After watching a black ghost knife fish and creating computer simulations of its movement researchers at Northwestern University have created a robotic fish. This is a very nimble robot that, after swimming backwards or forwards, can swim vertically almost instantaneously by using a special Ribbon like fin. In the future this will allow robots to perform underwater recovery operations and long-term monitoring of
coral reefs. The actual black ghost knife fish which this robot was modelled on is found in rivers of the Amazon basin. It hunts for prey at night and uses a weak electrical field around its entire body to sense possible prey. The high-speed low manoeuvrability technologies like aeroplanes and cars are easy to build. Low speed high manoeuvrability technologies aren’t so easy to build and these technologies don’t
coral reefs. The actual black ghost knife fish which this robot was modelled on is found in rivers of the Amazon basin. It hunts for prey at night and uses a weak electrical field around its entire body to sense possible prey. The high-speed low manoeuvrability technologies like aeroplanes and cars are easy to build. Low speed high manoeuvrability technologies aren’t so easy to build and these technologies don’t
Black Ghost Knife Fish
exist at the moment. This is where this robot will fit in. Other applications for this robot could include underwater recovery operations. I wouldn’t be surprised if scuba-divers bump into robotic whales in the future. I cannot imagine what they could be used for though. Image: Screen Shot On Youtube, Source: Wirdwarp
