Robot Fish To Hunt Down Pollution

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Robot Fish To Hunt Down Pollution

Posted by samzenpus on Friday March 20, 2009 @07:02AM from the uncanny-trench dept.

An anonymous reader writes "According to the Financial Times, scientists are building a shoal of robot fish to be let loose in the port [of Gijon, Spain] to check on the quality of the water. The fish are equipped with tiny chemical sensors capable of detecting pollutants in the water. These let them home in on the sources of hazardous pollutants, such as leaks from vessels or undersea pipelines. Modeled on carp and costing about £20,000 ($29,000) each to make, the fish are to be lifelike in appearance and swimming behavior so they will not alarm their fellow marine inhabitants."

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Hal Clement would be proud by WillAdams · 2009-03-20 07:08 · Score: 1

ob. SF reference, ``The Mechanic'' in the collection _Space Lash_ (also published as _Small Changes_)
William

--
Sphinx of black quartz, judge my vow.
Get the tartar sauce... by Hoyty1 · 2009-03-20 07:09 · Score: 2, Funny

First it will start with seemingly drunk fisherman "drowning". But what the papers won't tell you is that their heads were melted by lasers fired from the eyes of this new threat. It's time for a fish fry boys...

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Blame the artist for all mistakes!
1. Re:Get the tartar sauce... by castironpigeon · 2009-03-20 07:13 · Score: 1
  
  I for one welcome our new aquatic overlords.
  
  --
  mmmm...forbidden donut
2. Re:Get the tartar sauce... by GaryOlson · 2009-03-20 07:33 · Score: 1
  
  I for one welcome our new chemically sensitive robotic aquatic overlords.
  
  --
  Every mans' island needs an ocean; choose your ocean carefully.
3. Re:Get the tartar sauce... by djupedal · 2009-03-20 16:38 · Score: 1
  
  ...our new chemically sensitive, lifelike appearing and swimming behavioral appropriate robotic aquatic overlords.
  For near $30k each, they'd better school, shoal and spawn like real fish as well.
eBay by Anonymous Coward · 2009-03-20 07:11 · Score: 1, Funny

More likely than not, they will end up on eBay.
Nathan
1. Re:eBay by Anonymous Coward · 2009-03-20 18:22 · Score: 0
  
  or fish markets.
Metallic Chum by Jhyrryl · 2009-03-20 07:16 · Score: 4, Insightful

"...the fish are to be lifelike in appearance and swimming behavior so they..." ...can get eaten by sharks? That's going to be a rude awakening.

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Jhyrryl
1. Re:Metallic Chum by olddotter · 2009-03-20 07:33 · Score: 1
  
  Exactly what I was thinking. Wonder how many of them survive a week without being eaten by larger fish.
  
  --
  Think Deeply. ...
2. Re:Metallic Chum by Gat0r30y · 2009-03-20 07:46 · Score: 2, Interesting
  
  the fish are to be lifelike in appearance and swimming behavior so they will not alarm their fellow marine inhabitants.
  Whats more, what evidence do they have that swimming robots that do not look anything lifelike are alarming to any marine animals? Have they seen any really surprised fish swimming around? This seems like a completely unnecessary and really dumb feature (read bug) for such such a robot. It should be built to have maximum battery life, allowing for any swimming style that extends its range. I for one have never seen a fish in a state of "alarm" unless it was being hauled in on a fishing line. Even in this case, occasionally it was catch and release, so the sole reason for the activity was to cause the fish to go into a state of "alarm".
  
  --
  Prediction: The real iPhone killer is going to be sex robots from Japan. Think about it.
3. Re:Metallic Chum by zippyspringboard · 2009-03-20 09:12 · Score: 1
  
  My guess would be that they are fibbing about their motives to make it look so "fishlike". If I wanted to send something into a location to "snoop" I would want it to blend in very well....
4. Re:Metallic Chum by Sir+Isaac1 · 2009-03-20 09:17 · Score: 1
  
  We are going to have sharks and other sea creatures turn up on the shore dead from intestinal blockage.
5. Re:Metallic Chum by EkriirkE · 2009-03-20 09:43 · Score: 1
  
  So, in effect, the anti-pollution robofish are pollution themselves.
  
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  from 09 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C0 to 45 2F 6E 40 3C DF 10 71 4E 41 DF AA 25 7D 31 3F
6. Re:Metallic Chum by piripiri · 2009-03-20 10:13 · Score: 1
  
  Or what about fishing nets?
7. Re:Metallic Chum by Anonymous Coward · 2009-03-20 12:06 · Score: 0
  
  The fish have an electromagnetic signature that put off the sharks.
8. Re:Metallic Chum by FauxReal · 2009-03-20 13:30 · Score: 1
  
  I wonder if there's an Uncanny Valley in the ocean as well.
  
