Lionfish are jerks. They gorge on unsuspecting fish until they become obese, destroying entire oceanic ecosystems in the process. Since their introduction into US waters in the 1980s, lionfish have become apex predators, breeding to startling numbers. So how do we solve this ecological dilemma? We create killer robots to get the job done.
According to Kieron Monks for CNN: "The idea emerged from a diving trip in Bermuda, where iRobot CEO Colin Angle met with local conservationists, and learned about the extent of the damage caused by lionfish.
One of the group suggested that he create a machine to kill the fish, and another offered to provide funding.
Angle returned home and wrote a proposal, which swiftly became the non-profit company "Robots in Service of the Environment (RISE)."
The design for a lionfish killer combines a remotely-operated vehicle (ROV), using technology which iRobot had developed for the automatic vacuum cleaner Roomba, with a bespoke electrocution device."