Researchers at Rennsaller are pioneering a new Solar-powered Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (SAUV) that looks like a car that was squashed by a big foot, but which should help allow for long-term exploration of the sea and lakes. The huge panels on the back of the vehicle will use the sun's power to replenish power as they are put to use for practical purposes like detecting chemical and biological trends in lakes, rivers, and waterways. The unmaned vehicles aren't exactly speedy, they travel at speeds of up to 2 miles per hour, but they can go as deep as 500 meters. Pretty interesting. (thanks Drew!)
