Bionic Jellyfish Swim Faster and More Efficiently

Engineers at Caltech and Stanford University have developed a tiny prosthetic that enables jellyfish to swim faster and more efficiently than they normally do, without stressing the animals. The researchers behind the project envision a future in which jellyfish equipped with sensors could be directed to explore and record information about the ocean. Jellyfish use a pulsing motion to propel themselves forward, swishing their tentacles as they move to capture prey. The new prosthetic uses electrical impulses to regulate-and speed up-that pulsing, similar to the way a cardiac pacemaker regulates heart rate. The device, which is neutrally buoyant in water, is about two centimeters in diameter and is attached to the body of the jellyfish via a small wooden barb. The research-led by Caltech's John Dabiri (MS '03, PhD '05), Centennial Professor of Aeronautics and Mechanical Engineering, and Stanford graduate student Nicole Xu (MS '15)-was published in the journal Science Advances on January 29. Typically, jellyfish swim at a rate of about two centimeters per second.