TightWind is written by Kyle Baxter. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

Wave Gliders are semi-autonomous robots that turn wave energy into forward motion and conduct scientific tests using on-board sensors:

The sensors on the Wave Gliders can be customized to serve the needs of government, academic and industry clients that buy gliders for their own purposes. The gliders crossing the Pacific are loaded with a standardized payload that includes sensors for wind, wave height and direction, temperature, depth, and dissolved oxygen. There’s also a fluorometer for detecting crude oil and chlorophyll-A levels, which indicate the abundance of algal growth or petroleum in the water.

This is a must-read. These gliders can travel around indefinitely because they use solar panels to re-charge their batteries, and only need to power a rudder for steering, satellite communications, and the sensors.

Fascinating idea. I can’t be the only one who wants to try to build one, either.