Development of an Aquatic Robot for Cleaning Swimming Pools

The Innovation of advanced technologies in modern automation has progressively dominating in recent decades. Looking at the research initiatives in this field, there is prevalence in the study and design of robots, substituting workmen, for use in urban environments. Presently, there is an abundance of robots available for sale in the global market with utilizations in residential chores, particularly focused at housekeeping, such as: vacuum based cleaner robots, floor scrubbers, pool cleaners, window cleaners, etc. This type of technology depends on high values and specific features. So the price of these mechanisms is also high, restricting the use of such robots to people with high purchasing power. The objective of the project is to fabricate and design a prototype of an automatic pool cleaner robot that will collect debris and sediment from swimming pools with minimum human intervention. The proposed mechanism will be able to clean each corner of the pool in a defined path with the help of micro-controllers. The rotary brush and suction pump with an integrated filtration unit will serve as the cleaning mechanism. The locomotion system of the project, with the help of grooved wheels and propellers, will be driven by submersible motors. However, the equipment will be kept inside a waterproof casing to prevent damage. In all these activities, CAD plays an important role in visualization and analysis of the robot by means of a model. This model can be used for testing and simulations, assisting decision-making, and avoiding the loss of resources in manufacturing disabled prototypes. All work presented here is part of a larger project that aims to develop newer technologies in urban automation.