The device, which has the appearance of a wedge of cheese crossed with the retro K9 robot dog from Doctor Who, is mounted on four wheels and equipped with flip-out brushes. It is intended to complement the work of human train cleaners by cleaning hard-to-reach spots between and under seats.
According to research, many train passengers desire a higher standard of cleanliness. A survey of 50,000 people in 2020 found that more than a quarter wanted cleaner carriages.
“Our research uses robotics and AI to help people to solve a wide range of challenges,” said project lead Dr Mustafa Suphi Erden, who is based at the National Robotarium. “With the daily pressure on rail services, it’s essential that trains are cleaned as fast and as efficiently as possible.
“However, at present, this process is done entirely by hand, requiring a significant amount of time for the cleaning personnel to collect each waste item one-by-one from under and in-between the seats.”
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