Have you ever noticed the amount of floating trash and debris in lakes, rivers, or harbors? Clear Robotics, a start-up company, is addressing this environmental challenge with autonomous robot boats. Founded by university graduates, Clear Robotics developed the Clearbot, a robotic vessel that navigates through waterways to collect floating waste into onboard storage bins.
Recently, Clear Robotics expanded its fleet by introducing a new Class 3 autonomous marine vessel. This larger robot boat has a five times increased onboard storage capacity of 1.5 tons for collected trash and debris. It also has the capability to tow an additional barge, allowing for extended cleanup operations without frequent returns to port.
In addition to collecting floating waste, the new Class 3 vessel is equipped to address invasive weeds. Its enhanced capabilities make it a powerful tool for maintaining clean and healthy waters. The vessel can also be used for surveillance related to water quality, oil, and foam collection.
The new vessel is designed to gather up to 441 pounds of floating garbage per hour and has an onboard storage capacity of 1,100 pounds. With its electric drive, it can achieve an average speed of 3.5 mph and operate for up to eight hours per charge with a 3-kWh battery pack. Solar panels on top provide additional charge in ideal conditions. Clear Robotics has implemented a self-docking mechanism across its fleet for autonomous return to docking stations with solar charging units.
The Class 3 Clearbot features advanced technology, including a 1080p camera and lidar, with options for anti-collision features for fully autonomous operation. It has a conveyor to gather debris and a specialized cutter for removing invasive plants like hyacinths and duckweed.
Key features of the Clearbot include autonomous waypoint mission path, fail-safe return to home, anti-collision software, and an AI-powered dashboard for monitoring operations. Clearbot has partnered with Kingspan Group to clean the Nonbah River in Nongstoin City, India, demonstrating the real-world application of their technology.
Autonomous robotic solutions like Clearbot represent a significant advancement in combating marine pollution and waterway contamination. By utilizing technologies such as AI and self-driving capabilities, these systems can operate continuously to clear vast areas of debris and invasive vegetation with minimal human intervention. As costs decrease and technology improves, fleets of these robots could potentially patrol waterways globally, reducing the millions of tons of waste that enter our waters annually.
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