iRobot Seaglider Unmanned Robot Gets Updated

Anytime I hear the iRobot name I always think about the line of robot vacuum cleaners for the home. iRobot makes a lot more than just vacuum cleaners though. The company has announced that it has updated its Seaglider unmanned underwater vehicle. The photo here of the Seaglider is the previous version; images of the new updated robot are not available at the time of writing. The new robot has a payload capability that is doubled compared to the previous generation.

The original Seaglider has a payload of 2kg and the new version has a 4kg payload. The volume for the payload bay has greatly expanded too with 650% more than the original at 21,000 cubic centimeters. That gives the new version more space for sensors and larger sensors than previous versions.

The robot has five sensor payload ports that facilitate range of capabilities. There are new sensor options with a pumped sensor that can measure conductivity, temperature, and pressure with an optional pumped dissolved oxygen sensor. It also has a radiation sensor, echo sounder, and a current profiler sensor in development. The Seaglider can operate at 20 meter depths to as much as 1,000 meters. It can go on missions lasting 9 months without needing to replace batteries.