Scientists have created a new way to study the behaviors of marine life through a small silicone patch. This new product, called Marine Skin, will allow marine biologists to track the health patterns of undersea creatures at any time and in almost any conditions. Joanna Nassar, one of the members of the team that created Marine Skin, has stated that the device can track the animal's behaviors as well as the "health of the surrounding marine environment in real time."
Scientists have been trying to find an effective way to accurately record and study the environment in which these animals live, but devices that have been proposed in the past have been "bulky and uncomfortable" for animals to wear. However, the design team created a small silicone patch that is significantly lighter than previously proposed devices. The patch is able to withstand twisting, stretching, and it can even withstand extreme pressures in deep water.
The prototype for the patch currently includes sensors that can record water temperature as well as the saline levels within the surrounding area. Scientist foresee other types of sensors in the future, such as tracking the "psychological state" of the animal, which would then give biologists information about how the ocean chemistry in the surrounding environment affects different types of sea life.
The product has currently been tested on swimming crabs, and scientists hope to test on dolphins and even sharks in the near future. The design team is consistently coming up with ways to include mores opportunities for different sensors, all while making the product durable as well as comfortable for the animals to wear. Nassar believes that there is great opportunity for discovery with the changing of these environments, and she hopes that Marine Skin will be able to give the scientific community much more information about marine life in the coming years.
Scientists have been trying to find an effective way to accurately record and study the environment in which these animals live, but devices that have been proposed in the past have been "bulky and uncomfortable" for animals to wear. However, the design team created a small silicone patch that is significantly lighter than previously proposed devices. The patch is able to withstand twisting, stretching, and it can even withstand extreme pressures in deep water.
The prototype for the patch currently includes sensors that can record water temperature as well as the saline levels within the surrounding area. Scientist foresee other types of sensors in the future, such as tracking the "psychological state" of the animal, which would then give biologists information about how the ocean chemistry in the surrounding environment affects different types of sea life.
The product has currently been tested on swimming crabs, and scientists hope to test on dolphins and even sharks in the near future. The design team is consistently coming up with ways to include mores opportunities for different sensors, all while making the product durable as well as comfortable for the animals to wear. Nassar believes that there is great opportunity for discovery with the changing of these environments, and she hopes that Marine Skin will be able to give the scientific community much more information about marine life in the coming years.
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