The problem of plastic pollution has risen to such a magnitude that every corner of the planet is contaminated by its stark presence. Oceans are choking with plastic waste and much of it is scattered across the world’s beaches where cleaning smaller debris is a gigantic and somewhat impossible task. The BeBot beach-cleaning robot is designed to tackle this particular environmental problem.
The BeBot beach-cleaning robot sifts through the sand to clean even the smallest, hard-to-collect trash pieces. Developed by marine infrastructure Poralu Marine and 4ocean, this robot was designed to clean up the coastlines with minimal impact on the environment.
Image: 4ocean
The electric robot functions on a combination of solar and battery power, and is remotely controlled by a human operator, with a maximum range of 300 meters.
It can dig up to 10 centimeters into the sand to mechanically sieve the sand grains through a mesh screen and collect the tiny pieces of plastic and other debris, such as cigarette butts, food wrappers, bottle caps, etc.
Image: 4ocean
Apparently, the BeBot can clean up to 3,000 square meters of a beach area per hour, depending on the terrain. It features an agile tracking system that enables it to turn on the spot, allowing it to operate in narrow spaces.
Moreover, this device can be used in multiple environments including hotels, beachfront properties, nature reserves and even golf courses. Currently, 4ocean is testing the device on the beaches of Florida, with plans to send it to Hawaii where it will assist people and organizations in local cleanup efforts.
Image: 4ocean
Image: 4ocean