The robots are known as miniature autonomous underwater explorers (M-AUE). Each one is about the size of a grapefruit and is designed to behave like the plankton it will help researchers understand.

But 20 years is a long time in robotics, and now with the help of his colleague Jules Jaffe, Franks has his hands on robotic versions of plankton that can help to answer some of his questions.

All the Latest Game Footage and Images from SpongeBob SquarePants: Plankton's Robotic Revenge Plankton and his new legion of evil robots have destroyed the Krusty Krab and stolen the safe that ...

Along with Peter Franks and other colleagues, Jaffe sent out a 16-unit swarm of underwater robots the size of grapefruits, each one designed to mimic plankton swimming behavior underwater.

When plankton pass over the sensor, they cast two shadows. “So by taking two pictures, one with each LED, you can get the 3-D position of all the plankton in a drop of water on the image sensor ...

The robot, known as the In Situ Ichthyoplankton Imaging System (ISIIS) scans seawater as it moves through the ocean, recording the shadows cast by plankton using a very high resolution digital sensor.

Battery life always limits the usefulness of mobile gadgets – and robotic submarines are no exception. If such subs are ever going to undertake lengthy missions such as those envisaged by the US ...

The robots are known as miniature autonomous underwater explorers (M-AUE). Each one is about the size of a grapefruit and is designed to behave like the plankton it will help researchers understand.

Summary Plankton and his new legion of evil robots have destroyed the Krusty Krab and stolen the safe that houses the famous Krabby Patty formula! It’s up to you to locate the hidden keys for ...