"Plastic-Eating Underwater Drone Could Swallow the Great Pacific Garbage Patch"

Hate_Camel · 07-31-2012, 06:18 AM

A new underwater drone concept could seek and destroy one of the ocean’s most insidious enemies, while earning a profit for plastics recyclers. This marine drone can siphon plastic garbage, swallowing bits of trash in a gaping maw rivaling that of a whale shark.

Industrial design student Elie Ahovi, who previously brought us the Orbit clothes washer concept, now presents the Marine Drone, an autonomous electric vehicle that tows a plastic-trapping net. The net is surrounded by a circular buoy to balance the weight of the garbage it collects. It discourages fish and other creatures from entering its jaws via an annoying sonic transmitter, and it communicates with other drones and with its base station using sonar.

The system could stay underwater for two weeks, sipping tiny plastic shards and entire plastic bottles. As its batteries drain, it can return to an ocean base, where human crews will haul it up and empty the plastic for recycling. The project is a response to a challenge from France-based environmental services firm Veolia, which asked students to come up with ways to tackle the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

Ahovi, Adrien Lefebvre and fellow students developed several schematics, including a concept that looks much like a whale shark. The main iteration is more cylindrical.

Along with cleaning the oceans, the trash drone could yield profits for companies seeking to reduce petroleum use and recycle plastics, Ahovi says. Unless someone builds an island out of the Pacific patch, this cleanup concept could be a real solution.

http://www.popsci.com/technology/art...-garbage-patch

FordGT90Concept · 07-31-2012, 06:35 AM

So they're going to annoy fish to keep them away? If fish could hate, I'm sure they would already hate humans. Using sonar to communicate could piss off a lot of larger sea-going animals too.

Hate_Camel · 07-31-2012, 06:36 AM

Veolia is responsible for all the public transportation in my area.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FordGT90Concept

How they going to keep fish and other water life out of it?

Quote:

It discourages fish and other creatures from entering its jaws via an annoying sonic transmitter

FordGT90Concept · 07-31-2012, 06:46 AM

Ninja edit

Jaydenz · 07-31-2012, 07:19 AM

Good on them!

plastic kills fish and it needs to be gone.

07-31-2012, 06:18 AM	#1
Hate_Camel Banned Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Terrizona Posts: 3,923 Thanks: 2,195 Thanked 2,902 Times in 1,732 Posts Dislikes: 129 Disliked 115 Times in 101 Posts	"Plastic-Eating Underwater Drone Could Swallow the Great Pacific Garbage Patch" A new underwater drone concept could seek and destroy one of the ocean’s most insidious enemies, while earning a profit for plastics recyclers. This marine drone can siphon plastic garbage, swallowing bits of trash in a gaping maw rivaling that of a whale shark. Industrial design student Elie Ahovi, who previously brought us the Orbit clothes washer concept, now presents the Marine Drone, an autonomous electric vehicle that tows a plastic-trapping net. The net is surrounded by a circular buoy to balance the weight of the garbage it collects. It discourages fish and other creatures from entering its jaws via an annoying sonic transmitter, and it communicates with other drones and with its base station using sonar. The system could stay underwater for two weeks, sipping tiny plastic shards and entire plastic bottles. As its batteries drain, it can return to an ocean base, where human crews will haul it up and empty the plastic for recycling. The project is a response to a challenge from France-based environmental services firm Veolia, which asked students to come up with ways to tackle the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Ahovi, Adrien Lefebvre and fellow students developed several schematics, including a concept that looks much like a whale shark. The main iteration is more cylindrical. Along with cleaning the oceans, the trash drone could yield profits for companies seeking to reduce petroleum use and recycle plastics, Ahovi says. Unless someone builds an island out of the Pacific patch, this cleanup concept could be a real solution. http://www.popsci.com/technology/art...-garbage-patch

07-31-2012, 06:35 AM	#2
FordGT90Concept Senior Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: IA, USA Posts: 18,548 Thanks: 5,067 Thanked 5,034 Times in 3,429 Posts Dislikes: 136 Disliked 139 Times in 129 Posts	So they're going to annoy fish to keep them away? If fish could hate, I'm sure they would already hate humans. Using sonar to communicate could piss off a lot of larger sea-going animals too. __________________ Doc, note: I dissent. A fast never prevents a fatness. I diet on cod. . --Professor Peter Hilton Last edited by FordGT90Concept; 07-31-2012 at 06:37 AM.

07-31-2012, 06:46 AM	#4
FordGT90Concept Senior Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: IA, USA Posts: 18,548 Thanks: 5,067 Thanked 5,034 Times in 3,429 Posts Dislikes: 136 Disliked 139 Times in 129 Posts	Ninja edit __________________ Doc, note: I dissent. A fast never prevents a fatness. I diet on cod. . --Professor Peter Hilton

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07-31-2012, 07:19 AM	#5
Jaydenz Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Slovenia, Colorado Kentucky Posts: 1,415 Thanks: 4,613 Thanked 826 Times in 538 Posts Dislikes: 3 Disliked 20 Times in 17 Posts	Good on them! plastic kills fish and it needs to be gone.

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