Derek Paley has always been captivated by how shoals of fish move fluidly as a cohesive group, almost as if a single organism. Paley is applying his long-standing source of inspiration to the cooperative control of autonomous vehicles.
Fish are particularly interesting for Paley because of their sensory system. He explains that fish have a lateral line system, which is a series of sensors located on their exterior, sometimes appearing on their side as a stripe. With their lateral line sense, fish can perceive the direction and speed of nearby water flow, as well as predators and other obstacles. Paley is equally intrigued by the propulsion system of fish: flapping may be even more efficient than having a propellor.
