Award-winning — plastic-eating robo-fish is finally here to rid our waters of waste Robo Fish - Robo-Fish HEAD TOPICS

Award-winning — plastic-eating robo-fish is finally here to rid our waters of waste

10/22/2022 11:59:00 PM

A robot fish that filters microplastics has been created after winning a Robotics Contest at the University of Surrey

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A robot fish that filters microplastics has been created after winning a Robotics Contest at the University of Surrey A robot fish that filters microplastics has been created after winning a Robotics Contest at the University of Surrey The“Fish are adapted to their environment, and gills are an incredible mechanism in nature that are specialized to filter oxygen into the bloodstream – so I adapted my design from that, with the purpose of creating a filter for microplastics instead," said Mackintosh.  The 50 cm (19.7 in) long Robo-fish can already capture particles as small as 2 mm in size. Along with an IMU (inertial measuring unit) for tracking its movements in the water, it has inbuilt sensors to assess turbidity and underwater light levels. And it illuminates at night as well. Read more:
Interesting Engineering » Industry: Advanced recycling is a solution to plastic crisis Advanced recycling: Plastic crisis solution or distraction? Can Advanced Recycling Be a Solution to the Plastic Pollution Crisis? Advanced recycling: Plastic crisis solution or distraction?

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Video footage showed a steward repeatedly trying to lift Hu from his seat, drawing concerned looks from nearby officials. Read more >> Industry: Advanced recycling is a solution to plastic crisisThe plastics industry says there is a way to help solve solution to the crisis of plastic waste plaguing the ocean, beaches and lands across the globe Advanced recycling: Plastic crisis solution or distraction?The plastics industry says there is a way to help solve solution to the crisis of plastic waste plaguing the ocean, beaches and lands across the globe Can Advanced Recycling Be a Solution to the Plastic Pollution Crisis?The plastics industry says there is a way to help solve solution to the crisis of plastic waste plaguing the ocean, beaches and lands across the globe. no. stop producing consumer products packaged in single use plastic. They've said it before. Advanced recycling: Plastic crisis solution or distraction?The plastics industry says there is a way to help solve the crisis of plastic waste plaguing the planet's oceans, beaches and lands— recycle it, chemically Plastonix Inc. developed a way to recycle all types of plasticPlastonix Inc. a company in Canada, that repurposes plastics, launched a revolutionary technology that addresses the world’s massive plastic waste crisis. Chips? Klyde Warren Park celebrates 10th anniversaryThe award-winning Klyde Warren Park in Dallas celebrated a decade of being open on Saturday. Wow! 10 years already. Seems shorter. .By October 21, 2022 at 10:26 am EDT Expand Advanced Plastic Recycling Jeremy DeBenedictis, President of Alterra Energy, stands in the storage area of shredded plastics his company receives from recycling facilities in their facility in Akron, Ohio, on Thursday, Sept.By October 21, 2022 at 2:37 pm EDT Expand Advanced Plastic Recycling Jeremy DeBenedictis, President of Alterra Energy, stands in the storage area of shredded plastics his company receives from recycling facilities in their facility in Akron, Ohio, on Thursday, Sept.Android and pick your alerts. See Also "My design was focused on having a versatility in its function. What better creature to address the issues in water bodies than one that lives in them?” The robot fish has gills that it uses to filter water as it swims and is about the size of a salmon. “Our mission is to solve plastic pollution,” said DeBenedictis, company president. “Fish are adapted to their environment, and gills are an incredible mechanism in nature that are specialized to filter oxygen into the bloodstream – so I adapted my design from that, with the purpose of creating a filter for microplastics instead," said Mackintosh. “That is not just a tag line. Plastic-eating robot fish University of Surrey   The robot moves through the water by flapping its tail and holding its mouth open to catch water (and microplastics) in an internal cavity. We all truly want to solve plastic pollution. When the cavity inside the bot is full, it closes its mouth, opens its louver-like gill flaps, and raises the cavity's floor to force the water out through the flaps. Judith Enck, the founder and president of Beyond Plastics, says plastics recycling doesn't work and never will. The gill flaps are covered with a tiny mesh that lets water through but traps plastic debris.I.I. The 50 cm (19.7 in) long Robo-fish can already capture particles as small as 2 mm in size. Chemical recycling typically uses heat or chemical solvents to break down plastics into liquid and gas to produce an oil-like mixture or basic chemicals. Along with an IMU (inertial measuring unit) for tracking its movements in the water, it has inbuilt sensors to assess turbidity and underwater light levels. Industry leaders say that mixture can be made back into plastic pellets to make new products. And it illuminates at night as well. “What we are trying to do is really create a circular economy for plastics because we think it is the most viable option for keeping plastic out of the environment,” said Joshua Baca, vice president of the plastics division at the American Chemistry Council, the industry trade association for American chemical companies.S. Most Popular The current prototype relies on the hardwired remote control. However, future versions of the might have the ability to catch far smaller particles. Seven smaller facilities across the United States already recycle plastic into new plastic, according to the ACC. Seven smaller facilities across the United States already recycle plastic into new plastic, according to the ACC. Additional potential upgrades may include a faster, more hydrodynamic body shape, a stronger tail, and the capacity to swim independently. The competition The University of Surrey's Natural Robots Contest, which was announced last May, encouraged members of the public to submit their concepts for animal- or plant-inspired robots that might carry out tasks that would benefit the globe. But environmental groups say advanced recycling is a distraction from real solutions like producing and using less plastic. Anyone with a bio-inspired robot proposal was welcomed to enter the competition, with the promise that the winning design would be developed into a functional prototype. They suspect the idea of recyclable plastics will enable the steep ramp up in plastic production to continue. The industry has made roughly 11 billion metric tons of plastic since 1950, with half of that produced since 2006, according to industrial ecologist Roland Geyer. The plastic-collecting Robo-fish, created by Mackintosh, a chemistry undergrad and coincidentally a student at the University of Surrey, was chosen as the winning submission. And while the amount produced globally grows, recycling rates for plastic waste are abysmally low, especially in the United States. Components of the robo-fish in a diagram. null "We don't know where the vast majority of plastic dumped into our waterways ends up. Judith Enck, the founder and president of Beyond Plastics, says plastics recycling doesn't work and never will. Judith Enck, the founder and president of Beyond Plastics, says plastics recycling doesn't work and never will. We hope that this robo-fish and its future descendants are the first steps in the right direction to helping us to find and, eventually, control this plastic pollution problem," said Dr. Robert Siddall, Lecturer at the University of Surrey and the contest's creator. That’s why they can’t be mixed together and recycled in the conventional, mechanical way. So how are so many companies still touting their plastic products as recyclable? The New York Times explains. The competition got submissions from all over the world, including robotic sea urchin and bear robots that guard forests. Nor is there much of a market for recycled plastic, because virgin plastic is cheap, she said. The best idea was chosen by a panel of experts from different British and European research institutes, and it was then developed into a working prototype. So what is more likely to happen than actual recycling, said Enck, a former regional administrator at the U. CAD Model of the robo-fish. University of Surrey   The technology would continue to be developed by engineers, and laypeople could do the same thing by viewing the device's open-source plans, according to the press release. Environmental Protection Agency, is the industry will shift to burning plastics as waste or as fuel. Environmental Protection Agency, is the industry will shift to burning plastics as waste or as fuel. SHOW COMMENT . rate for recycling plastic waste in 2021 was even lower — 5% to 6%, after China stopped accepting other countries' waste in 2018.