SchoolsofroboticfishcouldbesentintotheThamestoproducea3Dpollutionmapoftheriver.ResearchersattheUniversityofEssexinColchesterareworkingontheroboticfishaspartofa￡2.5millionEU­fundedprojecttofindnew

Question

Schools of robotic fish could be sent into the Thames to produce a 3D pollution map of the river.

Researchers at the University of Essex in Colchester are working on the robotic fish as part of a ￡2.5million EU­funded project to find new ways of monitoring water waste.

Each fish will be about 50cm long 15cm high and 12cm wide.They will be packed with pollution sensors(传感器)that can electronically “smell” harmful chemicals in the water.

Scientists have developed “swarm(群)intelligence techniques” which allow the fish to work as a team without humans.

The robotic fish will communicate with each other using wi­fi as they seek out areas of pollution.They work out where they are with inbuilt GPS systems and artificial intelligence software will enable them to move without the need for a human operator they will only warn staff if areas of pollution are found.

A fish that finds pollution sends the data of the location to others.

“Each school will contain five fish and they will constantly monitor for pollutants ” said Dr.Dongbing Gu who is leading the research.

 “When they find something they will send a message to the rest of the school who will then gather in the area to take readings.”

The fish move their bodies up and down like waves—driven by motors—and use fins and a tail to change direction.It is hoped they will travel at speeds of up to half a metre per second.

Working models could be available within 18 months.Different sensors will be fitted to hunt for different pollutants.The data could be used to build a “real time” 3D map of areas of pollution in the water allowing operators to determine the best way to clean up the area.

The fish will initially be used in ports to monitor leaks from large ships but Dr Gu said the same system could be used in the Thames.Researchers hope the robotic fish will be able to spend up to 24 hours in the water before needing to be recharged.

66. The purpose of the robotic fish project is to ________.

A. find out whether inbuilt GPS systems are useful 

B. find new ways to monitor water waste

C. prove that robotic fish can be sent into the Thames

D. test the speed of the robotic fish

67. Robotic fish can find harmful pollutants by using __________.

A. GPS systems     B. a 3D pollutiion map    C. pollutions sensors    D. fins and a tail

68. When a fish finds pollutants it will ________.

A. change direction immediately                  B. gather the pollutants together

C. send a message to others                       D. take the pollutatns onto the bank

69. According to the passage which of the following statements is TRUE?

A. The robotic fish have been used in ports as well as in the Thames.

B. It takes 24 hours for robotic fish to be recharged.

C. The robotic fish can work as a team with humans.

D. The robotic fish can work as a team without humans.

70. The passage mainly tells us about ________.

A. the robotic fish to smell out pollutants         B. a ￡2.5 million EU­funded project

C. researchers working on robotic fish           D. a 3D pollution map of the Thames

Answer 1

BCCDA