Well Now, That's Just Spiffy

Imagine a military surveillance robot that looks and moves like a jellyfish and can ply the seas indefinitely by powering itself with ocean water.

A team of researchers at Virginia Tech, the University of Texas, and several other schools are working to develop just such a device.

In a paper published yesterday in the journal Smart Materials and Structures, team members outlined their recent progress on the "Robojelly" project, which is being funded by the U.S. Navy's Office of Naval Research.

Made of a combination of silicone and various high-tech materials, the Robojelly uses oxygen and hydrogen gases in seawater to trigger a chemical reaction that causes its artificial muscles to contract. The muscular motion copies that of the moon jellyfish, which allows water into its "bell" and then closes the bell to push the water out and create a jet that moves the creature along.

I wonder why they went straight to military surveillance. I suppose it would work in a limited capacity, but my thoughts were it could help us map the ocean, scout for wrecks and history, gather tiny samples, perhaps. Unlock some of the mysteries that cover two-thirds of our planet.

But yeah, I guess there are military applications as well. It's just depressing that it is the first place they went.