CARL vs Wave Glider
Side-by-side comparison of CARL (Robotics Research Lab, Technische Universität Kaiserslautern) and Wave Glider (Liquid Robotics) — specs, pricing, Robolist Product Score, and verified deployments. Updated daily.
Optimize comparison for buyer
Optimized for Last-Mile Delivery buyers. Priority specs lifted to the top and marked with a target.
Layer 1: Identity & Trust
Manufacturer Country
- CARL—
- Wave GliderUnited States
Year First Available
- CARL2017
- Wave Glider2007
Verified Deployments
- CARL0 Deployments
- Wave Glider0 Deployments
Layer 2: Operational
Battery / Shift Runtime
- CARL3 hrs
- Wave Glider—
Availability Status
- CARLACTIVE
- Wave GliderACTIVE
Layer 3: Category Specific
Payload Capacity
- CARL5 kg
- Wave Glider215 kg
Max Speed
- CARL—
- Wave Glider1.5 m/s
Autonomy Level
- CARLsemi-autonomous
- Wave Gliderfully autonomous
| ||
|---|---|---|
| Layer 1: Identity & Trust | ||
| Manufacturer Country (values differ) | — | United States |
| Year First Available (values differ) | 2017 | 2007 |
| Verified Deployments | 0 Deployments | 0 Deployments |
| Layer 2: Operational | ||
| Battery / Shift Runtime (priority for Last-Mile Delivery buyers) (values differ) | 3 hrs | — |
| Availability Status | ACTIVE | ACTIVE |
| Layer 3: Category Specific | ||
| Payload Capacity (priority for Last-Mile Delivery buyers) (values differ) | 5 kg | 215 kg |
| Max Speed (values differ) | — | 1.5 m/s |
| Autonomy Level (values differ) | semi-autonomous | fully autonomous |
Insufficient data for full comparison
The following fields had no data for any of the selected robots: Price Range (USD), Reach, IP Rating
best in categoryweakest in categoryvalues differ
Trade-offs at a glance
Frequently asked
Who makes CARL and Wave Glider?
CARL is made by Robotics Research Lab, Technische Universität Kaiserslautern. Wave Glider is made by Liquid Robotics, based in US.
When were CARL and Wave Glider launched?
CARL launched in 2017. Wave Glider launched in 2007.
How do CARL and Wave Glider compare on the Robolist Product Score?
CARL scores 37/100. Wave Glider scores 58/100. The Product Score blends specs, pricing transparency, verified deployments, and independent media coverage — see methodology for the full breakdown.
Are CARL and Wave Glider in the same category?
Both robots are classified as Research on Robolist. Filters and ranking treat them as direct alternatives.
What is the realistic total cost of ownership for Research robots?
Hardware cost is one input. Research TCO also includes integration, training, downtime, and end-of-life. Our breakdown: The real cost of a research platform.
What should a buyer ask vendors when choosing between CARL and Wave Glider?
Spec sheets only show part of the story. Useful vendor questions cover support, lifecycle, integration cost, and references. We have a buyer-focused checklist: The research-robot procurement RFP: questions and red flags.
Going deeper — picking the right robot
The real cost of a research platform
7 min readResearch & Lab Robots
The research-robot procurement RFP: questions and red flags
11 min readResearch & Lab Robots
A 90-day playbook to stand up a new platform in a lab
8 min readResearch & Lab Robots
Build vs buy vs lease: which model fits a first deployment
8 min readChoosing Your First Robot
The hidden specs vendors hope you'll miss
10 min readReading the Spec Sheet
About this comparison
CARL vs Wave Glider compares two robots in the research category. All data is sourced from manufacturer spec sheets, verified deployments, and third-party filings; see our methodology for how the Robolist Product Score is calculated.