a robot anchovy with optional human remote control to shoal with the rest of them [realistic from the fish's point of veiw] and then switch on the remote and send it swimming in an unexpected direction and disrupt the fish, or perhaps move to the middle and move as a predator

then watch what chaos follows
-- technobadger, Sep 26 2001

Wouldn't this idea be better used to shoal anchovies into a net? For fishing... though every now and then someone might end up with a robot anchovey on their pizza.
-- finklestein, Sep 26 2001


technobadger! I would love to see this concept broadened to the world of social behavior. A robo-cultist which follows along with cult behavior to a point and then suddenly becomes nonconformist, for instance.
-- Dog Ed, Sep 26 2001


Pavlovs Anchovies
-- thumbwax, Sep 26 2001


Nonconformist robo-cultists were baked rather thoroughly in the '60's and '70's. Some of them went from burning bras to designing them; others never did get over it. They're the ones now deemed nonconformist by their 'turncoat' compatriots in the proletarian struggle against The Establishment.
-- UnaBubba, Sep 26 2001


There was a similar simulation of birds' flocking behaviour, using virtual birds called 'boids', possibly the best indication that researchers often have a well-developed sense of humour.
-- angel, Sep 27 2001


Thumbwax: How can you tell if a fish is drooling?

Thoity doity boids, sittin' on a coib, choipin' and boipin', eatin' doity oithwoims...
-- StarChaser, Sep 29 2001


Maybe it's just my weird body chemistry, but I find real anchovies to have kind of a metallic aftertaste.
-- cypherpunks, Oct 18 2001


All the mercury contamination...
-- StarChaser, Oct 18 2001


Imagine a robotic humpback whale...
-- croissantz, Aug 11 2004



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