Robo-Dogs Picks Up Cigarette Trash

An estimated four trillion cigarette butts are littered globally each year, contaminating the environment with over 700 toxic chemicals and leaving an unpleasant mess.

To stamp out this issue, researchers at the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Genoa have developed VERO (Vacuum-cleaner Equipped Robot), a four-legged robot designed to clean up cigarette butts.

The robot, which closely resembles a dog, is equipped with vacuums attached to its legs, enabling it to suck up cigarette butts efficiently and from hard-to-reach areas like beaches, narrow alleys and parks.

VERO’s design includes a neural network that interprets visual data from its onboard cameras to identify its target amid cluttered environments. It then calculates the best manoeuvres to place one of its nozzle feet within suction distance while balancing itself on uneven terrain.

According to a paper published in the Journal of Field Robotics, VERO achieved a nearly 90 per cent accuracy rate across various scenarios. While not the fastest cleaner around, its effectiveness in litter collection smokes the competition and could be expanded to include other types of trash.

Researchers also envision VERO performing other tasks, such as spraying weeds, inspecting infrastructure and aiding in construction projects.

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