Project SARA is the next iteration of our bridge-mounted camera system, which autonomously detects waste in rivers. The project's primary tasks are the development of a smartphone app for detecting river waste and its hardware for scalable, long-term environmental monitoring across multiple bridge locations.

We installed our waste monitoring system on a waste interception vessel collecting ocean trash. Our system will automate the vessel's waste quantification by recording, classifying, and logging the type and amount of debris collected in real time.

During our field trip, we worked closely with Green Corridors, an NGO that installs litter barriers to remove trash from rivers. They were interested in our monitoring system to determine the amount and type of waste their barriers capture, and how effective these barriers are.

Our bridge-mounted camera is a standalone, solar-powered unit that efficiently tracks whatever is flowing down a river. It is a robust, sturdy, and energy-efficient build aiming at real-time tracking of riverine debris with on-board vision processors.

These advanced tools are designed to identify and track trash, helping to create cleaner waterways and healthier ecosystems. Our mission is to leverage the data we have acquired to fight pollution, making our rivers cleaner and safer for generations to come.

Gathering data with cameras is only one option to asses the pollution degree. With information boards on bridges and the involvement of citizens, just using their smartphones, we collectively accumulate not only more but also diversified statistics for waste assessments.