Robotics at the Service of the Environment

Environmental damage and climate change have long-lasting impacts on the world and the way people live. Some organizations have turned to robotics to help their efforts. Robots offer many options for improving the environment, whether they operate on land or at sea. Solving the environmental dilemmas of the present and future require scalable and sustained efforts. By incorporating robotic equipment into these processes, organizations can continually expand their efforts.

Robots can automate tasks, make a worksite safer, and accomplish duties that are logistically difficult for a person. And, if the robot uses artificial intelligence or machine learning technology, it can act on provided data to optimize its routine for faster results, better efficiency, or a more environmentally friendly way of doing things. Robots designed for environmental purposes come in many shapes and forms.

Here are a few ways that they're working hard to improve the world:

• The Guardian: The lionfish causes a lot of problems in the Western Atlantic Ocean. This fish is far away from its home turf in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It doesn't have any natural predators in the Atlantic, so it has caused many ecosystem problems. The Guardian is a robot that dives deep to capture lionfish and prevent them from causing problems.

• Clear Cut: Wildfires can rage out of control and lead to extreme environmental damage and loss of life for humans and animals. This prototype robot quickly establishes firebreaks so firefighters can gain better control over large-scale fires. It's able to operate in areas that would be far too dangerous for people to venture into.

• Growbot: Deforestation leads to habitat encroachment by humans. Wild animals have their homes disrupted and have to adjust to living around people and successfully finding enough to eat. The Growbot can plant trees quickly and at a low cost. The design allows the robot to plant trees directly rather than growing them from seeds.

• Mr. Trash Wheel: The sight of this floating trash interceptor brings smiles to Baltimore residents'; faces, as it has two giant eyes to give it plenty of personality. It's semi-autonomous and relies on hydro and solar energy to power its operations. Three trash wheels work to clean up the Chesapeake Bay and have gotten a lot of attention due to their whimsical appearance.

• OceanOne: Scuba divers have major limitations on how deep they can go and how long they can stay beneath the surface. OceanOne is a robot that is capable of collecting deep-sea data to help scientists understand the environmental threats facing the ocean.

• Robot Pigs: Germany needed a way to deal with the sludge generated in its sewer systems. It's necessary to dry this liquid due to the hazardous toxins present. Pig-like robots use solar energy to power its automated operation.

• Robotic trees: CO2 is a significant contributor to climate change, due to the excess amounts in the atmosphere. Robotic trees use a CO2 collection method called Direct Air Capture and pull this greenhouse gas out of the air.

The growth of robotics announces a bright and greener future for the world. Their productivity, efficiency, and ability to work in hazardous conditions make it possible to do more to save the environment and leave the world a better place for everyone. The positive impact of robotics goes beyond the environment. Healthcare and accessibility are two other areas embracing the world-changing benefits of robots.

Picture Credit:
https://spectrum.ieee.org/automaton/robotics/industrial-robots/latest-generation-of-lionfishhunting-robot-can-find-and-zap-more-fish-than-ever
https://www.coroflot.com/JGuelde13/Forest-Fire-robot-computer-renderings
https://www.skygrow.com.au/howwearedifferent
https://slate.com/technology/2013/04/sewer-robots-do-the-dirty-work.html

Source List:
http://www.theworldcounts.com/themes/energy_and_climate
http://www.robotsise.org/the-lionfish-problem/
https://www.wired.co.uk/article/the-robot-lumberjack-fire-fighter
https://blog.ozobot.com/2018/08/28/robots-helping-fight-climate-change/
https://www.sfgate.com/24hrsale/article/Diving-robot-sends-sensations-from-the-deep-ocean-7974168.php