Monday 20 August 2012

Wave Glider ocean robots to track sharks in northern California


If you’ve ever sat in a beach-side coffee house wondered if there was a white shark in the vicinity, then wonder no more because now there’s an app for that. A team of Stanford University researchers lead by Prof. Barbara Block is deploying a fleet of static buoys and Wave Glider robots to turn the waters off the coast of San Francisco into a huge Wi-Fi network to track tagged fish and animals. This will allow scientists to better understand sea life movements, but the project also includes offering a free app to the public that will allow them to track northern California white sharks on their tablets and smartphones... Continue Reading Wave Glider ocean robots to track sharks in northern California

1 comment:

eon said...

Well, if nothing else I'm sure the sharks will be appreciative. Because the widgets are painted yellow.

It was learned some thirty years ago that sharks do have color-receptive structures in their eyes, can recognize colors, and can remember them. It was also learned that the yellow color used on lifejackets, etc., was attractive to sharks, because it was a close match for the color of some varieties of fish they find especially tasty.

Which is why Mae Wests, etc., are now orange- a color sharks don't like. The old color is now known informally as "Yum-Yum Yellow".

Still, having these yellow shark magnets cruising about should have at least some entertainment value.

"Beep, Beep, Beep, Beep.

"Chomp.

"Crunch."


Oops.


cheers

eon