  --
  Deltron 3030 - Virus (music video)
9. Re:Metallic Chum by unlametheweak · 2009-03-20 14:10 · Score: 1
  
  ... the fish are to be lifelike in appearance and swimming behavior so they will not alarm their fellow marine inhabitants.
  Don't count on it, at least until mating season.
What happens when... by Anonymous Coward · 2009-03-20 07:18 · Score: 1, Insightful

One of these things gets fished up?
What about predators?
This seems like a lot of money spent on things that are quite likely to meet unfortunate ends.
1. Re:What happens when... by BobSixtyFour · 2009-03-20 07:49 · Score: 1
  
  Apparently you've never seen the fish that sing when you push their buttons :)
2. Re:What happens when... by DavoMan · 2009-03-20 23:59 · Score: 1
  
  Apparently you've never seen the fish that sing when you push their buttons :)
  WHATS NEW PUSSYCAT?? WoooaaaWooooaaaaWoooooohhh!!
  
  --
  Whats the harm in yelling 'Computer, end program!'? You could be living in Star Trek! Go on.. give it a try.
Got my taco flavored dorito's by razorh · 2009-03-20 07:23 · Score: 2, Funny

at $30k a fish, time to go fishing I'd say...
1. Re:Got my taco flavored dorito's by TastyCakes · 2009-03-20 08:01 · Score: 1
  
  But what would we use for bait? Garbage? Oh wait..
Have we already forgotten shoe-turtle? by Anonymous Coward · 2009-03-20 07:24 · Score: 2, Interesting

> the fish are to be lifelike in appearance and
> swimming behavior
Take a clue from nature and make the thing neon orange and yellow, with bright green spikes. Flashing LEDs would also be nice.
When you have a $29,000 piece of equipment you don't want it to be abused by the locals.
1. Re:Have we already forgotten shoe-turtle? by GaryOlson · 2009-03-20 07:35 · Score: 1
  
  Um, those bright colors are used to attract mates. I didn't see reproductive equipment installed in those robots.
  
  --
  Every mans' island needs an ocean; choose your ocean carefully.
2. Re:Have we already forgotten shoe-turtle? by Anonymous Coward · 2009-03-20 07:55 · Score: 1, Insightful
  
  I think he meant like a poisonous frog. The "stay the hell away from me" coloring...
3. Re:Have we already forgotten shoe-turtle? by DavoMan · 2009-03-21 00:02 · Score: 1
  
  Um, those bright colors are used to attract mates. I didn't see reproductive equipment installed in those robots.
  Well the rest of us weren't actually looking in that way :P
  
  --
  Whats the harm in yelling 'Computer, end program!'? You could be living in Star Trek! Go on.. give it a try.
4. Re:Have we already forgotten shoe-turtle? by Anonymous Coward · 2009-03-21 00:40 · Score: 0
  
  ... Flashing LEDs would also be nice.
  Not if these are to be used anywhere near Boston!
Oblig. by BigBlueOx · 2009-03-20 07:32 · Score: 2, Funny

I, for one, welcome our suddenly-wealthy Spanish fisherman overlords.
Pollutants by pete-classic · 2009-03-20 07:43 · Score: 1

These things are meant to detect pollutants? Do they detect each other? They are clearly full of batteries. And, as pointed out by others, they probably look delicious to various sea life.
They're beautiful, but releasing them into the sea seems ill conceived.
-Peter
1. Re:Pollutants by Anonymous Coward · 2009-03-20 11:35 · Score: 0
  
  Why do you add a signature containing your name to the end of your post? That's what:
  1. The username at the top of your post
  2. The Signature block at the bottom
  are for.
Get rid of pullution with a Fibonacci chimney by G3ckoG33k · 2009-03-20 07:45 · Score: 1

Get rid of the pollution, with a Fibonacci chimney no less! How geeky is that?! Almost on par with robot fish. :)
http://hyperstring.blogspot.com/2006/09/fibonacci-chimney.html#links
Next up: by Anonymous Coward · 2009-03-20 07:51 · Score: 1, Funny

Robotic squirrels to inspect building codes and such.
1. Re:Next up: by GaryOlson · 2009-03-20 08:45 · Score: 1
  
  I would expect robot squirrels which are sensitive to electrical currents or EMP would be more useful. Check cables which have been chewed upon by their organic equivalents or other mammalian relatives.
  
  --
  Every mans' island needs an ocean; choose your ocean carefully.
hmm by TastyCakes · 2009-03-20 07:58 · Score: 1

Not alarmed? Don't these fish know anything about the uncanny valley?
SeaNet turned sentient.. by Anonymous Coward · 2009-03-20 08:08 · Score: 0

..and decided our fate in a microsecond... extermination.
Alarming? by Anonymous Coward · 2009-03-20 08:30 · Score: 0

So as not to alarm the fellow marine habitats?
"Now, now, fellow marine creatures, there's no need to be alarmed, but there might be some dangerous chemicals about. Please don't panic." WTF?
If these robots are tracking in closer to the source of the pollution, and supposedly this pollution is hazardous, wouldn't it be better to scare the actual living creatures away?
"Yes, Jim, we could have saved these fish from toxic poisoning, but we didn't want to scare them."
Plus, have you ever thrown a rock into the middle of a school of fish? The get real scared and dart away and 3 seconds later they're back.
This whole aspect of the project is so freakin stupid, I'm surprised it was drawn up in another country, and not here in the USA.
and the price is not in Euro because ? by pmarini · 2009-03-20 08:33 · Score: 1

as far as I remember from my geography lessons, Spain uses the Euro as currency... why on Earth is the cost of these "fish" indicated only in British and US currency ?

