Why let a human handle a robot's job? Scientists at the University of Washington's
Nonlinear Dynamics and Control Lab have developed a robot fish prototype, dubbed the "Fin Actuated Autonomous Underwater Vehicle," that will eventually be able to track marine life and monitor the spread of environmental contaminants -- particularly heavy metals and organics that occur in trace amounts. Kristi Morgansen, its inventor, is currently testing 3 robofish in her lab's swimming pool and hopes to carry out field trials in Puget Sound early next year, reports
