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Cyborg Jellyfish at 抖阴旅行射 Boulder
It鈥檚 not uncommon for people to frequently stop in front of assistant professor , mesmerized by the giant aquarium of drifting moon jellyfish (Aurelia aurita). Inside, Xu鈥檚 team has created 鈥渃yborg鈥 jellies, fitting them with tiny microelectronic devices that steer their movements with pacemaker-like pulses. The technology could transform deep-sea exploration by offering an energy-efficient way to gather climate data in remote waters 鈥 and inspire the next generation of ultra-efficient underwater vehicles.
500 million+ years
evolutionarily unchanged
20 years
captive lifespan
2 years
wild lifespan
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Energy-efficient
Most efficient swimmers on earth.
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Future upgrades
Sensors for temperature, pH, salinity.
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Health and safety
of the jellies are prioritized.
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Small cameras
enable the study of animals in their natural environments.
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Data collection
Information can be collected by swarms of jellyfish at higher spatial and temporal resolutions.
Moon jellyfish fitted with tiny electronic devices.
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Control and steering
Devices simulate swimming muscles like a pacemaker.
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Safe
Stinging cells can鈥檛 penetrate human skin.
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Small sensors
measure changes in the ocean to track climate change.
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Part of a Denver Aquarium partnership, which includes well-being checks on the jellies by aquarists.
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Goal is affordable, sustainable ocean monitoring.
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Size
As small as one centimeter (half of a penny) or larger than a dinner plate.
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Environments
Found in a wide variety of ocean habitats around the world.
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Diet
Zooplankton, crustacean larvae, small fish.
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Anatomy
No brain, but sensory nerves for movement.
Photos by Glenn Asakawa