Plastic Collection Robot

Plastic Collection Robot proposes a system of autonomous cleaning robots powered by artificial intelligence, designed to collect and sort various types of waste in multiple environments. The product's vision is to achieve a trash-free world, with clean oceans, mountains, and cities, eliminating the traditional concept of "waste" and transforming it into a resource within a circular economy. These robots use advanced sensors to identify materials such as plastics, metals, and organic matter, operating continuously even in difficult-to-access terrain such as sandy beaches or forest trails.

During the validation phase, a functional prototype was developed capable of detecting and collecting plastic bottles using an integrated camera and the Teachable Machine software. Technically, the device uses a Raspberry Pi for image processing and an Arduino that controls an LED lighting system (which turns green when trash is detected) and a servo motor coupled to a mechanical scoop for collection. Although initial tests revealed challenges in autonomous navigation and in detecting bottles of colors other than blue, the experiment demonstrated the viability of the basic technology under laboratory conditions.

The business model is geared towards providing services to governments, municipalities, and private companies, with a particular focus on rapidly industrializing countries such as India, Nigeria, and Brazil. The value proposition lies in reducing labor costs, improving public health, and recovering raw materials for subsequent sale or processing. Looking ahead, the project aims to expand the robots' capabilities to all types of materials and environments, integrating them into an interconnected global network that ensures complete product circularity.

Moonshot team: Arnau Rodriguez Suarez, Laia Girones Pujol, Sophia Stier.

Mentor: Marc Jené Vinuesa.