On the heels of a scientific report last month saying 63 percent
of world fish stocks require rebuilding, scientists at MIT have
unveiled a new robot fish that's cheap to make and ripe for mass
production. Actually, MIT engineers Kamal Youcef-Toumi and Pablo
Valdivia Y Alvarado aren't aiming to replenish fisheries. They
want their robot swimmers to be used for underwater monitoring
of pipelines, sunken ships, and pollution. Since the fish are
less than a foot long, they can maneuver into spaces that are
too tight for most underwater autonomous vehicles (UAVs). The
fish--while not as pretty as these toxin-sniffing robot carp
patrolling Spanish waters--are notable for their novel design.
They have fewer than 10 parts, making them low-cost, and are
housed in a continuous flexible polymer casing that prevents
water damage. Lacking different segments, the fish can swim more
naturally, according to MIT (watch the video after the jump). A
single motor in the middle initiates a wave that moves along the
body and prop