Imagine a future where fish don’t just swim through plastic-polluted waters — they clean them. A future where robotic swimmers silently patrol our rivers and oceans, gulping down harmful microplastics, removing invisible threats from the food chain, and turning pollution into propulsion.
That future may have just taken its first leap forward.
Meet Gillbert, the bionic robo-fish designed by engineering researchers at the University of Surrey. This 3D-printed robot, created as part of the university’s Natural Robotics Contest, is a breakthrough in biomimetic design — not only mimicking the look and motion of a real fish but also mimicking its gills to filter microplastics from the water.
At EcoServants®, we believe that innovation and conservation must go hand in hand. This story highlights a beautiful convergence of technology, sustainability, and youth-driven design — values that are deeply embedded in our mission. As we lead global cleanup efforts and empower communities to act for our environment, we’re inspired by creations like Gillbert — and you should be, too.
What Is Gillbert the Robo-Fish?
At about 50 cm long (roughly the size of a salmon), Gillbert doesn’t just look like a fish. It swims like one — with a flexible tail that flaps back and forth, steering through the water with grace and precision.
But the real magic lies in its head. Inside the fish’s mouth is an engineered cavity that mimics the flow of water through a fish’s gills. As Gillbert moves forward, water (and microplastic particles) enters its open mouth. Once the cavity is full, the fish closes its mouth, opens artificial gill flaps, and uses internal components to push the water out through mesh filters — trapping plastic debris and allowing clean water to exit.
It’s simple. It’s brilliant. And it’s powered by biomimicry — taking inspiration directly from the natural world to solve manmade problems.
Why Microplastics Are So Dangerous
Most of us are familiar with the heartbreaking images of turtles tangled in six-pack rings and whales found with stomachs full of plastic bags. But while large plastic pollution is devastating, it’s the smallest plastics that are among the most dangerous.
Microplastics are plastic particles smaller than 5 mm. They come from degraded bottles, clothing fibers, tire dust, packaging, and even personal care products. And they’re everywhere — in rivers, oceans, lakes, soil, rainfall, and even inside the human body.
These particles are virtually impossible to remove once dispersed. They don’t dissolve. They don’t biodegrade. They float, sink, and persist — accumulating toxins and entering food chains. Plankton eat them. Fish eat plankton. Humans eat fish. And the cycle continues.
This is why Gillbert matters. While it may be just a prototype today, it represents a powerful new method for removing microplastics at the source — before they can move deeper into ecosystems and food webs.
Turning Pollution Into Propulsion?
One of the most talked-about features of the robo-fish is the concept that it might eventually be able to convert the microplastics it collects into energy — powering itself as it works.
Let’s be clear: this feature doesn’t exist yet. Gillbert currently runs on a rechargeable battery housed in its tail. But the research team has expressed interest in exploring how future versions might digest or repurpose the waste it collects. Imagine a future where robotic cleanup swarms could recharge themselves using the very pollutants they’re designed to remove.
Until then, Gillbert still offers a major environmental benefit: collecting microplastics and providing scientific data about their distribution in water. Understanding where plastics concentrate and what types are present can help inform better legislation, infrastructure, and community action.
Designed for the People, by the People
Gillbert’s journey started with a public idea.
The Natural Robotics Contest, run by Dr. Robert Siddall and his team at the University of Surrey, invited people from around the world to submit ideas for environmentally beneficial robots inspired by nature. The winning concept came from Eleanor Mackintosh, a university student who sketched a robotic fish that filters microplastics through gill-like structures.
The judges loved it. And rather than filing the idea away in a drawer, the Surrey team built it — making it the centerpiece of their 2022 robotics initiative.
Even more exciting? The entire design has been made open source. Anyone with access to a 3D printer and basic electronics can build their own version. That means citizen scientists, educators, and nonprofits like EcoServants could one day build and deploy robotic fish to clean local waterways — from polluted urban rivers to rural lakes and canals.
How It Works: Gillbert’s Anatomy
Let’s break it down:
- Body: Made from 3D-printed ABS plastic and sealed to be waterproof. The glowing elements? That’s phosphorescent PLA — so the fish lights up at night.
- Tail: Controlled by smart servos for propulsion. It mimics a real fish’s caudal fin, generating natural swimming motion.
- Gills: Side flaps that open and close to expel filtered water. Inside are fine mesh filters that trap microplastics as small as 2 mm.
- Sensors: Includes motion-tracking gyros, a turbidity sensor to detect particle density, and light sensors for navigation.
- Control: Powered by an Arduino board and controlled wirelessly. In future versions, the team plans to make it fully autonomous.
This elegant, biomimetic design has already been tested in lakes in the UK, and the researchers are exploring larger field trials.
How It Aligns With EcoServants’ Mission
At EcoServants®, we believe that the solutions to climate and pollution crises will come from collaboration, creativity, and a deep respect for nature’s design.
The robo-fish embodies this perfectly.
It’s:
- Youth-driven: Created by a student, built by a university team, and aimed at inspiring new generations of eco-innovators.
- Open-source: Just like our Invasive Plant Field Guide, it’s designed to be shared, improved, and used by communities everywhere.
- Nature-inspired: We constantly teach our interns and volunteers to look to nature for design, balance, and function. This robot literally swims that talk.
- Scalable: As the fish is refined and improved, it could be deployed in swarms to cover larger regions — just like how we scale up cleanups by mobilizing local volunteers.
This is the kind of tech we want to one day integrate into our programs — and maybe even help build, thanks to our Tech Development Interns, research fellows, and global volunteer base.
Want to Help Build the Future?
You don’t need a robotics lab to make a difference. You just need passion, commitment, and a desire to act.
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💚 Donate to Support Innovation and Cleanups
Your support helps us fund next-generation projects, mobilize global interns, and keep plastic out of our ecosystems:
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From cleanup crews to research interns, we have a role for everyone:
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Sources and Further Reading
- University of Surrey. “Robotics researchers turn the public’s ideas into ‘robo-fish’ reality.”
- Siddall, R. et al. The Natural Robotics Contest: Crowdsourced Biomimetic Design. arXiv:2210.11449 (2022)
- New Atlas. “Student-designed plastic-gulping fish wins bioinspired robotics contest.”
- Interesting Engineering. “Plastic-eating robo-fish is finally here to rid our waters of waste.”
- DesignBoom. “3D robot fish designed by student sucks microplastics from waterways.”
- The Guardian. “Scientists unveil bionic robo-fish to remove microplastics from seas.”
- Fox Weather. “Meet Gillbert: The robotic fish designed to help clean plastic from our waterways.”
- LinkedIn, W. Porntipworawech. “UK researchers develop robotic fish that eats microplastics.”