“Creation of a Scavenger robot for collecting plastic bottles”

Abstract: 
In 2017, the world produced about 380 million tons of plastic. Total from 1950 to 2016 more than 8.3 billion tons of plastic were produced. Every second, 20 thousand plastic bottles are produced in the world. In February 2019, the report “Plastic and Health: The Real Cost of Plastic Addiction” was published on the website of the Center for International Environmental Law (www.ciel.org). The Report, in particular, notes that by 2050 global plastic production will reach 1,800 million tons per year. It is known that approximately 95% of all plastic products are discarded after a very short service life. At the same time, the fate of, for example, plastic packaging is as follows: 40% ends up in a landfill, 14% is burned, which is very unfavorable for the environment, another 14% will go to recycling (the highest share of recycling in Europe – about 40%, in China – 25% and the USA – 9%), and the remaining 32 % are thrown into places not intended for this. Thus, there is an urgent need for a waste collection system in tourist and roadside areas. The goal of our project will be achieved by consistently solving the following tasks: 
– Development of a robot chassis with sufficient carrying capacity and maneuverability;
– Development of a manipulator for capturing objects;
– Development of software (firmware) for the robot, the main task of which will be the ability to recognize garbage;
– Development of control software for tracking the work of the robot;
– Development of docking stations for recharging the robot.
In this work, the garbage recognition system itself will be of great value. 

Objective of the project:
Creation of an autonomous robot for assembling plastic bottles in order to reduce the level of environmental pollution with plastic. 

Expected results:
– Creation of a functional prototype of an autonomous robot for garbage collection.
– Registration of a patent for the created system.

Scientific supervisor of the project:
Zhakanov Daulet Zeidrakhymovich, Head of the Robotics and Mechatronics Laboratory.

Research team members:
Ibraimov Anet Sovetovich, software engineer of the Robotics and Mechatronics Laboratory.
Serikbayev Samat Serikbayevich, software engineer of the Robotics and Mechatronics Laboratory.

List of publications and patents of the project executors for the period from 2015 to 2020.

1. Patent for utility model No. 6092 dated November 27, 2020. Zhakanov D.Z., Serikbaev S.S., Ibraimov A.S. “Automatic non-contact thermometer”. Registration No. 2020 / 1067.2.