Garbage Collection Boat

Project Overview

The Garbage Collection Boat is an autonomous water vehicle designed to help clean up water bodies by collecting floating garbage. It uses Arduino-based control systems and sensors to navigate and collect debris effectively.

Completed: April 2023

Status: Prototype

Team Size: 2

Problem Statement

Water pollution from floating debris is a significant environmental concern. Manual cleanup is labor-intensive and often hazardous. An autonomous solution can make cleanup operations more efficient and sustainable.

Solution

Our autonomous garbage collection boat provides an innovative solution to address water pollution. The boat uses sensors to detect and navigate toward floating debris, then collects it using a specialized collection mechanism.

Technical Implementation

Code

Copied to clipboard!

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40


                                #include <Servo.h>
                                #include <NewPing.h>
                                
                                // Motor pins
                                const int leftMotorPin = 5;
                                const int rightMotorPin = 6;
                                
                                // Ultrasonic sensor pins
                                const int trigPin = 9;
                                const int echoPin = 10;
                                
                                // Collection mechanism
                                Servo collectorServo;
                                
                                void setup() {
                                    Serial.begin(9600);
                                    collectorServo.attach(3);
                                    pinMode(leftMotorPin, OUTPUT);
                                    pinMode(rightMotorPin, OUTPUT);
                                }
                                
                                void loop() {
                                    // Read distance from ultrasonic sensor
                                    long duration = pulseIn(echoPin, HIGH);
                                    int distance = duration * 0.034 / 2;
                                
                                    // If debris detected, collect it
                                    if (distance < 20) {
                                        collectDebris();
                                    } else {
                                        navigateForward();
                                    }
                                
                                    delay(100);
                                }
                                
                                void collectDebris() {
                                    collectorServo.write(90);
                                    delay(500);
                                    collectorServo.write(0);
                                }
                                
                                void navigateForward() {
                                    analogWrite(leftMotorPin, 150);
                                    analogWrite(rightMotorPin, 150);
                                }

Key Features

Autonomous navigation using ultrasonic sensors
Solar-powered operation for extended use
Debris collection mechanism with servo control
Water-resistant electronics housing
Remote monitoring capabilities

Results & Impact

The prototype successfully demonstrated the ability to navigate and collect floating debris in controlled testing environments. The project shows promise for scaling to larger implementations for real-world cleanup operations.

Future Improvements

Integration of machine learning for better object recognition
Improved battery capacity and solar efficiency
Fleet management system for multiple boats