Fish farming is big business – the industry now produces about 100 million tonnes a year – and with salmon prices soaring, producers are turning to lasers, automation and artificial intelligence to boost production and cut costs.

How do you know if farmed salmon have had enough to eat?

Well, according to Lingalaks fish farms in Norway, which produce nearly three million salmon each year, the fish make less noise once the feeding frenzy is over.

The firm knows this thanks to a new hydro-acoustic system it has installed at one of its farms. The system listens to the salmon sloshing loudly about as they feed in a cluster. When the fish have had enough, they swim off and the noise lessens.

Source: BBC Technology News

Date: March 1st, 2018

Link: http://www.bbc.com/news/business-43032542

Discussion

1) The article talks about “robo-feeders”, but really all the feeders are doing is providing food at a certain time and then stopping when the noise decreases.  What other applications could there be for something like this?

2) How are lasers used to help salmon farmers?