Wave Glider - ROBOTS: Your Guide to the World of Robotics

The Wave Glider is an autonomous marine robot designed to gather ocean data. It uses the energy of the waves for propulsion and solar panels to generate power for on-board computing and sensors.
Wave Glider began as a project listening to humpback whales in real-time off the coast of Hawaii.
Capable of operating autonomously for months at a time without fuel. System composed of three parts: the float at the surface, 8-meter umbilical line, and a sub under water. Can be equipped with a range of sensors to perform missions for marine science, commercial, and defense applications.
Camera, CTD (conductivity, temperature, and depth) sensor, wave sensor, weather station, fluorometer, hydrophone, acoustic Doppler current profiler sonar, marine acoustics sensors.
One stepper motor (to control rudder position).
Float made of e-glass pre-preg composite with foam cores. Glider consists of stainless steel frame and fiberglass wings, with a titanium "thrudder."
Central control unit, plus other processors and controllers based on customer requirements
On-board: custom control software. Shore-side software: Web-based system.
Mechanical conversion of wave energy into forward propulsion. On-board electronics and sensors powered via solar panels and batteries.