who's behind the creation of these really intelligent pollution detectors? The project was partly funded by the EU and drew on research and information from several sources including the University of Essex, the University of Strathclyde in Britain, Ireland's Tyndall National Institute and Thales Safare, a unit of Europe's largest defense electronics group.
Do you think these pollutant-fighting robot fish will be successful in the cause for cleaner oceans? Will they become a common sight at aquariums?
Photo Source: DailyMail
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