Preliminary Design Review (PDR) Beach Swarm - Phase IV

Robotics Engineering Department

Preliminary Design Review (PDR)

Beach Swarm - Phase IV

Tuesday, February 7, 2023

4:00p.m - 5:00p.m

Unity Hall | Room 150E

 Abstract: Beaches are the habitat of a multitude of organisms that are vital to a network of ecosystems. The integrity of these ecosystems is threatened by waste and pollutants that litter streets, waterways, and wetlands across the world. Allowing pollution to disrupt the environment endangers wildlife and, eventually, even humans. This project aims to help clean beaches using an autonomous swarm robotic system. The robot will be capable of collecting trash by sifting out sand. There are currently beach-cleaning robots, however, most, if not all, are not autonomous and require human interaction. Our robot system will utilize computer vision to identify organic materials so it can avoid them and ensure that they are not damaged. This project aims to provide a sustainable approach to keeping beaches clean.

Team members:

   Lucia Bernard

   Sophia Cheng

   Cooper Ducharme

   Ben Watkins

Advisors: Professor Nick Bertozzi and Professor Haichong Zhang