An underwater robot is stalking sand tiger sharks tagged with transmitters to help University of Delaware researchers understand shark migration patterns and behavior while it's occurring. OTIS (Oceanographic Telemetry Identification Sensor), a specially equipped glider, has tracked several sand tiger sharks off the coast of Maryland.
"This is the first time that a glider has found tagged sharks and reported their location in real time," said Matthew Oliver, assistant professor of oceanography in the university's College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment, in a press release. The research team, which Oliver heads, had previously tagged the sharks over several years. Sand tiger sharks are the top predator in Delaware's bay and coastal waters and play a major role in the region's ecological balance. They have also been listed as a species of concern by the National Marine Fisheries Service.
An underwater robot based on the Slocum glider is tracking sand tiger sharks to help researchers understand shark migration patterns and behavior as it happens. (Source: University of Delaware)
The remote-controlled OTIS, which resembles a yellow torpedo, is one version of the Slocum glider. Designed by Teledyne Webb Research, and used by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Rutgers University, among others, Slocum gliders such as OTIS are normally employed to sample seawater conditions.
For tracking sharks, Oliver equipped OTIS with acoustic receivers to pick up signals from the sharks' transmitters. The project is part of a multi-year partnership with Delaware State University. The robot will give feedback about where sharks are traveling faster than conventional tracking techniques.
Like the Wave Glider robot tracking white sharks for Stanford University, two of the three different types of shark tags used in this study are acoustic. One type of acoustic transmitter pings receivers while passing them by. The receivers, maintained by Dewayne Fox of Delaware State University, are located primarily in Delaware Bay, and a few more are situated along the Atlantic coast. A second type of tag, pop-off satellite archival tags, store data on the sharks' journeys for a year. When that amount of time has passed, they are automatically released and send a location signal so they can be retrieved.
The latest tag, a mobile transceiver made by VEMCO, is a hybrid device, combining a 69kHz coded transmitter with a 69kHz monitoring receiver. Attached to a shark, this transceiver communicates its location and detects the pings of other ocean animals that have acoustic tags. "It will tell us not only where it is, but who it's with," Oliver said. "It's like a social network for sharks."
Ann, such real time tracing technologies will help to identify the moving pattern of shark. Moreover I think a small modification in the system may help to extend the study to other underwater specious too. but am not clear how long (range) the signals can be transmitted through under water, which can disintegrate on long distance under the acoustics conditions.
Ann, if this is like a social network for sharks, the next step is letting them communicate with each other. With all the advances in robotics that should be something that is being researched. Then, Facebook could sell ads to them.
It would be nice if OTIS could track some of the great whites that spotted on the East Coast this past summer. It's certainly better than a guy with binoculars standing in a shark tower.
Chuck, as you probably remember, Elizabeth did a story about great white tracking in the Pacific off San Francisco. If it works, it could be helpful on the East Coast. That is, if they could tag every great white.
That is funny, naperlou, but seriously, the implications of turning these tags into a network is a great idea. If the connections between enough sea creatures were initiated, a real-time 3D view of the enviromment and creature interaction could be invaluable for understanding the interrelationships of sea dwelling creatures, and their migration patterns. This could also give early warning to adverse environmental conditions.
Good memory, Rob! Yes, this does work, and in the future this will really give marine biologists a weapon to keep track of a number of sea creatures, sharks, of course, among them. But imagine the possibilities for tracking other types of fish and observing migration paths, depletion of fish in overfished areas and other patterns of behavior. Long-term these types of robots could prove to be valuable ecological and even economical tools. There also could be other applications for a wireless network in the sea.
I agree, Elizabeth, there are tons of applications for this type of sea tracking. It would be interesting if there were a widespread effort to tag great whites. That would be the only way to help avoid beach attacks.
Hi Rob, I agree. I wonder if this robot can track the Box Jellyfish which has been a plague to Australian Beach goers for years? Also, does the torpedoe shape of the robot seem threatening among onlookers, especially the Coast Guard, while it tracks Sand Tiger Sharks? As always, very nice article Ann!
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