There are over 35 million households in the US with dogs and backyards, and it may be safe to say that not one of them enjoys cleaning up their pet’s mess.
A firm has designed a robot that finds, detects and automatically scoops up what your canine friend left behind.
Called Beetl, this machine is equip with computer vision and front cameras to hunt down dog poop.
Once the robot spots feces within your yard, it moves directly over it and uses a mechanical claw as a scoop.
And the robot holds it in a sealed container for disposal.
Bettl’s sensors not only help it detect a mess, but also avoid obstacles and stay within a perimeter.
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A firm has designed a robot that finds, detects and automatically scoops up what your canine friend left behind. Called Beetl, this machine is equip with computer vision and front cameras to hunt down dog poop
After setting the boundaries around your lawn, the Beetl roams around sniffing out your dog’s mess.
Its advanced artificial intelligence can be connected to a cloud network allowing the robot to learn and develop new ways.
However, the technology is still in the testing phase, so until it is ready for market, pet owners will have to scoop up after their pets.
Having machines cleanup after pets seems to be the new trend, as two years ago, a Dutch startup announced it was employing drones to combat the 220 million pounds of dog droppings left on the Netherlands’ streets each year.
The technology is still in the testing phase, so until it is ready for market, pet owners will have to scoop up after their pets (Pictured is the team that designed and invested the Beetl)
After setting the boundaries around your lawn, the Beetl roams around sniffing out your dog’s mess. Its advanced artificial intelligence can be connected to a cloud network allowing the robot to learn and develop new ways
Called Dogdrones, the vehicles will work together as a team to detect and scoop up the poop.
The aerial drone is fitted with cameras and thermal energy technology that transmits GPS coordinates of the feces to a rolling robot on the ground that immediately leaves its hub to clean up the waste.
Dogdrones is the brainchild of Gerben Lievers and Marc Sandelowsky, who met at an event for entrepreneurs and has since started Tinki.
According to Tinki, there are 1.5 million dogs in the Netherlands, each one poops 2.3 times a day and leaves behind 3.5 ounces of material.
Although some dog owners clean up after their pets, a majority of them ignore the issue, leaving the streets polluted with dog feces.
‘In the Netherlands, every year 100 million kilos [220 million pounds] of dog poo are not disposed,’ Lievers explained.
‘Especially with the rising temperature in spring, dog poo can seriously endanger people’s health.’
‘Dog poo contains bacteria, viruses, parasites and worms that are especially harmful for children.’
A Dutch startup is set release a fleet of ‘drones’ to combat the 220 million pounds of dog droppings left on the Netherlands’s streets each year. Called Dogdrones, the vehicles will work together as a team to detect and scoop up the poop
‘Adults and other dogs are at risk, as well. Parasite eggs can survive for years and result in a danger of infection if dog poo is not properly disposed.’
‘We talked about drone technology and the possibilities and solutions that are made possible through new developments in the drone world.
‘During the conversation we got talking about a huge problem in the Netherlands – dog poo.’
‘We have more than 13,000 followers on Facebook, mostly people who own dogs themselves.
‘They are frustrated about owners that do not clean up the mess of their dogs as well.’
‘In the beginning we were just joking around, but then realized that we can solve a huge problem’.
The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), Watchdog 1, uses a camera and thermal imaging to scan the environment for canine waste.
The aerial drone is fitted with cameras and thermal energy technology (pictured) that transmits GPS coordinates of the feces to a rolling robot
The thermal imaging will then create a heat map showing the location, which is translated into GPS coordinates and sent to Patroldog 1 (pictured) – the ground robot. The GPS coordinates act as a command for Patroldog 1 to dispose of the droppings
However, this technology only lets the drone spot dog poo at body temperature – meaning there is a limited amount of time before it will go undetected.
The thermal imaging will then create a heat map showing the location, which is translated into GPS coordinates and sent to Patroldog 1 – the ground robot.
The GPS coordinates act as a command for Patroldog 1 to dispose of the droppings.
However, during tests, the team discovered that the ground drone needs more development, as it is unable to collect past a certain amount.
It is currently too small of a device to gather large amounts of dog feces, but the firm is in the process of developing larger models – they are also researching ways to ‘find a smart solution to recycling the poo’.
‘In the Netherlands, every year 100 million kilos of dog poo are not disposed,’ said Lievers.
‘Especially with the rising temperature in spring, dog poo can seriously endanger people’s health.’
‘Dog poo contains bacteria, viruses, parasites and worms that are especially harmful for children.’
‘Adults and other dogs are at risk, as well. Parasite eggs can survive for years and result in a danger of infection if dog poo is not properly disposed.’
