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Helium-Filled Airfish 'Swims' Through the Air Like Our Finned Friends

by Caleb Johnson on June 7, 2010 at 06:00 PM

Swiss researchers develop Airfish swims in the air

For their new airship design, Swiss researchers looked underwater for inspiration. According to New Scientist, researchers at the EMPA, which is the Swiss federal laboratory for materials testing and research, developed a 26-foot-long Airfish that's filled with helium and mimics the movements of a rainbow trout to "swim" across the sky. Rather than engines, Christa Jordi and her team used pieces of acrylic polymers that are connected to electrodes to power the ship. When electricity is sent through one side of the Airfish, the electrodes are attracted to one another, which makes the polymer compress. This reaction, which is similar to a muscle contracting, causes the tail fin to move back and forth and creates a swimming motion, like a real fish.

Researchers are still testing the Airfish in different settings and conditions. Right now, for example, it's unclear how well the light aircraft would do on a windy day. However, after more tests are completed, Jordi hopes TV broadcasters might use the Airfish to provide overhead shots at sporting and other events. That's right, the Goodyear Blimp has a fishy foe. [From: New Scientist, via: Popular Science]

Tags: aircraft, airship, balloon, christa jordi, ChristaJordi, eco-friendly, empa, fish, flight, helium, research, science, top

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