Robots set a record range of movement in the ocean

Four robot set a world record distance of movement of water among the automatic machines.

The previous record, which stood at 4630 kilometers, it was possible to beat the device under the name PacX Wave Glider, manufactured by U.S. company Liquid Robotics. Wave glider translates to English as "water glider."

Journey, which began November 17, 2011 in the port of San Francisco, lasted 4 months. During this time, the robots covered the distance of 5926 kilometers and reached the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific. On the way robots are faced with waves of eight meters and a constant strong wind - the phenomena that are typical for regions of the ocean, where they visited.

"We are proud that our robots have reached their goal in Hawaii and managed to break the world record - says Edward Lu (Edward Lu), head of the innovative programs in the company of Liquid Robotics. - I have no doubt that lie ahead new discoveries obtained by robots PacX. Our devices have advantages such as mobility and autonomy, which allows to remove all pre-existing limitations on the study of the ocean. "

According to the developers, the robots have to go into unexplored areas above the ocean and collect information on the oxidation of water, as well as reducing the number of shoals of fish.

In achieving these goals will help them to machines autonomy and unique design. The fact that robots do not need additional sources of supply: to move, they use unlimited energy of ocean waves.

Solar panels installed on the machines, fed by numerous sensors that monitor weather, and every 10 minutes, analyze water samples for temperature, salinity, fluorescence, and the amount of dissolved oxygen (zatemeti data is transmitted to the satellite).

Each robot consists of several parts. The upper part is adapted for movement on the surface of the water like a surfboard. The lower part is a special device designed for converting wave energy into energy of motion.

The devices are PacX names and nicknames of famous explorers of the ocean. One of them - "Papa Mau" or the "Index of the way" - named after a Micronesian navigator Payesa "Mau" Piylega (Pius "Mau"), which is known as a scholar and teacher of traditional methods of orientation in the ocean (navigation by the stars, clouds, wind and so on).

Following the teachings of Micronesians, the device is "Papa Mau" is not used to guide any navigational instruments. Programmed to move in the harbor Kavaye (Kawaihae Harbor) on the island of Hawaii is a robot, ignoring all the difficulties, reached the goal, using as a guide only the coordinates of the destination.

Island of Hawaii - not the ultimate goal of automatic travel. Then the way they split. Two robots are sent to Japan, crossing in its path Mariana Trench (the deepest place of the planet), and two more will have to get to Australia.

As a result, PacX will be the distance of about 16,688 kilometers in length. Thus, they can beat the record for the long journey automatic device, which was raised, and unmanned aerial vehicle was 13,840 kilometers.