The current trio of robofish are limited to a small test pool at the University of Washington in Seattle and can't be put into the ocean. The next batch of robofish, expected to arrive next year, should venture into the waters of Puget Sound, where the researchers expect they will be able to track anything from large whales to microscopic environmental contaminants. All the researchers will have to do is walk to the beach and drop the robofish in the water, said Morgensen. The onboard microprocessors and sensors will do the rest. But, just because the robofish can think independently, doesn't mean they are fully autonomous. Every 20 minutes or so (settings are adjustable) the next generation robofish would resurface to communicate with home base using a satellite link. At this point they would upload their data to the researchers and download any additional instructions. They could operate for up to six months at a time before returning home or being picked up by researchers in a boat, said Morgansen James Tangorra, a researcher at Drexel University who studies bio-inspired designs, thinks that the robofish could help scientists track schools of fish. "Fish-like propulsion might be more efficient, faster, and silent, allowing us to operate next to animals," said Tangorra. Related Links: Eric Bland's blog: Interior Design University of Washington, Nonlinear Dynamics and Control Lab |
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