Robocod: Homeland Security’s fish drones: Robocod is the latest weapon in Homeland Security’s increasingly high-tech underwater arsenal. This aquatic drone was designed to safeguard the coastline of America and bring justice to the deep.
BioSwimmer is based on a tuna, which is thought to have the ideal natural shape for an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV). Along with having security applications it is also designed to access hard-to-reach places such as flooded areas of ships and sunken ships. It is being developed by Boston Engineering Corporation’s Advanced Systems Group (ASG) based in Waltham, Massachusetts.
The technology is called “biomimetics.” David Taylor, program manager for the project at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said, “We’re using nature as a basis for design and engineering a system that works exceedingly well. Tuna have had millions of years to develop their ability to move in the water with astounding efficiency. Hopefully we won’t take that long.”
It currently is controlled by an operator using a laptop computer but it is also being designed to function autonomously. [1]
Endnotes
[1] Miller, Daniel. Robocod: Homeland Security adds underwater drones to their arsenal with robots based on fish. 11.28.2012. www.dailymail.co.uk/ sciencetech/article-2239705/Robocod-Homeland-Security-adds-underwater-drones-arsenal-robot s-based-fish.html