The ROAR project automatically collects and empties garbage bins – Video

 

Students from three universities have collaborated with the Volvo Group and the waste recycling company, Renova. The result is a robot that automatically collects and empties refuse bins. A drone on the roof of the refuse truck scans the area and assists the robot to find the bins.

The ROAR project, Robot-based Autonomous Refuse handling, is a collaboration between the Volvo Group, Chalmers University of Technology, Mälardalen University, Penn State University in the US, and Renova.

Mälardalen University was responsible for designing the robot itself and Chalmers University of Technology developed the operating system for the robot and the drone. Penn State University developed a web based 3D interface that allows the driver in the cab to have an overview of all the systems and thus able to take control of the robot should it be necessary.