Researchers in Switzerland recently developed a new, autonomous fish robot named Belle, capable of giving conservationists a clearer picture of the organisms that live under the sea without disturbing the marine environment.

What is Belle Robot?

• Belle is an autonomous robot fish powered by Al that swims silently and blends in with marine life while it makes its observations.
• The robot, named Belle, was created by students at the university ETH Zürich.
• The incredible diversity of marine life plays a vital role in regulating the Earth’s climate and sustaining ecosystems worldwide.
• These magnificent bodies of water also act as crucial carbon sinks, absorbing a substantial amount of atmospheric carbon dioxide.
• By highlighting the importance of marine ecosystems, Belle fosters a collective commitment to protect these vital habitats for generations to come.
• The idea was that to capture the ecosystems the way they actually behave.
• Belle is silent, and looks and swims like a real fish to collect data while fitting in with the locals.

Features

• Weighing in at a bit over 20 pounds, Belle is powered by artificial intelligence algorithms for navigating beneath the ocean’s surface.
• The robot is equipped with a high-resolution camera to capture video, and is also outfitted with gear to collect environmental DNA samples from marine organisms for later analysis.
• With compact dimensions of less than one meter and a weight of nearly 10 kg when not submerged, Belle relies on a silicone fin with two chambers that cycle water to propel itself forward.
• It is possible for Belle to act completely autonomously for about two hours at a time, before swimming up to the surface and transmitting GPS coordinates so that it can be picked up for a battery charge.