Robofish communicate with each other, engage in synchronized swimming

Traditional fish should definitely start keeping their guard up, as we've seen a noticeable influx of robotic alternatives flapping around here recently. Joining the school today is the Robofish, a robotic swimming creature developed at the University of Washington. Reportedly, a trio of the units have been built, and during a recent workshop, the bots were able to communicate with one another and successfully swim in either one direction or in different directions. Eventually, researchers hope that these mechanical animals could explore underwater caves, track moving targets or plunge beneath ice sheets, but there's still work to be done before the creature's coordination ability is up to the challenge. Just keep swimming, just keep swimming...

[Via Slashdot]

[computer.dude.28 @ Jun 9th 2008 10:41PM]

First! But I don't see what's so god damn special about it..

[computer.dude.28 @ Jun 9th 2008 10:42PM]

and I really didn't think I was gonna get so owned there, I used the refresh button and everthing.. oh well, that's karma for you! Sorry!

[Ian @ Jun 9th 2008 10:44PM]

uhh no dude you fail.

[Coral @ Jun 10th 2008 9:01AM]

Yeah, posting "First!" is instant fail whether you're first or not. Find a better hobby before you fail at life.

[computer.dude.28 @ Jun 9th 2008 10:42PM]

I'm in on that break, robot fish will take over the .. er.. oceans.

[Ian @ Jun 9th 2008 10:42PM]

FISH!!!! well you know thats actually pretty kool, i like.

[Mehdi Cheddadi @ Jun 9th 2008 10:43PM]

that lady looks lonely...

[Metkis @ Jun 9th 2008 10:45PM]

So... does it work with the new iPhone somehow? If not... why are you posting this?!

/sarcasm

Looks pretty neat actually, I'd rock some robofish... ultimate low-profile geek pet. Besides that mechanical talking Elvis head.

[Henry @ Jun 9th 2008 10:51PM]

No doubt. I think engadget is polarizing their readers with all the apple stuff. I know I have definitely cut back on how often I read the site now because of the overexposure. I sure hope Apple is paying engadget something.

[computer.dude.28 @ Jun 9th 2008 10:53PM]

I think they could get some serious money for that prime advertising space at the very top, with 3G iPhone all over it.

[Metkis @ Jun 9th 2008 11:22PM]

Ohhhhh, I see what you did there. =3

[Flashpoint @ Jun 9th 2008 10:47PM]

WITH LASER BEAMS ATTACHED TO THEIR FRICKIN HEADS??????

[CyberGhost @ Jun 9th 2008 10:54PM]

Dead or alive, you are swimming with me.

[shimmy shimmy yah @ Jun 9th 2008 11:03PM]

testin 1 2

[OneLove @ Jun 9th 2008 11:38PM]

give a man a robofish...feed him for...oh wait?

[Weeliano @ Jun 9th 2008 11:44PM]

Steam Punk Fish

[Jaque-o @ Jun 10th 2008 3:31AM]

LOL !

Thats the first thing that popped in my mind aswell !
Love steampunk

Cant wait to see a steampunk cow

[John @ Jun 10th 2008 6:53AM]

Yep, I saw that too. A steampunk robo-fish. What will they think of next?

[William Briere @ Jun 10th 2008 12:02AM]

I go to the University of Washington and actually had a chance to see these things hands on. I'm friends with one of the people who helped do some of the work on them and he was so ecstatic about the project it was insane.

Anyways, the pool they were put into has dots every few feet or so that they use to help triangulate their position. At the time they were all helped by a computer program with an underwater to see the dots. He also said something about the perfect fin to tail movement for the fishes was a sine wave, which i thought was pretty cool.

[Artie Lange @ Jun 10th 2008 1:48AM]

All your seelabs are belongs to us

[Orac @ Jun 10th 2008 4:10AM]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XCb4ypZhew

[Mic2000 @ Jun 10th 2008 5:23AM]

Welcome to rapture