It is amazing what people can do – one person created a planet changing fish.
This fish could change the world, move over Nemo — there’s a new ocean darling making waves under the sea, and he’s not getting lost. Meet Gilbert, the robot fish cleaning our oceans one plastic bottle at a time. But unlike Pixar’s famously forgetful clownfish, Gilbert has a sharp mission — and a smart creator behind him.
Gilbert was dreamt up by Eleanor Mackintosh, a chemistry undergraduate at the University of Surrey in the UK. Inspired by the way real fish breathe through their gills, Eleanor submitted the concept for a 3D-printed robotic fish to the Natural Robotics Contest in 2022. Her design? A salmon-sized robot that swims, sucks in water, and traps microplastics using mesh-filled “gills.”
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Judges loved the idea, and a team of engineers at Surrey, led by Dr. Robert Siddall, brought Gilbert to life. The result is a solar-powered, biodegradable robot that mimics the graceful movement of a fish while quietly hoovering up pollution. Eleanor’s innovation turned into a working prototype — and a potential game-changer for environmental tech.
Gilbert’s mission couldn’t be more relevant. With over 8 million tons of plastic entering the ocean every year, microplastic pollution has become a crisis. Millennials and Gen Z — generations passionate about sustainability — have embraced Gilbert as both a symbol and a solution.
“Gilbert may be artificial intelligence,” Eleanor has said, “but his mission is deeply human: clean water, healthy oceans, and a livable planet.”
The robot can collect up to 4.5 kilograms of plastic per journey and sends pollution data back to researchers via satellite. Pilot programs are already underway in Southeast Asia — a hotspot for plastic waste.
But it’s not all work and no play. Gilbert has become a minor celeb on TikTok and Instagram, where he glides through murky water to the soundtrack of pop music and captions like “Fish are friends, not plastic bins.” His gentle presence and clever design are capturing hearts — and raising awareness.
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Want to build your own Gilbert? The entire design is open-source and downloadable for free. Visit the official repository HERE.
Eleanor’s story shows how one imaginative student can spark global action. Gilbert isn’t just a fish; he’s a finned ambassador of innovation, youth-led change, and oceanic hope.
And let’s face it — while Finding Nemo tugged at our heartstrings, Finding Trash might just save the planet.
