What is so attractive about a robot that mimics a jellyfish? Well, it’s theoretically immortal, has a simple repetitive movement that cycles slowly and easily, and it can travel deep underwater.
RoboJelly is a robotic jellyfish that does all of this. Based on the moon jellyfish, it has a bell as a body, and pulses slightly to push itself over short distances. Its power source is hydrogen, using catalyst powder that reacts to hydrogen and oxygen to control the contractions of the body. Thus, the robot can harvest as much hydrogen from the water as it needs, and theoretically could go on forever.
The RoboJelly is designed to work as a search and rescue or surveillance robot for the U.S. Navy. Scientists are still testing it with a tether on a water tank, and hopefully in the future it will be able to traverse the vast oceans.
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[…] our little RoboJelly, from so long ago? Well let’s take a look at its bigger cousin, […]