Oil Spill Cleanup

I have no idea how feasible this is but the MIT association is encouraging:

http://senseable.mit.edu/seaswarm/

Watch the video to the end.

Looks great in concept, buts it's a mechanical device and mechanical devices need maintenance and can fail. If you have a fleet of these things patrolling the gulf you would need a fleet of tender ships to retrieve and repair them. And what about navigation, these things could be a threat to fishing boats, pleasure boats and cargo ships. But, at least the problem of future oil spills is being addressed and there are scientists looking for ways to clean them up.