AGILE robotic fish that look like the real thing are being developed to act as government spies.
The US Office of Naval Research (ONR) in Alexandria, Virginia, plans to fund the development of "highly manoeuvrable artificial fish for stealthy surveillance", according to a recent request for research proposals. The fish would likely use cameras to gather data - on the features of a rogue ship's hull, say - and swim in shoals, using sonar to share what they find with one another. Although robotic submarines are already used to explore the ocean, the stealth fish the ONR now wants to develop will be smaller and more agile.
The ONR is also interested in civil applications for the fish, which could act as an active lure for sports fishing or as a robotic companion for swimmers.
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