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In the top image of the article the Liquid Robotics wave glider is pictured, which is interesting because James Gosling is the chief software architect. It's a really cool platform (disclaimer: I work at Liquid Robotics).

Well, you are unlikely to be the *only* one who doesn't think this is all that impressive, because you're unlikely to be the only one who didn't read the article or looking up the device on the company's website.

The robot in question is designed to capture energy from surface waves for propulsion. So it is not a deep submersible, it waddles along a six meters below the surface, tethered to a streamlined surface buoy that it drags along and uses to capture wave energy. Making it through a major storm is a significant proof-of-concept for such a system.

This is another Liquid Robotics Wave Glider. It's a simple, clever propulsion idea, which is well-explained on the web site. The only powered mechanical part is a rudder. A GPS provides position, solar panels provide power for the electronics, and an Iridium satellite link provides command and control. It's about the size of a surfboard.

Performance is surprisingly good. Wave gliders have been sent from Hawaii to California, then up to Alaska and back. It can generally stay within 50 meters of the desired track. It's too small and light to hurt anything operating in open ocean. The Coast Guard classifies it as "floating debris", so it doesn't have to show lights.

It's also useful when you simply want to park an instrument package in one location. It's much easier than anchoring a buoy in deep water. They had one in Monterey Bay for months, making small circles to stay in one area.

Stupid ibtimes link is educated stupid.

So this thing has graduated from hunting great white sharks to hurricanes in less than a week?!!

These wave gliders are surprisingly fast: 0.4 to 2.0 knots!

Is it really too hard to put a link to the details? Wave Glider Description

So this guy is going to send a 20 inch long model boat across the Atlantic. Right.

The Liquid Robotics Wave Gliders already travel around the world's oceans autonomously. Liquid Robotics sent Wave Gliders from Hawaii to California, then up to Alaska and back. The Wave Glider looks like a surfboard, and trails an underwater "glider". As wave action moves the surfboard up and down, the gliders's spring-loaded vanes pull it forward. The glider has a powered rudder, the only moving part. The surfboard has solar panels, a computer, a GPS, a compass, and an Iridium satellite phone. Wave gliders have been through major storms without problems. Control is good enough that they generally stay within 50 meters of the programmed track. The U.S.Coast Guard classifies them as "floating debris", so they don't have to show lights. They're no more of a threat to ships than a loose surfboard.

The "Rasberry PI", after all, is simply a board which takes a quite good IC and brings out the pins to connectors. It's not like the Rasberry PI people developed the Broadcom BCM2835.

Also, not being powered by anthing more than the waves themselves, I am sure they are subject to the ocean currents.

Actually, they tend to stay within 50 meters of their programmed track. I've seen a presentation by the developers. They have a GPS and follow waypoints, and they have an Iridium satellite phone link. As long as there's a little wind to produce even light chop, they get enough energy from wave motion to overcome ocean currents.

I believe the term you're looking for is "circumference," and the circumference of Earth is around ~40,000 km.

Also, according to their website, they will not be just traveling from point A to point B. Scientists use buzzwords and "wow!" statements in their research, too, so I imagine that 33,000 nm journey also includes the journey back to California.

During their 33,000 nautical mile journey, the Wave Gliders will travel across some of the world’s most challenging environments. The Wave Gliders will begin their journey together to Hawaii, and then split into pairs, one pair continuing to Japan (over the Mariana Trench, where Virgin Oceanic will complete the first of its Five Deep Dives) and the other pair to Australia.

He's gone to a cool little company: Liquid Robotics - http://liquidr.com/. Check out the careers section and you'll find that only US citizens need apply. Not surprisingly there must be some very interesting DOD applications for the technology. Nothing wrong with that, just a bit disappointing somehow.

I've met some of the Wave Glider people. The things already have an Iridium uplink, and can be given waypoint lists to follow. They generally stay within about 50 meters of the desired track. They're simple, robust, and effective. They've been sent from Hawaii to Monterey Bay, then up to Alaska and back. The only powered moving part is the rudder. See the link above for how they move.

I don't know what they need Gosling for, though. Their present software seems to be quite effective.

