Our planet has faced an incredible amount of pollution in recent years — on land and in the oceans — so it's good that researchers and scientists around the world are working to figure out new ways to deal with it.
In particular, the rapid expansion of AI has given us tools to do this in ways that would have seemed impossible just a few years ago. Here are five amazing new ways we're cleaning up the planet with this futuristic technology:
1. AI-powered hands cleaning up the ocean
Engineers in Germany have set their sights on cleaning up a part of the world that isn't always thought of when people talk about cleaning up the environment. Through the use of an AI-powered robot equipped with a mechanical hand, they're cleaning up the ocean floor.
The process includes an unmanned service boat, a dinghy, a drone, and a small search robot to scan the ocean floor. When garbage is identified, AI tells the hand how to grab it and with how much pressure.
2. Clean energy algorithms
Clean energy sources such as wind and solar go a long way in reducing the amount of pollutants entering the atmosphere, but the transition to clean energy can be bumpy for power companies. Unlike coal and gas plants, wind and solar don't produce a steady output of energy.
To smooth that transition, researcher Priya Donti creates algorithms that account for such constraints, helping operators forecast production and manage systems.
3. High-tech oil spill cleanups
Oil spills in the ocean can wreak havoc on the environment, so it's important that cleanup crews respond as quickly as possible.
Researchers from James Cook University in Australia have developed an AI algorithm that fuses two types of images from high-precision satellites to detect oil spills and tell responders what kind of oil it is, so they know how to remove it.
4. Processing recyclables at an unprecedented rate
An AI-powered recycling facility uses optical sensors and robots to separate recyclables such as paper, glass, plastic, and aluminum at an astounding rate, with a recovery rate of 98%.
The facility can process 60 tons of recyclables per hour and 250,000 tons per year. The recycled materials are sent to manufacturers, where they're reused to create new products.
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Stricter regulations on companies 🏛️ 5. Robots breaking down battery packs
Researchers have developed a system using AI and robotics to break down battery packs with speed and precision. It can identify different types of battery packs, as well as different components within, and which packs are reusable.
Reusable components get a second life, while the ones that can't be reused are sent to a recycler. This process reduces the need to mine new materials.
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