What if mussels give the alarm that the food is running out? Crayfish alert that the water quality is not right? All this actually works - with a robot as the "translator": Ronald Thenius, a biologist at the University of Graz, is developing an apparatus as part of an EU project that is largely made up of living animals and plants.
Mussels, for example, react very sensitively to changes in the food supply or environmental toxins. Their behaviour provides the same information as expensive and high-maintenance sensors. "If you observe different species at the same time, you get a very good picture of the water quality," describes Thenius.
Apart from the central technical elements inside, the robot consists of biodegradable materials. Small tubes serve as nesting sites for those creatures that are to be used for monitoring. The device draws its energy for the electronics from microbes in the soil sludge. This allows it to work autonomously for one to two years. After that, it comes to the surface on its own to be overhauled and evaluated.
Prototypes are currently in use in Millstätter, Hallstätter and Neusiedler Lakes. Once fully developed, the technology can be used for monitoring agricultural water, industrial wastewater, drinking water reservoirs or cooling systems, for example.
A detailed report on the project can be found in the current edition of the magazine Unizeit.