Robo-Dumpster:The Autonomous Garbage Truck

Alan Hamlet

University of Florida

25 March 2010

Why an Autonomous Garbage Truck?

Save companies/government money– Grocery stores, amusement parks, cities– Cheap and reliable work– Can work 24/7

Create new industries– Building and maintaining robots– Any jobs lost will be counteracted

Proof-of-concept model

Obstacle Avoidance

Current Progress– 2 front IR’s– Turns only one way

Goal: smart turning– Left if right IR blocked– Right if left IR blocked– Back up if both blocked

Random turn

Gripper/Arm Mechanism

Gripper– Servo arm pulls gripper open with cable– Otherwise spring holds gripper tightly closed

May need stiffer spring for better grip

Arm– 343 oz.-in servo raises arm, gripper and object

Gripper/Arm Mechanism

Can successfully grip and lift objects

What’s Next

Finish programming CMUcam– Search for red LEDs on trash cans– Track green garbage collection area

Attach truck bed Fine tune behaviors in software Finish building garbage cans

Questions/comments?

Thank you