Middle school students invent extraordinary tiny robot to help solve growing crisis threatening our oceans: 'Revolutionary'

A potential solution for a microplastic crisis in our oceans came from an unlikely location — a pair of middle school students in the Sonoran Desert, according to ASU News. 

Adriel Magana and Brandon Miranda, 14-year-old students at Harvest Preparatory Academy in Yuma, Arizona, developed a notebook-sized robot that can trap microplastic particles in its filter made from sustainable coconut husk fibers. 

Microplastics are particles from degraded plastics that are no bigger than the top of a pencil-top eraser. However, some plastic particles are so tiny they can't be seen by the human eye. 

A 2023 study in PLOS One estimated that our oceans contain up to 358 trillion plastic particles weighing around 5.4 million tons. That's roughly equivalent to the weight of 1 million African bull elephants, the largest land animal on Earth. 

While choosing plastic-free alternatives can help limit the volume of new plastics entering our ecosystems — and the release of heat-trapping gases such as methane during production and as the material breaks down — the existing plastics are challenging to clean up. 

These abundant microplastics can enter our food supply after marine creatures consume them, and studies suggest that's the last thing we want. Research has linked microplastics to a plethora of health complications, including reproductive issues, cancer, and dementia.  

Magana and Miranda completed their robot as part of the First Lego League Innovation Project — a global student science, technology, engineering, and math program — and refined the design as they tested multiple iterations over six months, according to ASU News. 

Arizona State University environmental scientist Vernon Morris helped mentor the middle schoolers after they hit a roadblock. They were introduced to him through preparatory academy science specialist Karen Maninang, who met Morris at an oceanography workshop organized by ASU in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 

Oceans are frequently referred to as the aquatic lungs of the planet, and what happens in them affects us all. That is one reason Morris said it's essential to bring a "deeper knowledge of ocean literacy" to classrooms, empowering young generations in the process.

Miranda described the notebook-sized microplastic-eating robot, presented with Magana in front of nearly 100 ASU students and teachers, as a project that felt "revolutionary," with the robot designed to capture even invisible particles. 

Should the government be paying people to hunt invasive species? Definitely 👍 Depends on the animal 🤔 No way 👎 Just let people do it for free 🤷 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

"I was very happy, very satisfied that this actually worked because … it seemed impossible," added Magana. "But then after a few winning trials, we were able to do it. We will actually be able to finish it completely and test it in the ocean. That will be a very enjoyable moment."

Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.