Forabot: Fossil-sorting robot to make it easier to study oceans, climate

Source: The post is based on the article “Fossil-sorting robot to make it easier to study oceans, climate” published in Down To Earth on 15th December 2022

What is the News?

Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed and demonstrated a robot called Forabot that is capable of sorting, manipulating and identifying microscopic marine fossils.

What is Forabot?

Forabot is a robot for the identification and sorting of foraminifera (single-celled organisms with shells). 

It is capable of identifying six different types of foram and processing 27 forams per hour. The robot’s AI uses images to identify the type of foram and sorts it accordingly.

Significance: Currently, physical inspection and sorting of forams require human time and effort. With an accuracy rate of 79%, Forabot automates this tedious process.

What is Foraminifera?

Foraminifera (forams) are very simple microorganisms that secrete a tiny shell.

They have existed on the ocean floor for more than 100 million years.

Importance: Different types of foram species thrive in the ocean environment. They leave behind their shells when they die.

Examining these shells gives scientists an insight into the characteristics of the oceans from a time when the forams were alive.