Ce qu'il fait
This project builds an automated trash collector for polluted waterways. It captures floating waste, reduces manual labor, and uses a mobile app for real-time waste monitoring, offering a sustainable solution to prevent pollution from reaching the sea.
Votre source d'inspiration
Urban areas drive development, however, they also produce severe environmental pollution, especially in water systems. In Cebu City, rapid growth has outpaced sanitation infrastructure, leading to heavily polluted rivers. Traditional waste collection methods are inefficient against the rising volume of plastic and other refuse. Though cleanup drives and river workers help, these manual methods are labor-intensive and often fail to prevent trash from re-entering waterways. What we see in our surroundings inspired us to design an automated, sustainable solution to support and enhance existing efforts.
Comment ça marche
This device is designed with balanced weight to stay partially submerged, keeping its mouth level with the water. When the solar-powered pump is activated, the outflow of water exceeds the inflow, gradually lowering the bin’s water level. This creates a natural suction that draws water—and floating trash—into the bin. It uses an ESP32 microcontroller, ultrasonic sensor, GPS module (NEO-8M), and pocket Wi-Fi to transmit real-time data to a mobile app, including its location, trash level, and local weather and tide conditions. The entire system, including sensors and the pump, is powered by a 300W solar panel and a 12V gel-type battery, enabling continuous, eco-friendly operation.
Processus de conception
Our design process began by identifying the need for an affordable, sustainable solution to address floating trash in coastal and river environments. We aimed to create a low-maintenance, solar-powered device capable of autonomous operation. The first step was selecting a plastic trash bin as the main body for its accessibility and durability. We calculated the ideal weight to keep the device semi-submerged, ensuring the mouth remains level with the water for optimal trash intake. A fine mesh was added to filter debris while allowing water to pass through. We integrated a solar-powered pump to create a gentle suction, guiding floating waste into the bin. For data monitoring, we incorporated an ESP32, ultrasonic sensor, GPS (NEO-8M), and pocket Wi-Fi, enabling real-time updates to a mobile app on location, trash level, tide, and weather. The entire system is powered by a 300W solar panel and a 12V gel-type battery battery for sustainable energy. Prototypes were tested in controlled environments and adjusted for buoyancy, power efficiency, and stability.
En quoi est-il différent ?
Our project builds on prior studies by Sharma et al. (2021) and Li et al. (2023), which developed solar-powered trash collectors for small water bodies. However, their systems struggled with limited waste capacity, lack of scalability, and poor performance in cloudy conditions. They also lacked real-time monitoring, requiring manual checks for maintenance. In contrast, our project targets Cebu’s dynamic rivers and addresses these gaps with a high-capacity gel-type battery for extended operation, advanced filtration to prevent clogging, and a mobile app for real-time bin status alerts. Unlike earlier works focused on small-scale or cost-only solutions, ours balances affordability with durability, scalability, and automation—making it more suited for high-waste, variable environments.
Plans pour l'avenir
We aim to scale the SeaGBin system by improving energy efficiency, automation, and adaptability. Planned upgrades include switching to lithium-ion or hybrid energy systems, increasing bin capacity with advanced filtration, and integrating AI for waste detection and classification. To improve durability, we’ll enhance weather resilience. A modular fleet with GPS-based deployment will enable broader coverage, while solar panels and energy scheduling will improve power reliability. We also plan to expand mobile app features and collaborate with LGUs and NGOs for policy support and sustainable implementation.
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