Ocean Robot Sets Record By Swimming From The US To Australia

While robots do lots of great things in the world of manufacturing, you really don't hear about them as much as one would have predicted 30 years ago. We kinda thought we'd be married to one by now.

Despite a glaring deficit of robot brides, one robot did just pull of a pretty impressive, non-assembly-line feat this week. A surf board-sized 'bot named Papa Mau has managed to swim from San Francisco to Australia powered only by the waves and the sun.

Granted, it did take the little fellow a year and three days to complete the journey. So you won't exactly be hopping a 'bot to Sydney anytime soon, but the 10,000 mile trip across the Pacific is the longest robot swim ever recorded.

Papa Mau faced dangers like sharks and cloudy days, and during the long voyage it collected scientific data.

“The vehicle actually surprised me by the condition it was in when we pulled it out,” said Graham Hine, senior vice president of product management of Liquid Robotics, who built Papa Mau. “The paint was scuffed and there was some wear on the bushings but other than that and a few critters attached here and there it could have kept going.”

While the Papa Mau wasn't interviewed, we suspect it would have reported that it wasn't even tired.