Design of a Container Mechanism for Trash Collection on Quadruped Robots

This paper presents the design of a novel container mechanism, tailored for autonomous robotic trash collection, specifically designed for mounting on quadruped robots. The commercial AlienGo and Z1 Unitree robotic arm, along with the container developed in this project, have been integrated to form a robotic system capable of effectively navigating and cleaning environments characterized by rough terrain, such as beaches, stairs, and rocks. The proposed container enables seamless interfacing with the robotic arm, facilitating efficient trash storage and autonomous unloading operations. Furthermore, the container has been engineered to be lightweight, complying with the quadruped’s payload constraints, yet it possesses robustness against the potential damage encountered in real-world operations. The design process started from scratch, with multiple conceptual designs being evaluated. Subsequently, comprehensive mechanical design and simulations were conducted to develop a mechanism that meets the project’s requirements and objectives efficiently. The construction and real-world testing of the mechanism successfully confirmed its functionality and integration within the robotic system. The final container mechanism proposed in this paper represents an innovative subsystem, equipped with essential features for integration with the quadruped robot and the robotic arm.