Systems for real-time wave monitoring, which provide real-time updates of wave conditions to users who wish to access the beach for leisure or sporting activities, are described. One example system includes a plurality of buoys and a transceiver. Each of the plurality of buoys includes a sensor array configured to continuously monitor one or more characteristics of the wave conditions, and the transceiver is configured to transmit, to a remote server, information corresponding to the one or more characteristics of the wave conditions over a wireless communication channel. The information from each of the plurality of buoys is combined with a user preference to provide a user with a message regarding the wave conditions in response to a user request, and a duration between the user request and transmission of the information from each of the plurality of buoys is less than a predetermined value.

The present disclosure provides a small, inexpensive, long-lived underwater beacon locator. The beacon locator can illustratively include a housing, a communications link, a processor, a plurality of hydrophones and a motion generator.

A buoyant hydrodynamic pump is disclosed that can float on a surface of a body of water over which waves tend to pass. The pump incorporates an open-bottomed tube with a constriction. The tube partially encloses a substantial volume of water with which the tube's constriction interacts, creating and/or amplifying oscillations therein in response to wave action. Wave-driven oscillations result in periodic upward ejections of portions of the water inside the tube that can be collected in a reservoir that is at least partially positioned above the mean water level of the body of water, or pressurized by compressed air or gas, or both. Water within such a reservoir may return to the body of water via a turbine, thereby generating electrical power (making the device a wave engine), or else the device's pumping action can be used for other purposes such as water circulation, propulsion, or cloud seeding.

A buoyant hydrodynamic pump is disclosed that can float on a surface of a body of water over which waves tend to pass. The pump incorporates an open-bottomed tube with a constriction. The tube partially encloses a substantial volume of water with which the tube's constriction interacts, creating and/or amplifying oscillations therein in response to wave action. Wave-driven oscillations result in periodic upward ejections of portions of the water inside the tube that can be collected in a reservoir that is at least partially positioned above the mean water level of the body of water, or pressurized by compressed air or gas, or both. Water within such a reservoir may return to the body of water via a turbine, thereby generating electrical power (making the device a wave engine), or else the device's pumping action can be used for other purposes such as water circulation, propulsion, or cloud seeding.

A buoyant hydrodynamic pump is disclosed that can float on a surface of a body of water over which waves tend to pass. The pump incorporates an open-bottomed tube with a constriction. The tube partially encloses a substantial volume of water with which the tube's constriction interacts, creating and/or amplifying oscillations therein in response to wave action. Wave-driven oscillations result in periodic upward ejections of portions of the water inside the tube that can be collected in a reservoir that is at least partially positioned above the mean water level of the body of water, or pressurized by compressed air or gas, or both. Water within such a reservoir may return to the body of water via a turbine, thereby generating electrical power (making the device a wave engine), or else the device's pumping action can be used for other purposes such as water circulation, propulsion, or cloud seeding.

A water buoy data system transfers shoaling status. Water buoys sense water characteristics at a location. The water buoys wirelessly transfer data messages that indicate the water characteristics at the location for delivery to a computer system. The computer system receives the data messages wirelessly transferred by the water buoys that indicate the water characteristics at the location. The computer system generates and transfers the shoaling status for the location based on the water characteristics at the location.

Water buoys sense water characteristics and wirelessly transfer the water characteristics for delivery to a computer system. The computer system receives the water characteristics wirelessly transferred by the water buoys. The computer system receives a location and a user water condition preference transferred by a user communication device. The computer system processes the water characteristics, the location, and the user water condition preference, and in response, generates and transfers water condition information for the location for delivery to the user communication device.

A water buoy data system stabilizes an offshore vessel. Water buoys sense wind characteristics and water characteristics at a location of the vessel. The water buoys wirelessly transfer data messages that indicate the wind characteristics and water characteristics at the location of the vessel for delivery to a computer system. The computer system receives the data messages wirelessly transferred by the water buoys that indicate the wind characteristics and the water characteristics at the location of the vessel. The computer system determines wave forces based on the wind characteristics and the water characteristics at the location of the vessel. The computer system indicates the wave forces to control vessel engine thrusters to counter the wave forces and stabilize the vessel.

A buoyant hydrodynamic pump is disclosed that can float on a surface of a body of water over which waves tend to pass. The pump incorporates an open-bottomed tube with a constriction. The tube partially encloses a substantial volume of water with which the tube's constriction interacts, creating and/or amplifying oscillations therein in response to wave action. Wave-driven oscillations result in periodic upward ejections of portions of the water inside the tube that can be collected in a reservoir that is at least partially positioned above the mean water level of the body of water, or pressurized by compressed air or gas, or both. Water within such a reservoir may return to the body of water via a turbine, thereby generating electrical power (making the device a wave engine), or else the device's pumping action can be used for other purposes such as water circulation, propulsion, or cloud seeding.

A hybrid energy harvesting system for powering underwater vehicles having at least one thermal engine, at least one of a solar or a wave energy harvester, and a battery which stores electric energy produced by the harvesters. The energy harvesters keep the battery charged and thereby expand an underwater vehicle's operational areas to high latitudes and shallow water. Multiple thermal engines employing different phase-change materials can be used to expand the vehicle's working temperature range and thus allow it to operate over a larger area. An electric motor powered by the battery and a pump driven by the motor can be used to pump hydraulic fluid between the accumulators and external bladders of the thermal engines to cause the vehicle to descend and ascend when the thermal gradient to which the vehicle is subjected is insufficient.