What do BeBot and Pixie Drone have in common, besides their almost insufferably cute names?
Well, BeBot is a beach cleaning robot that rakes through sand, removing debris without changing the landscape. It captures trash in baskets and leaves the sand pristine.
Pixie Drone is a remote-controlled drone that can gather trash from the surface of water along with sensor data like temperature.
So they’re both robotic trash collectors. Meijer’s, a retail store, has partnered with Council of the Great Lakes Region (CGLR) in a project called the Great Lakes Plastic Cleanup Program.
Plastic in the Great Lakes
Millions of pounds of plastic hit the Great Lakes each year, The project collects all the waste it can, with the object of returning valuable plastic to recycling plants. The remaining litter is analyzed for data which can help reduce pollution in the future.
The trash clean up also limits the amount of plastic in the water. This plastic can harm wildlife and pollute the water. The trash collected so far is largely made up of foam, broken pieces of hard plastic or plastic film, and cigarette butts.
Robotic solutions
Automated solutions like BeBot and the PixieDrones can collect the debris much more effectively and painlessly than humans could. This really is not a job for people.
What does it take to automate this kind of work? Great motion control. Rexroth doesn’t provide the power for BeBot and Pixie Drone, but they do make some of the best drive and control systems in the world. Chances are good that your facility uses some Rexroth units, under the name Rexroth, Bosch Rexroth, or even Indramat. If so, we are the first people you should call when you need service or support for your Rexroth systems.
Call (479) 422-0390 for immediate assistance.