Meet the Futuristic Boat That’s Gobbling Up Ocean Plastic Like…

Team S · 2024-08-25T04:48:47.000Z

Clearbot, a Hong Kong-based marine technology startup, has developed an innovative solution to combat ocean pollution. The company has created autonomous, solar-powered boats designed to clean waterways by collecting floating debris. The Clearbot Vessel The Clearbot vessel is a 3-meter-long (10-foot-long) unmanned catamaran that operates in a manner similar to Pac-Man, consuming waste floating on the water's surface. Key features of the boat include: - A conveyor belt system that collects debris through an opening at the front - A camera that photographs the collected waste - A central collection basket for storing the gathered trash - Solar-powered operation - Capacity to collect 80 kilograms (176 pounds) of waste per hour - Ability to carry 200 kilograms (441 pounds) of waste on board Addressing Ocean Pollution The development of Clearbot's autonomous vessels comes in response to the alarming rate of plastic pollution entering the world's oceans. Approximately 33 billion pounds (15 billion kilograms) of plastic waste enter the oceans annually, equivalent to two garbage trucks' worth of refuse being dumped into the ocean every minute. Future Plans and Impact Clearbot aims to revolutionize the marine industry, which has traditionally relied heavily on manual labor and fossil fuels. The company envisions its autonomous boats as the future of marine vessels, with potential applications beyond waste collection. Sidhant Gupta, co-founder of Clearbot, expressed the company's goal to expand its fleet significantly. They aim to deploy 20 boats by March 2025 and increase that number to 50 within two years . The ultimate objective is for these robotic vessels to become a common sight in harbors and waterways, much like how disinfecting robots have become ubiquitous in many Hong Kong shopping centers. https://edition.cnn.com/science/clearbot-waste-boat-hnk-spc/index.html

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Meet the Futuristic Boat That’s Gobbling Up Ocean Plastic Like… | SEINET