Aquatic Robot for Trash Removal and Water Quality Monitoring Built from Recycled Materials

This paper presents the design and development of an aquatic robot for trash removal and water quality monitoring, built using recycled materials for a cost-effective and sustainable solution to water pollution. The robot is equipped with paddle wheels for improved control, a detachable waste collection bin, and sensors for real-time monitoring of key water quality parameters such as temperature. The system’s architecture is controlled via a mobile interface, which allows remote operation and live data transmission. Performance tests were conducted to evaluate waste collection efficiency at different speeds and the robot’s ability to monitor water conditions. Results show that the robot can effectively collect waste and provide valuable water quality data, making it a viable solution for environmental conservation in polluted water bodies. Compared to existing systems, the proposed robot excels in trash capacity, energy efficiency, eco-friendliness and cost-effectiveness. While the current version of the robot is remote-operated, our ongoing research aims to incorporate automated trash detection and collection capabilities.