Friday, February 8, 2008

Self Propelled Water Glider Draws Power from the Water


This seagoing glider is a particularly interesting piece of equipment. It is described as a “green robot” for the reason that it is powered entirely by the temperature fluctuations occurring at different depths in the water that it is used in. This gives it a limitless power source and an incredible lifespan. According to U.S. based researchers involved in the program:
They said the glider had crisscrossed the 13,000-feet-(4,000-meter-)deep Virgin Islands Basin between St. Thomas and St. Croix more than 20 times since it was launched in December.And it could keep going on its own for another six months, the team at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and Webb Research Corporation in Falmouth, Massachusetts, predicted.
Virtually limitless power, self propulsion, glider robots and it is not even April 1. It has all the properties of an outstanding host, except for the fact that it comes from a highly reputable source. This is a true engineering marvel and I hope it gets the recognition that it deserves.

No comments: