Use a robot to patrol the marine environment

This research was funded by the National Science Foundation. Marine environmental monitoring projects are being heavily invested after the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

>>> Robot fish detect contaminated water

Both marine and freshwater environments are now facing constant threats from climate change, industrial pollution and waste water. Monitoring of water quality and monitoring of pollutant concentrations is necessary to ensure the safety of aquatic and marine ecosystems. One example is the oil spill. By controlling the spread of the spill, we can minimize damage to the marine environment.

Fish robots will help scientists patrol and monitor the water environment. (Photo Livescience).

However, monitoring the elements in the water environment is not easy. The characteristics of water that change over time and place require equipment to be sampled continuously. That's not possible with the fixed sensors commonly used in underwater research today. Because of this, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Michigan, Xiaobo Tan, has researched and developed a team of robots that patrol the marine environment.

This special patrol is a small fish robot that carries a lot of sensors and devices that support wireless data transfer. They will form a mobile sensor network in the water environment to conduct water quality monitoring and collect the information needed for the study.

With special hydrodynamics, these fish can move easily under water thanks to the engine's upper body and fins movement. Basically, the robots have the hybrid characteristics of the fish in nature and the glider under water. By using mainly sliding motions to move and only using tail motions as needed, the robot can work for long periods of time without having to charge the battery.

References: Livescience