A trash-picking robot sounds simple until the gripper meets real litter: bags deform, cups roll, paper blows away and unknown objects may be unsafe.
A trash-picking robot sounds simple until the gripper meets real litter: bags deform, cups roll, paper blows away and unknown objects may be unsafe. The practical first version is teleop-assisted with camera detection, not fully autonomous cleanup.
Constrain the problem.
Constrain the problem. Pick up known lightweight objects on private property: cans, bottles, paper cups. Use a low front gripper and a bin mounted behind it. Let the robot suggest targets, then have a human confirm pickup until the mechanics prove reliable.