San Francisco, London: Researchers from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid and University of Florence are developing a fish-inspired robot to detect the pH of water. According to the Science Daily website, the new robot contains biosensors to monitor water quality. These robots mimic a swimming fish in order to minimize the fish disturbance and stress.

Aquaculture has become the fastest growing animal food sector in the world. In order to keep aquaculture systems at an optimal level and to avoid physiological stress and disease of fish, water quality and adequate nutrition must be monitored and controlled.

The overall length of the fish is 30 cm without including the tail. The prototype adopts shape memory alloys actuators that bend a continuous flexible structure. The robot is developed with a special electrochemical pH sensor. The robotic fish is able to change its swimming patterns according to the changing water environment surrounding it.

“Thanks to this system that provides early information on environmental change, we can control the parameters of water quality and improve management decisions of fish farms, and consequently, the wellness of the aquaculture,” Claudio Rossi, a developer of this bio-inspired fish said.