Fish on Wheels is a very interesting Pcomp project invented by Dutch design collective Studio Diip.  They added wheels and sensors to a fish tank so that its inhabitant can drive it by swimming in a certain direction. The tank itself was controlled by Arduino, and the main method used to detect fish’s movement is computer vision, with the camera on the top of the tank.

How it works – As the fish swims around the transparent tank, a webcam positioned above the water tracks its movements – detecting the contrast between the fish and the bottom of the tank – and relays them to the Arduino. Using programming to mimic the fish’s movements by driving the vehicle in the same direction.

Image source and related article from Dezeen

I like this project because there is a goodwill behind it – “Our pet fish have always been limited to their water holding area known as ‘the fish tank’,” said Studio Diip, “In an attempt to liberate fish all over the world, the first self-driving car for fish has been developed.” Overall, the method used in this project is really simple but the outcome is humorous and inspiring.