Biohybrid robotic jellyfish to gather data from deep sea

Developed at Caltech (California Institute of Technology), the jellyfish - which have the most efficient method for traveling through water of any living creature - are being augmented with electronics that enhance their swimming and a prosthetic ‘hat’ that carries a small payload and makes the jellyfish swim in a more streamlined manner.

The work, published in Bioinspiration & Biomimetics, was conducted in the lab of John Dabiri, the Centennial Professor of Aeronautics and Mechanical Engineering.

"It's well known that the ocean is critical for determining our present and future climate on land, and yet, we still know surprisingly little about the ocean, especially away from the surface," Dabiri said in a statement. "Our goal is to finally move that needle by taking an unconventional approach inspired by one of the few animals that already successfully explores the entire ocean."

Dabiri added that jellyfish are the original ocean explorers, reaching its deepest corners and thriving just as well in tropical or polar waters.