envirobot eel by EPFL locates sources of water pollution

researchers from EPFL, together with other institutes, have constructed a robotic eel that is able to swim through contaminated water to find sources of pollution. the sensor-equipped robot can be controlled remotely or move on its own. in tests carried out in a small section of lake geneva, the robot was able to generate maps of water conductivity and temperature.

image © alain herzog / 2017 EPFL

the robot, named envirobot, is equipped with chemical, physical and biological sensors and measures nearly 1.5 meters long. it moves through water like an eel, without stirring up mud or disturbing aquatic life. its sensors take measurements at different locations in the water as it swims and sends the data to a computer in real-time.

behzad bayat and jan roelof van der meer © alain herzog / 2017 EPFL

the robot is regularly tested in lake geneva. a recent test involved simulating water pollution by diffusing salt into a small area just off the shore, thus changing the water’s conductivity. the researchers then let the robot swim in the contaminated area. the robot successfully mapped the variations in conductivity and generated a temperature map. the ultimate goal is for the robot to be able to detect heavy metals like mercury or other pollutants.

image © biorob / 2017 EPFL

‘there are many advantages to using swimming robots. they can take measurements and send us data in real-time – much faster than if we had measurement stations set up around the lake. and compared with conventional propeller-driven underwater robots, they are less likely to get stuck in algae or branches as they move around. what’s more, they produce less of a wake, so they don’t disperse pollutants as much,’ says auke ijspeert, head of EPFL‘s biorobotics laboratory (biorob). 

behzad bayat and jan roelof van der meer © alain herzog / 2017 EPFL