fknb – Everyone likes to find a trash-free beach, but not everyone leaves the beach with all their garbage. Sometimes people forget the garbage they set aside, sometimes the wind carries it away, and other times people are just not bothered enough to make the effort. Getting rid of all that unsightly trash requires a lot of manpower, many hours of volunteer work, and very deep pockets.
Luckily a young designer by the name of Mingyu Jeong has already thought of an environment-friendly solution to this worldwide dilemma. It is an automated robotic beach cleaner with a built-in 3D printer called Dr. Recare. The robot has optical and acoustic sensors that can identify bits of plastic as it sifts through the sand and picks up trash using its five-fingered robotic hand. The integrated 3D printer melts down the collected plastics and uses that to 3d print recycling bins. It then navigates the beach, and places the bins in strategic locations.
Unless I’m missing something here, there is a glaring problem with this machine. Won’t the beaches this thing cleans end up with way too many recycling containers? If it keeps picking up plastic and making new bins over and over, won’t there be a huge surplus of bins?
Well, lucky for Mingyu Jeong I am a problem solver, so here’s my solution. Once the beach has enough recycling bins, start 3D printing Solo cups out of the plastic and leave stacks of them all around the beach. Better yet, print out tables too and then organize the Solo cups on the tables for games of Beer Pong.
How great would it be if you could go to the beach, play beer pong all day and not worry about cleaning up the mess? The robot could just come by every night and recycle the whole setup into a brand new one. This idea may instantly restore Cape Cod as the countries premier vacation destination.
P.S. 3D printing technology makes my brain hurt, the possibilities are legitimately infinite.
Facebook: The Real CapeTwitter: Hippie - Insane Tony
