Ocean Monitoring by Jellyfish

US Scientists Enable Jellyfish to Swim 3-times Faster

Source:  Caltech

New Invention with Big Potential to Monitor Health of Oceans

Scientists at Stanford University and Caltech have created a pacemaker-like device that enables natural jellyfish to swim three times their normal speed.  The microelectronic, pulsing, tiny, prosthetic device generates electric jolts that make the fish triple their speed while using just twice as much energy.  The scientists and engineers involved in the project says the device causes no additional stress to the sea creatures.  They say the potential for this system is as vast as the ocean itself.

Network of Live Ocean Monitors

The scientific team says the combination of speed and energy efficiency from this device opens the possibility of using jellyfish to gather data from across the world's oceans. They envision equipping the jellyfish with sensors to track ocean temperatures, salinity and oxygen levels.  They say this could lead to a truly global network of ocean monitors composed of robotic jellyfish that would cost just a few dollars to instrument. The fish would generate energy from their normal ocean food.  Obviously this system needs a tremendous amount of research and development.  But, it's a fascinating look at instrumented jellyfish monitoring the health of world oceans.