Researchers Developed a Mini Aquatic Robot to Change the Way Real Fish Act

This miniature aquatic robot can change the way real fish behave. Developed by researchers from the Robotic Systems Laboratory (LSRO) at the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, the robot fish demonstrates how complex robots are becoming.



The team led by Professor Francesco Mondada developed the robotic zebrafish to integrate with a school of actual fish and influence their behavior. They identified zebrafish characteristics to make the aquatic robot as realistic as possible, including acceleration speed, color and shape. The seven-centimeter robot can move through water without any engine noise giving it away, as it is equipped with magnets that are connected to a small engine located beneath the aquarium. The zebrafish robot can also change its behavior to communicate and move with real fish.