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What is a "Scarebot?" LSU researchers are committed to serving people worldwide through new advances in science and technology. Assistant professors Steve Hall and Randy Price, of the LSU Department of Biological & Agricultural Engineering are designing an automated device that could help aquaculture industries around the globe. Aquatic farmers share a similar problem: the encroachment of predatory birds on their crops. In Louisiana, birds such as cormorants and pelicans are drawn to aquatic environments that provide a reliable feeding source of fish and crawfish. For this reason, the Louisiana aquaculture industry has suffered crop loss resulting in thousands of dollars in lost revenue. Hall and Price have developed a unique approach to the problem. “Scarebot,” an autonomous robot designed to frighten birds from crop ponds, is a small, solar-powered boat that can run unattended for long periods of time, at speeds of 5-7 miles per hour. Designs are currently underway to improve the environmentally friendly prototype by including a motion detection system that would trigger a water sprayer to humanely scare the birds. Besides the possibility of helping other aquaculture industries in other countries, “Scarebot” has the potential for many other environmental management applications. The robot could be used for simple tasks such as measuring water quality, biological activity, or relevant environmental variables. Last updated April 2002
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