Science Fiction Dictionary
A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z

 

SHOAL Robotic Fish Patrol Harbors

SHOAL robotic fish are under development for pollution monitoring; the intent is to create fishbots that work together using chemical sensors.


(SHOAL Robotic Fish Patrol Harbors)

How do the fish work together?
The fish work together much like a group of people would work together to accomplish a task. If you were trying to accomplish a task everyone in the group knows something about the situation, through talking they are able to share information and while not everyone knows everything that is going on they are still able to accomplish the task between them. Likewise the fish do not all know the whole picture of the pollution but between them they know much more and through the communication they are able to work together.

How Do the fish see?
The fish 'see' though sonar and an array of other devices to measure their position, heading, speed etc. The sonar allows them to see obstacles and get a picture of what's around them. They augment this with other data they have such as maps, Infrared and other sensors to build a bigger picture of their surroundings.

Why a fish?
The choice of a robotic fish is not an aesthetic one but a design choice. The design of a robotic fish is a very manoeuvrable, efficient, low noise solution. The robotic fish have an incredibly small turning circle allowing them to navigate quickly in ports both to find pollution and avoid ships and the port infrastructure. It's also low noise so as to not disturb the environment when outside of busy ports.

Won't Fisherman catch the fish or people steal them?
The fish are able to detect where they are with the array of sensors they have . As soon as they are removed from the water they set off a distress beacon that alerts the port authorities who can act immediately.

Won't they Run out of Batteries
No, the fish are able to return to a base station and autonomously charge themselves (another challenge for the AI and engineering team).

How do the Fish Talk?
The Fish will talk to each other using ultrasonic communications. Other these we can send short messages between the fish and to the base station.

How much does a Fish Cost?
The current Generation of robotic fish cost about £20,000, this is just for this fish and the current fish is smaller than the new generation of fish. As the project continues we will get a better estimate of the price of a fully intelligent robotic fish.

In his 2002 story Slow Life, science fiction author Michael Swanwick writes about robot fish who help explore distant worlds. Read about the Mitsubishi turbofish.

Via Tecca and the SHOAL website.

Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 5/22/2012)

Follow this kind of news @Technovelgy.

| Email | RSS | Blog It | Stumble | del.icio.us | Digg | Reddit |

Would you like to contribute a story tip? It's easy:
Get the URL of the story, and the related sf author, and add it here.

Comment/Join discussion ( 0 )

Related News Stories - (" Robotics ")

Robot Hand Separate From Robot
'The crawling, exploring object was V-Stephen's surgeon-hand...' - Philip K. Dick, 1955.

Is Optimus Autonomous Or Teleoperated?
'I went to the control room where the three other men were manipulating their mechanical men.' - AG Stangland, 1929.

Robot Masseuse Rubs People The Right Way
'The automatic massager began to fumble gently...' - AE van Vogt, 1944.

Optimus Robot Can Charge Itself
'... he thrust in his charging arm to replenish his store of energy.' - William Morrison, 1941.

 

Google
  Web TechNovelgy.com   

Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!) is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for the Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary, the Invention Timeline, or see what's New.

 

 

 

 

Science Fiction Timeline
1600-1899
1900-1939
1940's   1950's
1960's   1970's
1980's   1990's
2000's   2010's

Current News

Mechazilla Arms Catch A Falling Starship, But Check Out SF Landing-ARMS
'...the rocket’s landing-arms automatically unfolded.'

A System To Defeat AI Face Recognition
'...points and patches of light... sliding all over their faces in a programmed manner that had been designed to foil facial recognition systems.'

Robot Hand Separate From Robot
'The crawling, exploring object was V-Stephen's surgeon-hand...'

Hybrid Wind Solar Devices
'...the combined Wind-Suncatcher, like a spray of tulips mounted fanwise.'

Is Optimus Autonomous Or Teleoperated?
'I went to the control room where the three other men were manipulating their mechanical men.'

Robot Masseuse Rubs People The Right Way
'The automatic massager began to fumble gently...'

Solar-Powered Space Trains On The Moon
'The low-slung monorail car, straddling its single track, bored through the shadows on a slowly rising course.'

Drone Deliveries Instead Of Waiters In Restaurants?
'It was a smooth ovoid floating a few inches from the floor...'

Optimus Robot Can Charge Itself
'... he thrust in his charging arm to replenish his store of energy.'

Skip Movewear Arc'teryx AI Pants
'...the terrible Jovian gravity that made each movement an effort.'

'Robovan' Name Already Taken - Elon, Try These
There are alternative names that are probably in the public domain by now.

How Old Are Tesla Designs?
You be the judge.

Is Your Autonomous Tractor Safe?
'The field-minder finished turning the top-soil of a two-thousand-acre field.'

Smart TVs Are Listening!
'You had to live -- did live, from habit that became instinct -- in the assumption that every sound you made was overheard...'

Police Drones In China Would Like To Have A Word With You
''OVERRIDE,' the City Fathers said suddenly, without being asked anything at all.'

Oh Great (Part 2), Fence-Climbing Robots
Please, no stingers.

More SF in the News Stories

More Beyond Technovelgy science news stories

Home | Glossary | Invention Timeline | Category | New | Contact Us | FAQ | Advertise |
Technovelgy.com - where science meets fiction™

Copyright© Technovelgy LLC; all rights reserved.