MIT CSAIL (Distributed Robotics Lab), USA SoFi (Soft Robotic Fish) (1)

MIT CSAIL (Distributed Robotics Lab), USA SoFi (Soft Robotic Fish) (2)

Not soldUniversity research prototype

Not for sale (research)Not programmableSoft roboticsHydraulic tailAcoustic remoteResearch only

Not soldShipping: Not sold. Lab prototype at MIT CSAIL; never offered for sale.

Remote control: Not possible. One-off lab prototype driven by a diver's acoustic remote; no public software.

MIT News (2018) ↗Robert Katzschmann (Wikipedia) ↗

Overview

Unveiled in Science Robotics in March 2018, SoFi was described by its authors as the first robotic fish able to swim untethered in three dimensions for extended periods. A motor pumps water between two balloon-like chambers in the silicone tail to produce a fish-like side-to-side stroke, and the fish swam alongside real reef fish for up to 40 minutes at a time. It is a research platform, not a product, but it became the reference example of soft-bodied underwater robotics.

Specifications

Category	Swimming robots · Robot fish & biomimetic swimmers
Released	2018
Availability	Not for sale (research)
Programmability	No programmability
Best for	Professionals & labs
Vision sensors	Camera
Actuators	Hydraulic / pneumatic
Audio	No audio
Compute type	Unknown
Remote control	Not programmable
Size	Fish-sized (dimensions not published in the MIT announcement)
Propulsion	Soft silicone tail flexed by a hydraulic pump alternately filling two internal chambers; dive planes and a buoyancy control unit for depth
Depth rating	Tested at more than 50 ft (~15 m) on Fiji's Rainbow Reef
Tether / comms	Untethered; commands sent by a custom acoustic link from a waterproofed Super Nintendo controller (divers piloted it from almost 70 ft away, per Wired)
Camera	Single camera with fisheye lens in the nose (high-resolution photo and video)
Sensors	Not published
Runtime	Up to 40 min per dive
Speed	About half a body length per second (average)
Compute	Not published
SDK	None public