MTR100: Liquid Robotics
(Image: Liquid Robotics)
Liquid Robotics is a leader in long duration, unmanned ocean robots, with its Wave Gliders deployed across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic, travelling more than 1.1 million nautical miles to collecting some 131 million ocean measurements, operated through 17 hurricanes – having done all of this using only wave and solar energies; no fuel, no emissions.
A private, venture backed company located in Silicon Valley, Liquid Robotics was founded in 2007 by Joe Rizzi and Roger Hine, who invented the company’s signature product: the Wave Glider. Initially created to capture the singing of Humpback Whales and communicate the whale songs to shore, Wave Glider’s span of applications has grown to into the defense, maritime security, science, and oil and gas markets.
Designed and manufactured by Liquid Robotics, the Wave Glider is the world’s first wave and solar powered ocean robot, harvesting 100% of its operational power from renewable energies – without fuel, emissions or personnel. The Wave Glider is composed of the float and a sub with wings. Connected by 8-m tether, the float is on the surface of the ocean where conditions are the harshest with the sub below where it is calm. It converts the up and down motion of the waves into forward thrust, while solar energy powers the onboard computing, communications, navigation and sensor payloads. By removing the dependency on fossil fuels, the Wave Glider is able to stay at sea for months and up to a year at a time enabling long duration missions over time spans and distances never before possible.
Liquid Robotics works with global partners to create industry specific solutions, including notable partnerships with industry giants Boeing and Leidos for defense as well as Schlumberger for oil and gas.
1329 Moffett Park Drive, Sunnyvale, CA 94089
Phone: 408-636-4200
Email: [email protected]
www.liquid-robotics.com
CEO/President: Gary Gysin
Number Of Employees: 106
Engeneering Director: Roger Hine, CTO
Acres: 5
Square Footage: 20,000
(As published in the July/August 2016 MTR100 edition of Marine Technology Reporter)
February 2024
