It turns out that man is not the only being trying to wreck our planet. Lurking in the depths of oceans around the world are a growing number of malicious aquatic beasts threatening to ruin delicate environments. This includes a species of coral-eating starfish that pose a significant threat to Great Barrier Reef. But fear not, as researchers have unleashed the RangerBot, an autonomous underwater machine designed to detect and eliminate crown-of-thorns starfish.
The robot, which is about the size of a carry-on bag, uses a vision system and electric thrusters to navigate, avoid obstacles, and find these starfish with an accuracy rate of 99.4 percent. Their targets are covered in venomous spines and can grow to the size of a manhole cover. They basically engulf huge areas of coral and gradually break them down and eat the reef. Once identified, RangerBot fatally injects the starfish without impacting anything else on the reef. The starfish die and the reef is allowed to grow.
RangerBot is also designed to help monitor the reef’s health by creating 3D maps showing changes in the ecosystem. The unit’s ability to stay submerged for long periods of time and venture into dangerous areas, such as shark or crocodile-infested waters, also offer obvious benefits over the human alternative.
Based on its success in the Great Barrier Reef, the RangerBot could be making its way to other reefs and challenged aquatic areas around the world.