Researchers have created an artificial gill that extracts oxygen from seawater to fuel cells, enabling robotic sea gliders or autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) to operate on long missions.

The innovation, by a team at Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon in Germany, employs a membrane technology and extracts oxygen from seawater—much like a fish’s gills.

A prototype based on a mathematical model was built and validated, creating a digital twin. Analysis shows it may outperform current battery-based power systems.

According to the team, their system, which uses hydrogen as fuel, is more sustainable than lithium batteries and extends the range of ocean gliders.

Image: NOAA, Unsplash