Mini Wave Glider
From 757Labs
Mini Wave Glider
We should make a Mini Wave Glider; a scaled down version of Liquid Robotics Autonomous Wave Glider (their's is roughly surfboard size, we should make one 1/4 to 1/2 that size.) Simply put, it converts the up/down motion of waves to forward thrust (free locomotion.) Liquid Robotics has demonstrated long duration missions of over 2500 miles and over 400 days without any intervention. We could start small and work our way up, but ultimately have it autonomously cruse up & down the east coast (or if we're really brave, cross the Atlantic.)
- Solar power recharges batteries
- Guided by GPS
- Reports location and sensor data by APRS
See...
http://LiquidR.com/files/2011/05/WaveGlider_Web.pdf
http://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=eATawqVOXWI
http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=7,371,136.PN.&OS=PN/7,371,136&RS=PN/7,371,136 (You can copy patents, as long as you don't profit from it i.e. free for personal use.)
