Grace the gliding robotic fish is getting a few new bells and whistles. And a new mission.

The robot, developed by researchers in Michigan State University’s College of Engineering, was designed to cruise lakes and rivers collecting data on water quality, temperature and other important environmental factors.

Now, using a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation, the MSU team will collaborate with the U.S. Geological Survey to use a school of these robots to locate and “stalk” fish of interest in the Great Lakes.

The robot, dubbed “Grace” (short for Gliding Robot ACE), is a hybrid of an underwater glider and a robotic fish, one that is both energy-efficient and highly maneuverable.

The new robots will be equipped with receivers that will detect the presence of fish implanted with acoustic-transmitting tags.

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