From the Minds of Children: Designing Underwater Robots for a Sustainable Future

How would an underwater robot look if it was designed by children? What would it be able to do and how would it work? On this matter, scholars dispute. However, some who already have a clear picture are Susanna, 9 years old, Alva, 11 years old, Sebastian, 12 years old, and Klara, 11 years old.

The Swedish Maritime Robotics Centre has invited a group of children to paint and share their visions of tomorrow’s underwater robots. These robots, equipped with fins, are capable of retrieving discarded bicycles from the ocean bed and rescuing fish from disturbances beneath the surface.

Alva, 11 years old, has painted the robot Fish Saver Filip. (SE: Fiskräddaren Filip) “I am feeling sad when the fishes can’t talk to each other or hear where their prey is.”, Alva explains.

The Fish Saver Filip, with its large ears and smart sound absorbers, can be the savior in need for both humans and animals. When large boats make it too noisy, the Fish Saver Filip goes out on a mission. The robot diminishes the noise, ensuring that the creatures beneath the surface can enjoy tranquility. Additionally, the Fish Guardian Filip aids in beach monitoring by emitting underwater sounds that deter sharks, preventing unwanted encounters. Wouldn’t a Fish Guardian be invaluable?

Are you curious about what the other robots looked like? Stay tuned!