Improving Recycling Methods through the Usage of Robotic Devices

Overview

Objectives/Goals The objective is to design and build a robot that can sort recyclable objects according to their composition, so that the recycling process may be carried out with more accuracy and celerity. Methods/Materials Our team first designed multiple versions of our robot layout, all of the preliminary designs and the final prototype sort through plastic, glass, tin, and aluminum bottles/cans using a hall sensor, voltage sensor, a simple weight test, servos, arduinos, magnets, and wires. Many tests were carried out in order for us to develop the most efficient, consistent, and swift robot. Results Our working prototype successfully sorted plastic, glass, tin, and aluminum into their respective compartments. The first test distinguished between metal and non-metal. Non-metals would slide down a vertical pipe for a simple weight test to distinguish between glass and plastic. The metals would continue sliding down the horizontal pipe for a magnetic test, utilizing a hall sensor, to distinguish between tin and aluminum objects. Conclusions/Discussion We were able to successfully build a robot that could compartmentalize different recyclable materials. With the integration of our contraption into society, the recycling process could be greatly expedited, especially in buildings with a lot of foot traffic.

Competition history

• CSEF 2015 Environmental Engineering · Entry S1002

Resources

• CSEF project summary ↗

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