7th ISF

ENGR018 - Autonomous Oil and Trash Collecting Robot With GPS Navigation System

Water pollution caused by oil spills and litter accumulation is one of today's most serious environmental issues, harming marine ecosystems and local communities nearby. Conventional approaches to address these problems usually rely on labor-intensive efforts and volunteer-driven initiatives, which have been extremely resource-intensive. In response to these challenges, our research team has developed the Autonomous Oil and Trash Collecting Robot with GPS Navigation. By using autonomous navigation and specialized instruments, this robot efficiently manages both litter and oil spills. For litter collection, a net bag is attached to the robot's rear, allowing trash to flow with the water current through the central space and be gathered in the net bag as the robot moves. For oil collection, the robot is equipped with a hydrophobic oil roller positioned at the front and an oil tank located in the middle section. The oil is gathered through the rotation of the roller, subsequently wiped by a rubber wiper, and efficiently directed into the oil tank for storage and disposal. The movement of the robot is facilitated by motors driving a turbine on each side, adhering to the principles of differential drive for precise control in both manual and automatic modes. Manual control is established through a 2.4 GHz signal between a remote controller and the robot, while the automatic system relies on route assignment and object detection that enables the robot to detect and collect trash that is located outside of its predefined route. The robot's power source is a 12V rechargeable battery, supplemented by a solar panel to extend operational duration when deployed outdoors during daylight periods. This study introduces an innovative autonomous robot collecting oil and trash propelled by solar energy, proficient in both manual and autonomous operation. However, an acknowledgment of certain constraints, such as the suboptimal hydrophobic characteristics of the PVC roller for oil collection and complications arising from the generation of excessive air and foam during high-speed rotation, emphasizes the imperative for ongoing refinement to augment its inherent capabilities.

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