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Italian scientists develop DustCart, an on-demand robot trash collector.

By Fulvio Paolocci and Angelica Marin — Special to GlobalPost

Published: July 3, 2009 10:34 ET
Updated: July 7, 2009 09:20 ET

Page 2 of 2

Besides replacing the garbage man, Dario said DustCart could also be an answer to the noise pollution that comes with traditional trash collection in Italy. In cities like Rome, for example, noisy trucks collect garbage in the middle of night.

To solve that problem, DustCart runs on a silent, lithium-battery operated engine.

The robot is also equipped with special sensors that monitor air pollutants, such as nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, ozone, benzene, CO, CO2 and air temperature.

“A fleet of DustCarts could send precise data on the air we breathe, in real time,” said Barbara Mazzolai, DustCart Project Manager.

DustCart avoids fixed obstacles thanks to preloaded information on the physical environment, and stops in front of moving objects with the help of sensors.

However, the overall reaction time still seems too slow to cope with any real environment. Inserting DustCart throughout the congested streets of European capitals is an even farther reach.

“We still need to work on it,” admitted Mazzolai, “but we are on the right track.”

Fortunately, the research team has the time and money to do it.

DustCart is part of a project called “DustBot,” a $3.9 million research program that started in 2006 to implement robotics in society in useful ways, such as cleaning the streets.

It was given a friendly look to encourage interaction with humans. But for some Italians, who believe in drying their shirts on clothes lines even in December and still look at microwaves with suspicion, the idea of handing their trash to robots seems a little too advanced — or odd. Even in Peccioli.

“Perhaps I find it hard to give my final opinion on a project like this,” said Luca Di Sandro, a small businessman from the town. “But I have become curious.”

But approval from Peccioli residents isn’t the only obstacle standing in front of DustCart. Motor vehicle laws will have to be amended to include mobile robots since they aren't operated by humans.

“Who should be held accountable for the behavior of this robot?” asked Dario, referring to a possibile malfunction. “The law doesn’t say — it doesn’t know yet."

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Comments:

3 Comments.

Posted by david wayne osedach on July 3, 2009 12:33 ET

I would imagine the street robot to be immensesly expensive to run and maintain. Not to mention vandalism and outright theft.

Posted by Cal Husdack on July 8, 2009 19:09 ET

Can see why you might think about doing a story on this, but after seeing a demo online months ago (you're a little late!) and reading your description of how it works -- it's be easier to just pick up the trash than call to have it picked up, wait, register or however you get your ID into the system -- it strikes me as really stupid. And I wish you'd used your brain power to show us something else...

Posted by KendraK on November 7, 2009 01:57 ET

Good to see that work is being done in this area, though even the creators admit that they have a long way to go.

Short video of DustCart:
http://24interactive.net/2009/11/07/dustcart-the-robotic-italian-trash-c...