Researchers at California State University, Long Beach’s Shark Lab have developed a semi-autonomous robot designed to monitor shark activity in nearshore waters. The floating prototype, nicknamed the Shark Surveillance Bot (SSB), is intended to patrol off the coast and collect real-time data on sharks, particularly great white sharks.
The project aims to improve beach safety by providing lifeguards with more information about the presence of sharks. "Knowing what sharks, and how many are out there helps lifeguards make better decisions in beach safety operations and in advising the public," said Shark Lab Director Christopher Lowe. The goal is to reduce public anxiety by demonstrating that sharks are often present without incident.
![Aquatic drone "SeaTrac" with a "Shark Research" flag monitoring the water.]( "Yellow "SeaTrac" aquatic drone on a trailer.")
Once fully operational, the robot is expected to remain near beaches for up to a week at a time. It will detect tagged great white sharks and analyze water samples for environmental DNA, which are genetic traces left by sharks. Additionally, a drone integrated into the robot will launch to provide an aerial perspective, streaming 360-degree video and shark data back to the lab via Wi-Fi.
Scientists anticipate an increase in great white shark activity along the California coast later this summer. Warming ocean temperatures are expected to drive sharks north from Mexican waters, a phenomenon similar to the El Niño events of 2015-16, which saw an influx of great whites and unexpected species like hammerhead sharks.
This surge in shark activity previously coincided with California's first recorded hammerhead shark attacks in 2015-16, which involved a spear fisher and a kayaker, both of whom survived. The Shark Lab acknowledges that the technology requires significant research and development but expressed optimism about the project's progress. The initiative is funded by the Seaver Institute in collaboration with New York University’s Center of Robotics and the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute.