Ocean Cleaners

Website preview of the sorter
design blueprint for conveyer belt
first design diagram
Full smart sorter machine

Inspiration

We got inspired by the ocean cleaning robot created by The Ocean Cleanup, which also helped us decide on our project name. We first learned about this idea while watching a video by Mark Rober, whose work sparked our interest in designing something similar in real life. Seeing how technology could be used to solve such a massive environmental problem motivated us to create our own version.

What We Learned

Throughout this project, we discovered and practiced many new skills:

How to use the ESP32 microcontroller.
How Google Vision Cloud Api works and how it can be applied to object detection.
The basics of machine learning (ML) and how it can help classify waste.
How to build a simple and interactive website using Node.js. This experience gave us a better understanding of how hardware, software, and AI can come together to create solutions for real-world problems.

How We Built It

We built the prototype using simple household materials such as:

Cardboard
Shoe boxes
Markers
Wood With these materials and some help from AI tools, we managed to bring our vision into reality. The robot collects waste through a conveyor belt system and then directs it into a sorting machine, where items are separated into regular waste and e-waste categories.

Challenges We Faced

Like any project, we faced multiple challenges along the way:

Getting the sorting mechanism to function correctly.
Connecting to the API and ensuring it worked smoothly with the ESP32.
Finding steady and durable materials for the structure.
Properly attaching cardboard parts to the servo motor without breaking. Despite these challenges, we learned that persistence and creative problem-solving are just as important as technical knowledge.

Reflection

This project not only helped us improve our technical skills but also showed us the importance of innovation in protecting the environment. Our hope is that one day, improved versions of projects like ours can help reduce ocean pollution on a larger scale.