Shocking new jellyfish creation: Researchers create underwater robot that mimics the real thing

 

Researchers at The University of Texas at Dallas (http://www.utdallas.edu/) and Virginia Tech (http://www.vt.edu/) have created an undersea vehicle inspired by the common jellyfish that runs on renewable energy and could be used in ocean dives for rescue and surveillance missions.

In a study published this week in Smart Materials and Structures (http://iopscience.iop.org/0964-1726/21/4/045013), scientists created a robotic jellyfish, dubbed RoboJelly, to feed off hydrogen and oxygen gases found in water. “We’ve created an underwater robot that doesn’t need batteries or electricity,” said Dr. Yonas Tadesse, assistant professor of mechanical engineering (http://me.utdallas.edu/index.html) at UT Dallas and lead author of the study. “It feeds off hydrogen and oxygen gasses, and the only waste released as it travels is more water.”

Engineers and scientists have increasingly turned to nature for inspiration when creating new technologies. The simple yet powerful movement of the moon jellyfish made it an appealing animal to simulate.

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