Robotic Fish to Monitor Pollution

A soft robot designed in the form of a salamander is displayed
in Singapore. Photo: Reuters
A soft robot designed in the form of a salamander is displayed in Singapore. Photo: Reuters
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Robotic Fish to Monitor Pollution

A soft robot designed in the form of a salamander is displayed
in Singapore. Photo: Reuters
A soft robot designed in the form of a salamander is displayed in Singapore. Photo: Reuters

To monitor the levels of antibiotics in the water, among other pollutants, researchers from the United States have created a new robotic fish that swim through streams and lakes.

The prototype will soon be sent below the surface of the lakes near Michigan, which are under threat from industrial pollution and contaminants from farming, according to the German news agency (DPA).

The New Scientist website reported Alicia Douglas at the Water Rising Institute saying: “The water is getting increasingly contaminated with multiple pollutants,” and noting that antibiotics are among them are becoming a growing risk because we know so little about how they spread.

Xiaobo Tan at Michigan State University said: “The idea is to put sensors on the robots so that you can gather data from different locations in an automated manner,” and explained that understanding the antibiotic levels in different parts of the lake, it should be easier to work out where they are coming from.

Robofish aren’t the only robots monitoring pollutants around the world. A robotic orca is tracking pollution in a reservoir in Tibet, and an artificial swan is doing the same in Singapore’s Pandan Reservoir.



Spain’s Watchdog Expands Probe into Apple Over App Store Pricing 

A general view of latest model of iPhone in an Apple store in Beijing, China, 28 July 2025. (EPA)
A general view of latest model of iPhone in an Apple store in Beijing, China, 28 July 2025. (EPA)
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Spain’s Watchdog Expands Probe into Apple Over App Store Pricing 

A general view of latest model of iPhone in an Apple store in Beijing, China, 28 July 2025. (EPA)
A general view of latest model of iPhone in an Apple store in Beijing, China, 28 July 2025. (EPA)

Spain's antitrust regulator said on Tuesday it was expanding its investigation into possible anti-competitive behavior by Apple for allegedly imposing unequal commercial conditions on developers of mobile applications sold at its app marketplace.

The wider probe will examine whether the tech giant set pricing schedules at its App Store, abusing its dominant position, the CNMC said in a statement.

Apple has denied the allegations since the CNMC launched its investigation a year ago.