Researchers have developed a small underwater robot that moves more efficiently by using the energy in water currents.
Instead of fighting against the flow, this robot “surfs” on water movements to reach its destination while using much less power.
Designed by scientists Peter Gunnarson and John O. Dabiri, the robot, called CARL, is about the size of a human palm.
It is equipped with ten small motors that allow it to move in different directions and a smart algorithm that helps it take advantage of water currents.
CARL was tested in a water tank that was 1.5 meters deep and 5 meters long. In the experiment, researchers created swirling water movements, called vortices, by pulsing a wall-mounted thruster.
CARL was programmed to detect strong crosscurrents and move in the same direction, riding the energy of the vortex instead of swimming against it.
The results were impressive. CARL traveled across the tank while using only one-fifth of the energy that a robot without this special programming would need. This means that underwater robots could become much more efficient in the future by learning to “surf” water currents instead of constantly using their own power to move.
According to the researchers, this technique could be improved and applied to other autonomous vehicles, helping them navigate oceans more efficiently.
Since energy is a major challenge for underwater robots, this breakthrough could make future robots more sustainable and allow them to travel longer distances with less battery use.
The study was published in PNAS Nexus and shows great potential for ocean exploration. With further research, scientists hope to develop robots that can operate for longer periods in deep waters, making underwater research and exploration more effective than ever before.
