Save the Whales! The task of saving whales has become a tad bit easier with the new robot glider designed and created by Webb Research. The glider robot, called Slocum Glider, was used in a trial run to locate whale pods swimming in the ocean. It was sent 200 meters underwater along with radio satellite phone. After surveying the area and recording the whales pods it was able to locate it resurfaced and successfully sent back the data through the satellite phone.

The data gathered regarding the location of the whale pods will of course make it easier for conservationists and authorities to mark out the areas that should be closed of to vessels. Of course the implementation is altogether a different issue but since whale-packed territories will be specifically known then authorities can concentrate on these areas as opposed to having to patrol a larger area.

The Slocum Glider though not specifically designed to look for whale pods is actually perfect for the job since it has both long and short range capabilities. It is also designed to be able to patrol for weeks on end so that plans to use it to survey larger areas, which can take between five months to even about a year, is feasible especially after making future revisions including the use of a recharging gel. The glider’s stealth also makes it ideal since it doesn’t disturb the whales although when it is deployed next year you might be surprised to see a yellow torpedo bobbing up while you are on a fishing trip. Don’t panic. It just might be the Slocum Glider surfacing to send home its data.