Underwater speakers could be sunk into Scottish rivers to scare seals away from fragile populations of wild salmon amid fears over their future.
Scientists have been developing equipment that emits a noise seals find unpleasant.
Previous technology has relied on the devices being operated manually.
However, in a revolutionary step forward, a research team are now looking to use artificial intelligence to monitor sonar readings and set the speakers off every time the salmon-munching predators are detected.
The aim is to drive the seals away from sections of rivers where they can feed on Atlantic salmon amid a worrying decline in numbers of the fish.
The Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU) based at the University of St Andrews has just secured £160,000 of funding to test out a prototype device on an 80-mile section of the Dee flowing through Aberdeenshire.
If successful, the devices could be dropped into rivers that are home to critically endangered wild salmon.
The move comes after an initial trial of similar, albeit manually operated, equipment on the smaller River Esk showed promising results.
Anglers, fishery managers and conservationists have all raised concerns over falling numbers of Atlantic salmon in Scotland's once plentiful rivers.
The new technology will be used to deter hungry seals away from areas with wild salmon.
Underwater speakers mounted within a protective tube and attached to a sled constructed from steel tubing.
This prototype of an acoustic deterrent device has already proved successful.
Salmon stocks have fallen in many Scottish rivers with the blame attributed to factors including rising temperatures, water quality, physical barriers such as dams and weirs as well as sea lice and predation by seals.
Fishery protection officers have previously used jet skis to drag an acoustic device through the river, but the DDSFB said this had proved 'ineffective'.
One problem is that the seals are thought to return after the officers had left. It's hoped an automated system, using machine learning algorithms, operated 24 hours a day by AI would get around these issues.
Other fisheries managers are watching the project with great interest.