Department of Homeland Security Builds Robotic Tuna

Experts at the US Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) announce that they've recently finished work on an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) that closely mimics the shape and behavior of a tuna.

By replicating the streamlined bodies and finely tuned muscular and control systems of these beautiful fish, the team was able to create a vehicle that will find it very easy to investigate difficult-to-reach places, such as the interior of sunken ships.

Dubbed the BIOSwimmer, this UUV is capable of high degrees of maneuverability, and can be used for port security and a wide array of other security-related applications, as well as for carrying out oil rig inspections, Science Blog reports.

“It’s designed to support a variety of tactical missions and with its interchangeable sensor payloads and reconfigurable Operator Controls, can be optimized on a per-mission basis,” explains Mike Rufo, the director of the Boston Engineering Corporation’s Advanced Systems Group (ASG).