A team of engineering students has created an innovative robotic fish named “Eve” to enhance ocean exploration and research. Designed to blend seamlessly into coral reef environments, this soft robotic fish is equipped with advanced technology to gather environmental DNA (eDNA) samples and capture high-resolution video footage, offering a minimally invasive approach to studying marine ecosystems. Ocean research often faces challenges, such as the tendency of aquatic life to avoid humans and large equipment, and the risk of disturbing delicate ecosystems like coral reefs. Eve, developed by the Surf-eDNA project, addresses these issues through its biomimetic design and autonomous underwater navigation capabilities.
Eve’s design allows it to swim autonomously using a combination of camera and sonar technology, guided by an algorithm that helps it avoid obstacles. “By making Eve look like a fish, we are able to be minimally invasive in the ecosystem we’re surveying,” explained Dennis Baumann, a master’s student involved in the project. He emphasized that the fish-like design prevents other marine life from being alarmed by Eve’s presence, enabling more natural data collection.
One of Eve’s key features is its ability to collect environmental DNA (eDNA) as it swims, with a specialized filter embedded within the robotic fish. This eDNA can be analyzed in a laboratory to identify the species present in a particular body of water, providing valuable insights into the ecosystem’s biodiversity. “All of the animals in the environment shed their DNA, so there’s DNA floating around that we can find,” said Martina Lüthi, a postdoctoral researcher at ETH Zurich, in a recent interview.
The creators of Eve hope that this robotic fish will eventually give scientists a clearer understanding of the vast oceans, which cover 70% of the Earth but remain largely unexplored. Baumann added, “We want to build a reliable tool for biologists. Maybe we can prevent species from becoming endangered or dying out.”
SOURCE: HOT HARDWARE