A Goldfish was successful in learning to drive. Yes, you read it right. Here’s all about how ichthyological innovation is making driving fish a reality.
Driving fish: How is it possible?
Back in 2014, a goldfish managed to drive around a little tank. A webcam present above the tank was used with an object tracking algorithm to track the position of the fish to help it drive the cart. Back then, it was more of a parlor trick than real science. After all, the fish was swimming around the tank without the knowledge that it was driving the tank or cart. However, this time around researchers took a different approach.
Researchers from Israel’s Ben-Gurion University used a similar mechanism for detecting the position of the goldfish in its tank. This is then used to direct the Fish Operated Vehicle or FOV in the direction of the sector it is swimming to. However, this is where the approach takes a different road. The goldfish were given tasks that required active navigation in the non-aquatic world. For example, the driving fish starting in the center of the room receives a reward if it moved to a red stripe located on the side.
Can they know where they are driving?
While goldfish do not have the brains to do such tricks as your dog. But, they are capable of remembering and learning to adapt to various situations. However, the driving fish can’t understand the concept of space they are driving in. According to the researchers, the fish “were able to operate the vehicle, explore the new environment, and reach the target regardless of the starting point, all while avoiding dead-ends and correcting location inaccuracies. These results demonstrate how a fish was able to transfer its space representation and navigation skills to a wholly different terrestrial environment”.
While research shows that that is a universal movement and not a hard-coded aquatic movement. It might have evolved into a much more basic class. Additionally, the research is paving the way to provide more ability to pets who live in tanks. Soon your fish, skink, iguanas, or ven spiders can move around the house from the safety of their tanks.