SoFi’s lightweight setup includes a single camera, a motor, and the same lithium polymer battery that can be found in consumer smartphones. (Image Credit: Robert Katzschmann/MIT CSAIL)

The Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) at MIT unveiled a soft robotic fish, “SoFi”. The robot is intended to photograph rare marine organisms up close by fitting into the crowd of animals underwater, mimicking the motions of swimming fish.

According to the report at MIT News, “The entire back half of the fish is made of silicone rubber and flexible plastic, and several components are 3-D-printed, including the head, which holds all of the electronics. To reduce the chance of water leaking into the machinery, the team filled the head with a small amount of baby oil, since it’s a fluid that will not compress from pressure changes during dives.”

For more on SoFi, watch the video below. Or, read the article and view images at MIT News.