Jellyfish Robots Can Clean Oceans

Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems have developed a jellyfish-inspired robot, called Jellyfish-Bot, to clean up polluted oceans and coral reefs. The robot, approximately the size of a hand, utilizes electrohydraulic actuators as artificial muscles, powered by electricity flowing through them. Air cushions and waterproof components stabilize the robot, preventing contact between the high voltage and surrounding water.

The robot swims gracefully and creates swirls to circulate water, enabling it to trap objects such as waste particles and transport them to the surface for recycling. It can also collect fragile biological samples without disturbing the environment or aquatic species. Jellyfish-Bot is capable of operating alone or in combination with other robots, and it moves faster and requires less power than comparable inventions. The researchers aim to develop wireless manipulation capabilities for the robot in the future.