Robosquirrel
Robosquirrel refers to several versions of robotic squirrels developed by researchers at the University of California, Davis and San Diego State University. Robosquirrel is currently in use and development in an interdisciplinary research project that uses biorobotics to investigate how communication between prey (e.g., squirrels) and predators (e.g., rattlesnakes) evolve in response to each other. It has received extensive science and popular media coverage. It stirred controversy when Senator Tom Coburn listed it in his Wastebook 2012 as a scientific research project that wastes United States federal tax dollars. Senator Coburn's release of Wastebook 2012 was quickly picked up by the popular media and the robosquirrel project was the headline of many media stories.The robosquirrel research project, in which robosquirrel is used and developed, has four aims: (1) to establish collaborations between ecologists and engineers to develop next generation robotic technology for studying predator-prey communication behavior, (2) to increase minority participation in science, (3) to develop public outreach, and (4) to support undergraduate and graduate education in biology and engineering.