Techotic

Meet “Tai-robot-kun,” a 7-kilogram (15.4 lb) underwater survey robot sea bream. It was created by professor Ikuo Yamamoto from the the University of Kitakyushu, Japan.

The robotic fish has a silicone body covered in realistically hand-painted scales, features a unique propulsion system that allows it to move its tail like a real fish. It can swim for an hour on a full battery charge relying on a ballast system similar to those used in submarines to adjust its buoyancy and depth.

Professor Ikuo Yamamoto, says the robot can easily be mass-produced, outfitted with various cameras and sensors, and released into the sea to perform a wide range of oceanographic survey tasks. He adds that because the robot swims silently and looks like a real fish, it would be able to gather data without alarming the creatures it encounters.

[via pinktentacle]