Clearbot's Real-World Impact: A Year in Review
Hyacinth infestations in waterways are a global problem as they block waterways and limits boat traffic, recreation, flood control, and harm local ecosystems. To eradicate or control water hyacinth, physical, chemical, and biological methods are widely applied throughout the world. The physical method is employed by directly harvesting, cutting, and removing the plant using machines or manual removing by hands and hand tools. Over the past few months, we have been working to offer a cost-effective, sustainable, and efficient alternative for hyacinth removal.
Here is what we learned in the process.
- Frequent cleanups
Since Water Hyacinth is a floating plant it can be removed by raking or skimming the surface of the pond. It has the ability to multiply rapidly and may take multiple cleanings throughout the year to keep it under control using a rake or skimmer.
- The lack of automated control of Water Hyacinth for lake and pond management companies
The lack of automated control can be for various reasons and Clearbot solves most of them.
Clearbot cleans up hyacinth autonomously without fuel and zero emissions which imply reduced cost of operations
Clearbot is electric/solar powered which means it has net-zero emissions, making it a cost-effective and environmentally sustainable solution to hyacinth growth in waterways. Its renewable energy source and advanced AI technology help in detecting and removing hyacinths and other debris from waterways efficiently, without causing any harm to the ecosystem.
Our case study to remove hyacinth from a pumping station in Hong kong
Our team is working with the Hong Kong government to address the issue of the hyacinths clogging up the pumping stations. We're using Clearbots to remove the hyacinths that accumulate behind the nearby dam. The project requires the use of three boats, which run three times a week to ensure that the pumping station remains clear throughout the year. Despite being a seasonal issue, our efforts to keep the water pumping station clean have been successful so far.
We modified Clearbot by adding cutters and higher collection capacity to remove hyacinth
Clearbot is being modified to be more efficient at removing hyacinths by adding cutters, increasing the collection capacity, and optimizing its size. The new design, available in April, features front brushes to break thick hyacinths and can collect and store waste in a floating barge. With a weight capacity of 500 kg and the ability to tow 2 tons.
We are creating a docking station to automatically deposit the collected hyacinth
We are currently in the process of developing a docking station that will enable our boats to automatically deposit the collected hyacinth or any waste in the exact location upon their return. This eliminates the need for operators to manually unload the waste, making the process even more efficient. This will make clearbot extremely efficient along with being an environmentally friendly and cost-effective solution.
