Just when you thought it couldn't get any more interesting. Along comes the Snotbot. A whale research drone that is being developed by Ocean Alliance and Olin College of Engineering. Here is a link to their kickstarter page:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/snotbot/snotbot-pushing-the-frontiers-of-whale-research-wi
Comments
Yes unless they were actually behind all the original ideas and research years ago, which was widely reported at the time, then claiming "We've invented this" is a bit disengenuous, but they've been around for a long time and do lots of cool stuff so hopefully that's the case. Interestingly the kickstarter is to fund their expeditions, not for the drone itself, which is a shame Drones and other technology which is radically coming down in price and increasing in capabilities of recent years have the ability to really push forward science, but only if the research and it's details and methods are openly and transparently shared and scientists collaborate.
Er this was first done several years ago... http://www.suasnews.com/2010/10/2096/suas-used-in-ig-nobel-award-re... I thought Kickstarters and the like had to be original ideas? Still its all for a good cause.