The "autonomous boats" are very small, and most of the mass is actually a fair distance below the surface, tethered to a surface float. If there's a collision, even with a very small ocean-going sailboat, it seems very likely that the sailboat is going to win...

You can look at Liquid Robotic's (brief) Waver Glider specifications page for a bit more detail (mostly in this PDF file).

The "autonomous boats" are very small, and most of the mass is actually a fair distance below the surface, tethered to a surface float. If there's a collision, even with a very small ocean-going sailboat, it seems very likely that the sailboat is going to win...

You can look at Liquid Robotic's (brief) Waver Glider specifications page for a bit more detail (mostly in this PDF file).

The "autonomous boats" are very small, and most of the mass is actually a fair distance below the surface, tethered to a surface float. If there's a collision, even with a very small ocean-going sailboat, it seems very likely that the sailboat is going to win...

You can look at Liquid Robotic's (brief) Waver Glider specifications page for a bit more detail (mostly in this PDF file).

Can this robot hold a position, or return to a position upon surfacing and learning its position? Or is at the mercies of the ocean currents as to where it ends up?

No, it can't. It can adjust its depth; that's all.

Compare the Wave Glider, from Liquid Robotics. This is a privately funded product. It has two parts, a surface "floater" that looks like a surfboard, and a tethered "glider", which hangs below it, about 10m underwater. Wave action on the floater pulls the glider up, and gravity brings it down. Spring-loaded ailerons move the glider forward, powered by the wave motion, and it tows the floater. A rudder on the glider allows steering. The floater has solar panels, a GPS, and an Iridium satellite data link.

The Wave Glider is not only autonomous and self-powered, but can make long trips under control. First they sent one all the way around the Big Island in Hawaii. Worked fine. Then they sent it from Hawaii to California. This took a while; it averages around 1 knot; more in storms, less in calm weather. In storms, the floater is pulled through waves, like a surfboard, and comes out unharmed. They picked it up in Monterey Bay, saw that it was in good condition, and sent it back out again. They parked it in Monterey Bay for a while, circling in a 50 meter circle. Then they sent it back out again on an trip to Alaska and back.

The Wave Glider generally stays within about 50m of its programmed course. The Coast Guard treats it as "floating debris", and it doesn't show lights. If something hits it, it's like running over a surfboard. The control center on shore (a laptop with an Iridium phone) gets ship tracking data, and they guide the Wave Gliders out of the way of large ships.

No way, they are/will be using the unmanned submersible robots (http://www.liquidr.com/ and http://www.stanford.edu/class/ee380/Abstracts/091028.html) for their high risk payloads. The logistical chain must be unbroken for the profits to come. This thing is used after a hard day at the cocaine plants and shady offices to get really high.

Just check out the photo gallery. These babies can withstand a whale attack.

Wave Gliders, from Liquid Robotics, have already made autonomous trips from Hawaii to California. They sent one up the coast from California to Alaska and back. They could probably do the Atlantic, but they're based in Hawaii, so they tend to work the Pacific Ocean.

Those are cute little machines. There are two parts; the floater, which looks like a surfboard with solar panels, and the glider, which is tethered to the floater by a cable of about 10 meters. The gilder has elevator-like flaps, which are spring-loaded to return to center. As wave action moves the floater up, the pull on the cable pulls the glider upward too, which forces the flaps down. The water pushing against the flaps pushes the glider forward, towing the floater. On down waves, the glider sinks further, the flaps are pushed up, and in that position, the falling glider then pulls the floater forward.

Wave Gliders have only one powered moving part, the rudder. That's on the glider. Up top, on the floater, there's a GPS, a compass, an Iridium transceiver, and a microcontroller. This is enough to keep the Wave Glider on course. It normally stays within 50m of the desired track, and averages about 1 knot; more in storms, less on calm days. Storms don't bother it too much; the glider pulls the floater through big waves, like a surfboard.

It only takes a few watts to run the electronics and keep the Wave Glider on course. The solar panels and a rechargeable battery provide that. So there's nothing to run out of. It just keeps going.