Chinese researchers have created a robotic fish capable of diving to a depth of over 10 km

A team of scientists from Harbin Engineering University (China) has developed a soft underwater robot that mimics the shape and movements of a fish, IT Home reports with reference to Science Robotics.

The device works through an electro-hydraulic system that uses natural ions in seawater to create an electric field. This field forces a special fluid inside a silicone body to move, providing swimming without the use of traditional rigid motors.

The robot is 32 cm long and weighs about 670 g. Its flexible design allows it to automatically balance pressure at great depths. During practical tests, the device successfully dived to a depth of 4,000 meters. In laboratory conditions, it withstood pressure equivalent to a depth of 10,000 meters at a temperature of 2°C. For comparison, the deepest point in the ocean — the Challenger Deep — is 10,994 meters deep.

The robot is equipped with a camera and optical sensors, allowing it to observe marine ecosystems without disturbing them. Its low-profile design ensures minimal interference with the environment, making the robot suitable for biodiversity research in hard-to-reach areas of the ocean.