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Shark powered turbines

 Recharge batteries on Shark Tracking Devices
  (+9)(+9)
(+9) 		  [vote for,
against]

Australia [link] and other countries often affix battery-powered tracking devices onto sharks for research and public safety purposes. It is not a trivial effort to catch an individual shark in order to affix the tag. These tagging devices are good for several years until the battery fails at which point they become useless.

This invention adds a small turbine to the device which, when powered by the shark's never-ending swimming, recharges the battery. It should be small enough to not impede the animals swimming but large enough to provide the trickle charge. Blockages caused by seaweed, etcetera would be an issue but a small cone-shaped cage on the front might alleviate the problem. Eventually the blockage should clear and re-charging commence.

—AusCan531, Oct 26 2013

Electronic Tags monitor Great White's presence. http://www.news.com...i5thn-1226747291071
Not that it helped much in this case! [AusCan531, Oct 26 2013]

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       A slightly scaled-up version of this could solve the perennial problem of how to power the frickin' lasers. [+]
—Wrongfellow, Oct 26 2013
   

       Oh good (+). I was picturing wind turbines from the title and thought this was maybe a prelude to Sharknado.   

       If I hear the words "frickin laser" one more time I'm going to go on a murdering spree.
—Voice, Oct 26 2013
   

       Then please read aloud the following phrase:   

       "...
—Alterother, Oct 26 2013
   

       [+]   

       Given that sea water is electrically conductive, would this be possible without mechanical movement? I mean, I like turbines as much as anyone, but eliminating moving parts would help with the seaweed problem.
—the porpoise, Oct 26 2013
   

       Better than kangaroo on a treadmill.   

       Who is the end user: the shark?
—popbottle, Oct 26 2013
   

       Did you do that on the porpoise?   

       I think you should just hire the remoras to check in more frequently and report on the location of their hosts.
—jurist, Oct 27 2013
   

       That's finny.
—normzone, Oct 27 2013
   

       Biting humour.
—AusCan531, Oct 27 2013
   

       For great whites and several others you don't need a battery at all since they basically never stop swimming.
—scad mientist, Oct 28 2013
   

       If this were reversible at times of need, it could be used to provide extra thrust to the shark. That might help improve acceptibility.
—bungston, Oct 28 2013
   

       //Better than kangaroo on a treadmill.// Marked-for-tagline.
—Canuck, Oct 28 2013
   

       //might improve acceptability.//   

       I don't believe that the sharks are asked their opinions about wearing the devices.
—AusCan531, Oct 28 2013
   

       Or maybe it's a decoy operation. We track that shark all around the world and conclude that they spend their time traveling across the open ocean, but really most of them are lurking ready to strike. When it looks like we're going on a hunting/taging expedition, one of the sharks that is already tagged lets himself get caught to protect the others.   

       They say shark attacks are rare, but we only hear about them if there are survivors.
—scad mientist, Oct 29 2013
   

       If the turbine could also be used to flip the shark over, which disables the shark (as shown on a bbc program I once watched) it could also save lives and limbs. but then that would be Turbine powered Sharks, not exactly this idea's title.
—pashute, Oct 29 2013
   

       Snark powered turbines.
—the porpoise, Oct 29 2013
   


 

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