DustClean

DustClean is a road sweeping robot designed and developed by RoboTech srl (www.RoboTechsrl.com) in the framework of the DustBot project (Networked and Cooperating Robots for Urban Hygiene, www.dustbot.org), a project funded by the European Commission (FP6-045299, 2006-2009) with the aim of designing, developing and demonstrating an innovative system based on robotic and information and communication technologies for the improvement of the management of urban hygiene.

DustClean is an autonomous mobile robot equipped with brushes for sweeping and collecting garbage from the ground usually present in pedestrian zones, such as paper, cans, cigarettes, etc.

The service provided by DustClean is ‘maintenance of the cleaning of pedestrian zones’, which differ from a standard cleaning operation usually made daily by human operators and requiring a more radical intervention. By sweeping continuously and potentially 24h per day, the robot helps the human operators preserving the cleaning of the working area.

The DustClean robot

The DustClean robot consists in a four wheels mobile base equipped with:

• two frontal rotating brushes for conveying the garbage in the central part of the robot; an actuated mechanical system allow to open/close and lift up/down the frontal brushes.
• a central brush rotating in the opposite direction of the robot motion for collecting the garbage from the ground; an actuated mechanical system allow to lift up/down the central brush;
• a garbage container, placed in the rear part of the robot to store the garbage collected. The bottom of the container can be opened/closed automatically to discharge the garbage.
• a water tank and a spry system placed on the frontal brushes for spraying water for dust abatement.

Moreover, the robot is equipped with sensors and electrical components that allow the robot to operate autonomously and safely in pedestrian zones, avoiding obstacles such as people and urban furniture. In particular the robot is equipped with a PC and distributed control units for the control of motors and brushes, a laser for obstacle detection, and two sensorised bumpers to detect contact with objects and people.

The DustClean Robot in Action

Videos

 DustClean short presentation:

http://www.RoboTechsrl.com/abczxy/DustClean-XVid.avi

Demonstration in Italy (Pontedera, Massa, Peccioli):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDTG7yBGN3M#t=3m36s

Demonstration in Örebro (Sweden)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZHFaWCI6iY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EAYND2VE_A

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fd__eI9NbGo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GW7O204R3Y

Demonstration in Bilbao (Spain)

(minute 11:55)

http://www.rtve.es/mediateca/videos/20090915/telenorte-informativo-del-pais-vasco-15-09-09/585646.shtml