Arun Kumar Das
New Delhi, Mar 7: In a major step to phase out manual scavenging and ensure the safety of sanitation workers in waste removal in high-risk and inaccessible areas, an AI-powered robotic canal-cleaning system has been introduced in Kerala’s capital Thiruvananthapuram.
The Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation has deployed G-Spider, the robotic system, at the Amayizhanchan canal near the railway station premises at Thampanoor.
It has been deployed for safe, precise, and human-free canal cleaning in high-risk areas, officials said.
The Amayizhanchan Canal, particularly the covered stretch beneath Thampanoor Railway Station, poses significant operational challenges owing to restricted vertical clearance, continuous water flow, confined working conditions, and the absence of safe human entry points.
As a result, routine cleaning and maintenance of this stretch became extremely difficult through conventional methods.
The initiative represents a collaborative effort between the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation and Technopark-based Genrobotic Innovations, developers of the robotic scavenger ‘Bandicoot’.
The G-SPIDER Automated Canal Cleaning Robot is engineered to operate in complex, high-risk canal environments without any human entry, according to the officials.
Built on a Cable-Driven Parallel Robotics (CDPR) architecture and powered by AI-enabled vision and sensor intelligence, it enables precise detection, assessment, and removal of accumulated waste.
Using advanced machine vision, the system autonomously identifies and adapts to different waste types, flow conditions, and structural challenges in real time.
Its five-degrees-of-freedom robotic mechanism, equipped with a biomimetic claw-type grabber, ensures accurate positioning and secure handling of mixed and irregular debris.
The extracted waste is directly transferred into designated collection vehicles, enabling a fully hands-free, end-to-end canal cleaning process—from detection to safe disposal.
By automating canal cleaning, the robot significantly enhances worker safety by minimizing direct exposure to toxic gases, contaminated water, and hazardous waste.
Designed to function efficiently even during high water levels and continuous flow conditions, G-SPIDER ensures uninterrupted and consistent maintenance of urban waterways.
It is capable of safely extracting mixed and hazardous waste—including plastics, sharp debris, and other harmful materials—thereby improving overall sanitation standards.
Through scheduled and systematic cleaning, the robotic intervention also strengthens drainage efficiency, playing a crucial role in preventing urban flooding and promoting a cleaner, safer city environment. (BVI)
