Humans have been leaving garbage behind for millennia; within the last hundred years or so though, that trash has started piling up everywhere, particularly in areas where cleanup is difficult. Most divers have seen trash underwater, and many of us even undertake our own personal cleanup efforts, picking up after others when we encounter trash while diving. Now, a new robot dubbed Hector the Collector is making underwater cleanup efforts easier and more efficient.
The Rozalia Project: Cleaning Up Underwater Environments
The Rozalia Project focuses on protecting and cleaning waterways by directly removing trash. Hector the Collector is just one of several robotic ROVs being used for underwater trash collection at sites all over the United States. Low-tech solutions including nets are being used to collect floating garbage and trash that hovers in mid-water column, and the project does get lots of garbage out of the water using old-fashioned methods, but the ROVs attract attention and help inspire everyday people to get involved with cleanup efforts. In addition, ROVs can easily access debris that is too deep for divers to access, as well as debris located in areas where current, low visibility, and other problems prevent humans from accessing and removing underwater garbage safely.
Hector and other robots like it are VideoRay remotely operated vehicles. These ROVs are capable of capturing still images and videos of items underwater, and they have manipulators onboard that allow them to grab everything from old fishing traps to plastic bags. In addition, the ROVs are able to carry sonar units and positioning devices that provide a good view of debris in water too murky for the units’ imaging devices to work.
For example, Hector can spot a derelict lobster trap from a distance, even capturing an image of the line that once connected it to a buoy at the surface. Using the image as a guide, Hector’s operator then grabs the trap and brings it to the surface for later disposal. Along the way, the unit displays images of marine life, including fish, crabs, seals, and even the occasional diver!
ROVs like Hector also mark the location of every piece of garbage the Rozalia Project picks up from aquatic environments, and once on-shore team members have custody of the garbage, they document it in order to track where it might have come from. The ROVs find all sorts of trash strewn along waterway bottoms, including bicycles, old tires, and many smaller items. Though the units are just about the size of a toaster, they are capable of lifting up to 75 pounds.
In 2012, the Rozalia Project cleaned up 86 tons of trash from America’s waterways; volunteers counted 526,481 pieces in all. The project visited 17 states in 2012, and has great plans for conducting even more cleanup efforts in 2013 and into the future. At some events, presentations will be given which provide an overview of the technology used, and of course, underwater trash hunting will play a big role in all planned events. With the help of dedicated volunteers and scientists, Hector the Collector and units like it are making aquatic environments cleaner and healthier, for people, animals, birds, and fish alike.