Gallery: The Great Barrier Reef's Best Hope Is a Killer Robot
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The COTSbot is a 4.5-foot-long autonomous sub that hunts down coral-eating crown-of-thorn starfishes—and kills them.
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Antenna: When the bot surfaces, it transmits its GPS location and other details via Wi-Fi.
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Propulsion system: five thrusters for five-axis mobility. “We are hunting on the seabed,” Dunbabin says. “We need movement.”
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Camera: The bot recognizes its prey by comparing suspects to an onboard database of images.
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Doppler velocity log: This acoustic sensor measures depth and velocity so the bot can navigate the reef.
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Articulating arm: extends up to 3 feet to deliver a deadly sting.
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Injection system: Two pods mounted near the thrusters each hold 1 liter of bile salts. Once a target is ID’d, 10 ml of the liquid is sent to the needle and then—prick!—into the starfish.
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