# Oil Spill-Cleaning Bots The MIT Seaswarm Robots Can Clean the BP Oil Spill in a Month By Josh Milenthal | Published 2010-08-31 | Eco Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mit-seaswarm-robots References: [engadget](http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/27/mit-seaswarm-autonomous-robots-coming-soon-to-an-oil-spill-near/) & [senseable.mit.edu](http://senseable.mit.edu/seaswarm/) The newest project out of MIT: Seaswarm robots that are designed to act like a "legion of seagoing Roombas" that skim the ocean surface to pick up oil. The robots are each outfitted with a GPS and Wi-Fi capability to track location and communicate within a swarm. Trailing a thin, hydrophobic material that can soak up twenty times its weight in oil, the robots would have been able to clean up the Gulf of Mexico's oil spill in a mere month using a swarm of 5,000. The way the MIT Seaswarm robots work is by finding a spill, and slowly working their way from the edges to the center. They are also reusable, making them an eco-friendly choice for a serious problem. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.3/10 - Popularity: 32% | Activity: 58% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Eco](https://www.trendhunter.com/eco) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Robotic Oil Spill Cleaners:** Opportunity for developing more advanced robotic systems to efficiently clean up oil spills in a shorter time frame. - **Swarm Robotics:** Potential for utilizing swarm robotics technology to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of environmental cleanup operations. - **Eco-friendly Solutions:** Growing demand for sustainable and reusable technologies to tackle environmental challenges like oil spills. ### Who This Affects Most - **Robotics:** Promising disruptive innovation opportunities in the development and application of robotic systems for environmental cleanup. - **Environmental Services:** Opportunity for companies in the environmental services industry to adopt and provide specialized oil spill cleanup solutions. - **Materials Science:** Potential for advancements in hydrophobic materials to create more effective oil-absorbing substances for use in oil spill cleaning equipment. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Sea Urchin-Sucking Robots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/marine-robot.md) - [Oyster-Harvesting Water Robots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/water-robot.md) - [Sonar Technology Pool Cleaners](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pool-cleaner-robot.md) - [Sea Mine-Destroying Robots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/minedestroying-underwater-robots.md) - [Swimming Pool Maintenance Robots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/swimming-pool-maintenance.md) - [Self-Cleaning Pool Robots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/beatbot-aquasense-x-ai-robotic-pool-cleaner.md) - [Battery-Powered Spa Cleaners](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/spabot.md) - [Self-Removing Robotic Pool Cleaners](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mammotion-spino-s1-pro.md) - [Mini Desktop Vacuum Cleaners](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mopy.md)