--
Can I put a spell on those who can't spell?
Your wheels are loose and they're losing their grip, good you're there.
1. Re:and the price is not in Euro because ? by will_die · 2009-03-20 10:51 · Score: 1
  
  The use of BP and USD is because it comes from the Financial Times a British site. Standard practice for most international British papers/websites is to list in BP because it is the local money, and the USD because that is the primary currency that is easy to compare worldwide.
  Ever so often you will have an article that will have the local currency when the price in local currency is needed, but that is not often.
Re:MOD ME DOWN NIGGERS by Anonymous Coward · 2009-03-20 08:42 · Score: 0

What a shame...one fewer racial slur and you might not have FAILED IT.
Just stay away from any nanobots... by mdm-adph · 2009-03-20 08:47 · Score: 1

...used to clean up hydrocarbons.
Please.

--
It is by my will alone my thoughts acquire motion; it is by the juice of the coffee bean that the thoughts acquire speed
Re:Metallic Sharks by Anonymous Coward · 2009-03-20 08:53 · Score: 0

I'm sure they'll make $500k Metallic sharks too, which will 'recycle' the metallic fish. Afterall, we don't want the other fish to think it's unfair that metallic fish are not eaten - we'd hurt their feelings.
5..4..3..2..1.. by snspdaarf · 2009-03-20 08:59 · Score: 1

[what happens when] One of these things gets fished up?

An automatic self-destruct system takes over.

--
Why, without your clothes, you're naked, Miss Dudley!
When the power source fails... by Quantos · 2009-03-20 09:11 · Score: 1

And they are sitting on the bottom of the ocean, who will look at the pollution that they create?

--
Some people are only alive because it's against the law for me to hunt them down and kill them.
Live Imitates Art by PMuse · 2009-03-20 09:20 · Score: 1

Did anyone else immediately think of Flotsam by David Wiesner?

--
"We reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals." --The American President (20.1.2009)
ROFL by Anonymous Coward · 2009-03-20 10:07 · Score: 0

This thing is a $29.000 Roomba minus the sucky-sucky bits.
1. Re:ROFL by hort_wort · 2009-03-20 13:59 · Score: 1
  
  I got a roomba for a family present at xmas. It gets stuck after 5 minutes on anything. Last week it managed to get one of its brushes wedged into a central air duct. I'd be surprised if these fish managed a day without all getting stuck under rocks or somesuch.
  
  Luckily though, the roomba makes whimpering sounds when it's stuck to help you find it. It lets out a different toned whimper when the batteries are low. I don't think that would work so well underwater. Maybe it could activate a GPS signal and some alert code? The alerts can include:
  I'm stuck under a rock.
  I found pirate treasure!
  I am out of the water!
  I'm being digested!
  I just tazed a fisherman! Then shattered his eardrum with a sonic pulse! Booyah!
ROFL by Anonymous Coward · 2009-03-20 10:29 · Score: 0

This thing is just a $29.000 roomba minus the suck-sucky bits.
More fun in the tub than Mr. Bubbles(tm)! by rts008 · 2009-03-20 10:34 · Score: 2, Funny

I want one of these for my bathtub!!
Tub Wars to commence:
First up, Rubber Ducky vs. RoboCarp
There can be only ONE!
*runs to get fishing net*

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Misread Title by StormReaver · 2009-03-20 13:06 · Score: 1

I just finished watching The Sarah Connor Chronicles, and misread the title as, "Robotic Fish to Hunt Down Population." I seem to be somewhat suggestible.
How sweet by MikeOtl67of · 2009-03-20 19:40 · Score: 1

Hopefully no other fishes will want to try their taste. That could be an expensive fish meal!
ITS NOWHERE NEAR APRIL 1st JACK by Anonymous Coward · 2009-03-20 20:41 · Score: 0

and there is no mention of shark countermeasures!!!
A waste of money by kprsa · 2009-03-21 02:59 · Score: 1

If you can make the robot that will cost twice less and look like a robot (not a fish), but hunt for pollution equally well, why not do it? The only answer in the text is "not to alarm their fellow marine inhabitants"... That is, IMHO, just a waste of money.
I read that as by lennier · 2009-03-22 10:39 · Score: 1

"robot fish to hunt down politician".
Reality is disappointingly less surreal.

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You are not a brain: http://books.google.com/books?id=2oV61CeDx-YC