Clean Up The Water with a Trash-Skimming Robot

Summary

Areas of Science

Robotics
Environmental Engineering

Difficulty

Method

Engineering Design Process

Time Required

Average (6-10 days)

Credits

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXDx6DjNLDU

Abstract

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNLWde2ytVY

Can you build and test your own trash-skimming robot? If you do not have access to a natural body of water to test it in, you can use a bathtub or a swimming pool. There are a variety of low and high-tech Science Buddies projects you can use to help you get started. Can you take any of the following vehicles/robots and design a net or other attachment to help them collect trash from the water's surface?

• Rubber band paddle boat - this is a good low-tech option with no electronics, and a good choice if you can only work in a small container like a sink or bathtub. It will only move in a straight line, but you can still use it to test a trash collection mechanism.
• Simple underwater robot - this is a basic underwater vehicle with a motor and battery pack, but no advanced control or steering. This is a good option if you want to go one step up from the low-tech rubber band approach, but are not ready for programming or a more advanced electronics project. 
• Arduino-controlled ROV or RC boat. These projects are ideal for students ready to delve deeper into the world of robotics. You will build your own fully customizable and steerable vehicle. Can you also design and attach your own custom trash-collecting mechanism?
• Alternatively, you can purchase a radio-controlled toy boat and try to modify it to attach a trash skimming device. 

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Global Goals

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) are a blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all.

This project explores topics key to Clean Water and Sanitation: Ensure access to water and sanitation for all.

This project explores topics key to Life Below Water: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources.

Careers

If you like this project, you might enjoy exploring these related careers:

Robotics Engineer

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Have you watched "The Transformers" cartoon series or seen the "Transformers" movies? Both shows are about how good and evil robots fight each other and the humans who get in the middle. Many TV shows and movies show robots and humans interacting with each other. While this is, at present, fantasy, in real life robots play a helpful role. Robots do jobs that can be dangerous for humans. For example, some robots defuse landmines in war-stricken countries; others work in harsh environments like… Read more

Mechanical Engineer

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Mechanical engineers are part of your everyday life, designing the spoon you used to eat your breakfast, your breakfast's packaging, the flip-top cap on your toothpaste tube, the zipper on your jacket, the car, bike, or bus you took to school, the chair you sat in, the door handle you grasped and the hinges it opened on, and the ballpoint pen you used to take your test. Virtually every object that you see around you has passed through the hands of a mechanical engineer. Consequently, their… Read more

Environmental Engineer

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Career Profile

Environmental engineers plan projects around their city or state—like municipal water systems, landfills, recycling centers, or sanitation facilities—that are essential to the health of the people who live there. Environmental engineers also work to minimize the impact of human developments, like new roads or dams, on environments and habitats, and they strive to improve the quality of our air, land, and water. Read more

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