A Shenyang-based business has successfully developed the first intelligent robotic whale shark in history, placing it at the forefront of fusing space technology with the maritime industry. This ground-breaking accomplishment, created by Shenyang Aerospace Xinguang Group under the auspices of the Third Academy of China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation Limited, represents a major advancement in contemporary marine technology.
The 350-kilogram, nearly five-meter-long bionic marvel can accurately mimic the movements of a real whale shark, including swimming, turning, floating, diving, and even mouth movements.
“To date, we have investigated only one huge bionic fish, this one. The whale shark is equipped with seven actuating joints. Every joint needs computing, communication, and sensing, which is also our key technology,” stated Gao Chao, the Underwater Propulsion Technology Research Office’s designer at Shenyang Aerospace Xinguang Group.
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With amazing features including a wireless remote control, programmed swimming, and multi-joint bionic propulsion, the robotic whale shark can dive to a depth of 20 meters and attain speeds of up to 0.7 meters per second. With its array of sensors, sonar, optical cameras, and BeiDou locating systems, this underwater wonder can be used for various applications, including mapping underwater terrain, monitoring water quality, and specific missions.
“For instance, this robot will unavoidably run into some obstacles when performing an action or being submerged. In actuality, fusing data from several sensors is a technical challenge. It makes sense to think of a whale shark’s brain as a computer. Before the truly useful data can be swiftly extracted for our bionic whale shark to identify the surrounding environment, a large amount of data must be screened and extracted synchronously, then mutually corrected and verified, “said Fang Xuelin, assistant director of the Underwater Propulsion Technology Research Office.
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In contrast to conventional underwater robots propelled by propellers, the bionic whale shark presents several advantages. Its streamlined body minimizes tangling with aquatic impediments and lessens harm to marine life, while its enclosed design prevents polluting the water.
Building on this achievement, the business has added killer whales, dolphins, and Yangtze finless porpoises to its lineup of bionic products. It is propelling innovation in the underwater robotics industry by smoothly fusing intelligent systems with marine bionic technology.
Underwater robots become increasingly important instruments for exploration and development as humans go farther beneath the surface of the ocean. Bionic robots, such as the whale shark, have the potential to transform scientific research and marine operations through the application of advanced materials science, control systems, and artificial intelligence.
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