Guide to the trash robot project located at trashbot.org

Introduction

When the Trash Robot project began, the goal was always to create a tool for environmental work that anyone in the world — no matter where they come from — could use and build. We took this stance because we believe that the problems facing our planet are best solved when everyday, caring people have the tools and knowledge to help. And the fact is, help is needed now more than ever: plastic threatens to outnumber fish in the ocean by 2050 and some of the most vulnerable people and organisms in the world are at risk. The challenges are bigger than any one company or country, and the solutions could come from anywhere. So as you continue reading, consider this work a template. Critique it. Edit it. Follow it. Do whatever you need to do to build the robot that will be the most effective for your river. In the meantime, the Trash Robot team will continue to make updates and provide guides that are, hopefully, clear and helpful for all skill levels.

Table of Contents

Physical Design

The first step to building any robot is building the chassis, or the body, of the robot, which can come in all shapes and sizes. One of the most common chassis designs for floating robots (and boats, for that matter) is the catamaran. You've probably seen this somewhere in your life:

While they usually differ in size and shape, all catamarans have two hulls rather than one and offer a few advantages over other boats:

• They are often easier to propel in the water because of their smaller hull sizes
• There is usually more space for passengers (or trash)