(April 7, 2015) In
the world of the tiny zebrafish, the predatory red tiger oscar is the stuff of
nightmares. And while the species has no natural reason to fear robots, researchers
at the NYU Polytechnic School of Engineering have published the first study
showing that, in a side-by-side comparison, a robotic predator can spook
zebrafish just as well as the real thing. Their results may help advance
understanding of fear and anxiety in animal populations, including humans.
The study, along with an image of the strikingly lifelike
robotic model, is the cover story of the forthcoming June issue of the journal
Zebrafish.