A.L.T.R. - Adaptable Litter Taking Robot

Project Journey

A.L.T.R. began as a Grade 11 I-STEM engineering project focused on designing a practical solution to environmental litter collection. After completing the initial project in class, my teammate and I enjoyed working on it so much that we decided to continue developing the idea independently. This eventually led us to submit it to the Tech Under 20 (TU20) entrepreneurship competition.

V1

School Project

The initial version was built during our Grade 11 I-STEM engineering class. This prototype featured a cardboard chassis with a 3D-printed claw mechanism. The control system was based on a micro:bit microcontroller, with DC motors powering the wheels and servo motors controlling the claw's movement. This version demonstrated the core concept and validated our approach to autonomous litter collection.

micro:bit DC Motors Servo Motors 3D Printed Claw Cardboard Chassis

🏆 Competition Winner

V2

Tech Under 20

For Version 2, we moved away from the cardboard chassis and 3D-printed a professional chassis for the robot. We also upgraded the control system to an Arduino microcontroller. In this version, we focused primarily on improving movement and body design, with less emphasis on the claw mechanism. However, after finalizing the new chassis, we discovered that the old claw design was incompatible with the new body structure.

With the Tech Under 20 competition approaching in just one week, we didn't have time to design an elaborate claw arm like the previous version. Instead, we quickly 3D-printed a simplified, smaller claw that worked with the new body design. Beyond the technical development, we also had to create a comprehensive business pitch and proposal, as TU20 is an entrepreneurship competition focusing on real-world marketability and impact. This version, along with our business presentation, won us the Best Tech Team Award at the 2024 Tech Under 20 Cup.

Arduino C/C++ DC Motors 3D Printed Chassis 3D Printed Claw Business Pitch

V3

In Development

Version 3 is currently being developed by my teammate Subu, who has taken over all operations as he wants to pursue this project even further. Subu is continuing the development independently, building upon the foundation we established together. I'm excited to see how he takes A.L.T.R. to the next level.

Connect with Subu on LinkedIn