Crazy Brits.  Seems they have build 5 robotic fish that not only look realistic (for a robot) but actually serve a purpose.  To seek out pollution.  The first test will be to release five robotic fish in the northern Spanish port of Gijon. Depending on how well that goes, they will try rivers and streams. Now these are not toys, at 20,000 pounds ($29,000) apiece, they mimic the movement of real fish and are equipped with chemical sensors to sniff out potentially hazardous pollutants.  You get the data back via wifi. They are not small ether, coming in at around 5 feet, they should be safe from most predators.

However, they are still running off batters.  They current payload does give it hours of operation time, however I think it only a matter of time before they replace the scales with solor panels (or solar chips) such that the fish can charge up during the day and still operate at night.

However, I want one as a Toy!

Think about it. I could have a big old pond in the back, or a large fish tank once they scale this guy down, and let them run 24 /7.  No feeding, no cleaning, and no worries if my cat get hungry.  Win!  That and I could put a camera on these guys for a true fish-eye-view. 🙂  Better yet, if I lived near a river or a lake, which I do, I could let the guy loose there.  Unfortunately I’m too far away for the wifi to work, but hey, its a start!

So, now you know what I want of Christmas!  Check of the Vid below.  Awsome.