Barnacles might seem to be a traditional, almost quaint accoutrement of sea-going vessels, but they’re actually a serious problem. The buildup of marine organisms on a ship’s hull, known as biofouling, can reduce its speed by up to 10 percent. To compensate for the drag, the ship may have to use as much as 40 percent more fuel. Ships have to be lifted into drydock for the removal of barnacles, and sometimes toxic hull coatings are used to prevent them from colonizing. Hopefully, a new innovation may make both of those approaches unnecessary – it’s an autonomous hull-cleaning robot…
Continue Reading US Navy developing autonomous underwater hull-cleaning robot
Tags: Boats,
Robotics,
Underwater,
US Navy
Related Articles:
- Fungus in hull paint may solve barnacle problem
- Noise-cancelling piezo-ceramic bearings
- New HEMPASIL X3 marine paint reduces fuel consumption
- Hobie Pedal Kayak
- Floating Dry Dock provides protection on the water
- US Navy orders Trimaran Littoral Combat Ship