Green machine: Recycling robot

The Finnish company ZenRobotics has released a model of garbage recycling robots that they hope could help solve the problem of increasing global waste.

The Recycler ZenRobotics (ZRR) is a smart machine that knows how to classify different construction materials in a construction landfill, picking out recyclable waste and putting it into recycling bins. ZRR is designed to replace people who are doing this sorting work, which is dangerous and harmful to health so it is often very expensive.

Worldwide, construction waste accounts for one-third of all waste. The United States alone produces 325 million tons of construction waste each year and 125 million tons more.

Domestic and industrial waste has fallen in recent years in developed countries, according to Waste Watch, a UK-based non-profit organization. Waste Watch also says 80% of recyclable human waste now goes directly to the landfill.

Dr. Harri Valpola of ZenRobotics and a ZRR robot - (Photo: CNN)

The founder of ZenRobotics Jufo Peltomaa said equally serious problems in Europe: 'In the EU (European Union), there are 900 million tons of construction waste each year. If you can box it into an average car, that amount of garbage will circle around the Earth 45 times. '

Peltomaa and colleagues at ZenRobotics built ZRR to deal with this problem.'It is a really difficult job in robotics - Peltomaa says - There is no such system in the world, so our system is first'.

ZRR identifies different types of waste by a process called 'mixed induction'. By analyzing the information, the sensors track objects placed on a conveyor belt and bring them into the slide around. Mixed sensors use a variety of technologies including weighing scales, 3-D scans, tactile sensing and spectral analysis, measures of how much light reflected from objects with substances Different materials.

ZenRobotics believes that their creativity will help reduce the burden of man-made waste classification now.'Currently, human waste is directly classified by humans - Peltomaa says - It is a much better solution than robots, but dangerous to health. There are many toxic construction materials, sharp and easy to cause damage, such as heavy metals, asbestos . '.

Peltomaa said the idea of ​​a recycling robot came to him when he stayed up watching a documentary on Discovery Channel about smashing and recycling a B52 bomber. Garbage from aircraft is placed on a conveyor belt and workers will classify them. Peltomaa said he immediately noticed two things: 'First, it is very dangerous because of many toxic substances. Secondly, we have the perfect technology to do that so we experimented with robots. '

Thanks to complex technologies, ZRR basically has a 'brain' that helps it distinguish garbage, wood, metal, stone . and decide what to do. The command will be transmitted from the brain to the robotic arm, the item picker and arranged into the corresponding trash.