Massachusetts-based iRobot Corp. announced a newly configured Seaglider UUV at the Oceans ’11 conference.
The redesigned Seaglider UUV (unmanned underwater vehicle) now features significantly increased volume and mass payload capabilities. By doubling the payload mass to four kilograms and increasing the payload volume by 650 percent to over 21,000 cubic centimeters, researchers can integrate both larger sensors and a greater number of sensors with iRobot’s new UUV.
According to David Heinz, vice president of Maritime Systems at iRobot, “Researchers have expressed a need for more sensing capabilities on Seaglider, so that it can be used in a wider range of missions. This new configuration has allowed new sensors to be integrated with Seaglider, opening the door to future development efforts and potential new markets.”
According to the iRobot Maritime Robots Web site, Seaglider measures temperature, salinity and other quantities in the ocean and sends back data using global satellite telemetry. The UUV operates at depths between 20 meters and 1,000 meters and is reportedly the first UUV to complete a mission lasting longer than nine months without needing to replace its battery and the first to complete a mission covering more than 3,800 kilometers.
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