Problem Statement

This project aims to develop a flexible adaptive cleaning mechanism that can dynamically change its shape and orientation to reach and clean difficult areas such as sharp corners, edges, and narrow spaces. The mechanism will use 3D-printed and flexible components and can be integrated into existing robotic floor-cleaning systems.

Solution

We propose a small, affordable, shape-adaptive cleaning robot that uses flexible 3D-printed components to reach corners, edges, and narrow spaces. The robot will combine efficient cleaning, wet-waste handling, and a simplified component design to provide better functionality.

In Detail

Our proposed solution is to build a compact and low-cost robotic floor cleaner that can handle different types of cleaning problems in everyday spaces. The main focus of our design is to make the robot smaller, flexible, and more useful than a basic rigid cleaning robot. The robot will use a flexible 3D-printed body and cleaning mechanism that can change its shape or position while moving. This will help it reach sharp corners, edges, narrow spaces, and areas close to furniture or other obstacles where a normal fixed-shaped robot may have difficulty cleaning properly. Instead of making the entire robot flexible, only the required sections will be designed to move or bend so that the main body can remain stable while cleaning. Another important part of our solution is wet-waste cleaning. The robot will have a separate mechanism designed to collect liquid and semi-liquid waste from the floor. We will test different simple methods, such as suction, absorbent materials, or a small collection system, and select the method that gives the best result without making the robot too large or expensive. We also want to reduce the overall size and cost of the robot. To achieve this, we will use fewer but efficient components and avoid adding unnecessary features. 3D printing will allow us to create and modify parts easily during development. If a component does not work as expected, we can redesign and test it again without rebuilding the complete robot. The robot will be developed through testing and improvements. We will test its ability to clean corners, narrow areas, dry waste, and selected types of wet waste under controlled conditions. We will compare the results with a conventional cleaning mechanism by measuring factors such as cleaning efficiency, area covered, cleaning time, power consumption, and cost. The main aim of our project is to create a simple, compact, and practical robotic cleaner that can adapt to difficult cleaning areas while also handling different types of waste. By combining flexibility, compact design, wet-waste cleaning, and efficient components, we hope to develop a cleaner that is more adaptable to real-world cleaning conditions.