Robot Fish to Patrol Harbors for Pollution
OutdoorHub Reporters 05.24.12
Whether scientists got the inspiration for this robo-fish from RoboCop is uncertain, but it’s a fun thought to entertain. The BMT Group, a technology consultancy, has developed and constructed a robotic fish that will patrol harbor waters for pollution.
The machine is built of carbon fiber and metal and encapsulates an internal artificial intelligence unit which tells the machine where to go, while a sonar system keeps it from hitting objects. Chemical sensors are placed inside the “body” of the fish, which allow water to pass through to detect pollution.
The fish can work autonomously to hunt down contamination in water and send information back to scientists onshore.
The first trials to test the effectiveness of the robot are underway off the coast of northern Spain, in Gijón harbor.
“The idea is that we want to have real-time monitoring of pollution, so that if someone is dumping chemicals or something is leaking, we can get to it straight away, find out what is causing the problem and put a stop to it,” explains Luke Speller to the BBC. Speller is a senior scientist in the research division of BMT Group.
Dr. Luke Speller from the Shoal Consortium explains how the robo-fish works in the video below.
httpv://youtu.be/xawQHdUYTfg
