Collaborative research: comparative study of biohybrid jellyfish for ocean measurement

Roger Williams University received a $212,587 Project Grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Ocean Sciences under the Geosciences program (CFDA 47.050), effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2028. This collaborative research initiative develops biohybrid jellyfish instrumented with pressure and temperature sensors to address critical gaps in oceanographic monitoring of midwater regions. The project leverages four jellyfish species—moon jellyfish (Aurelia aurita), upside-down jellyfish (Cassiopeia sp.), sea nettles (Chrysaora sp.), and lagoon jellyfish (Mastigias sp.)—to create a novel, low-cost ocean measurement platform that exploits the organisms' natural propulsion capabilities and pressure tolerance as alternatives to traditional sampling methods such as ships, buoys, and autonomous underwater vehicles.

The primary deliverables encompass research findings on jellyfish neurophysiology, microelectronic pacemaker control systems, bioelectronic interfaces for movement regulation, and comparative efficiency analyses of biohybrid locomotion versus purely mechanical alternatives. Field validation studies will be conducted across diverse oceanographic regimes in the Florida Keys, Cape Cod, and Southern California. The project emphasizes interdisciplinary workforce development through K-12 educational engagement, hands-on neural control training, and advanced research opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students in biology, engineering, and environmental sensing disciplines.

Abstract

Vast midwater regions away from the surface and coasts remain largely unexplored and sparsely sampled, both temporally and spatially. This project develops biohybrid jellyfish instrumented with pressure and temperature sensors as a novel, low-cost platform for oceanographic measurement, addressing limitations of traditional methods such as ships, buoys, and autonomous underwater vehicles. Biohybrid jellyfish leverage natural propulsion and pressure tolerance to enable low-energy, scalable ocean monitoring. By electronically controlling their swimming, jellyfish can be directed for targeted environmental measurements. This research focuses on four species: aurelia aurita (moon jelly), cassiopeia SP. (upside-down jellyfish), chrysaora SP. (sea nettle), and mastigias SP. (lagoon jellyfish) that encompass a spectrum of distinct jellyfish morphologies and ecological adaptations. Field studies will occur in the florida keys, cape COD, and southern california in order to test the efficacy of biohybrids across different oceanic and environmental regimes. Activities are planned for engaging a broad audience including k-12 schools, undergraduate and graduate students, and the general public. The bioinspired robots would provide opportunities for k-12 students to learn about the principle of operation and hands-on experience on neural control. The project offers interdisciplinary training for early-career researchers in biology, engineering, and environmental sensing. This multidisciplinary project will pursue three key objectives. Studies of jellyfish neurophysiology will investigate microelectronic pacemaker control and develop bioelectronic interfaces for precise movement regulation in each species. Measurements of metabolism during robotic control will quantify energy costs of biohybrid locomotion and compare the measured efficiency with purely mechanical, robotic alternatives. Assessments of swimming performance will evaluate speed, maneuverability, and station-keeping ability in controlled laboratory testing facilities and in dynamic ocean environments. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are not planned for this award.