MATERIALS

• We make use of steel and titanium to compose the backbone of IVAN because the materials have proven strength and durability. The skin will be painted with Noncorrosive and waterproof paint that can handle the ocean's basic nature and will be used on the robot's exterior because we don't want to further intensify oceanic acidification. 

• The skin and exoskeleton will be wrapped and constructed from a carbon fiber polymer since it is waterproof and agile. Carbon fiber polymer can withstand pressure exceeding 700 BAR  or a depth of 23,000 feet so it is capable and has the durability for the operating conditions of IVAN.

• These materials are chosen for their exceptional strength, durability, and resistance to corrosion, thereby mitigating the risk of material pollution in aquatic environments.

COMPONENTS

• Critical components, including the battery and electronic systems, are housed within a waterproof titanium alloy enclosure akin to those found in aerospace applications like a black box. Such encapsulation not only safeguards against water ingress but also minimizes the potential for pollutant release in the event of component failure and increases convenience when accessing main components for maintenance. 

•  Ivan has a GPS tracker, emergency buoy signal, and radio transmitter for communication and transmission at all times.

• IVAN relies on a rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack renowned for its high energy density and extended cycle life. To prevent water intrusion and mitigate explosion risks, the battery is encased within a dedicated waterproof housing within the main enclosure, with automated shutdown protocols in place to avert catastrophic failure. If the battery is contaminated or comes into the water in any degree, Ivan will immediately cease operation and deploy its emergency buoy

• The robot is governed by cutting-edge AI when in autonomous mode. The robot compiles information from 360-degree coverage sensors and 2 eyes with a 270-degree view to accurately trace and map its surroundings.

• When controlled by a human operator, a mobile device, or a physical remote control to control and steer IVAN, steering is maintained by solenoids extending and withdrawing four fins towards the body to manipulate water around and change course. Ivan uses low-frequency radio waves because only they can penetrate water at any useful depth. To communicate and control the robot physically, the remote communicates at 3-30 kHz, which will penetrate sea water up to about 20 meters in depth.

• Propulsion is provided by quad 3V turbines attached at the tail of the robot. The fins and skeleton of the turbines are run by motors featured within the tail and made of a similar steel and titanium polymer with noncorrosive paint.

• At the front, there is a mouth powered by solenoids which open and close the jaw to trap debris. There are 2 solenoids per side of the jaw and open the jaw vertically. The jaw is composed of 2 parts that each move up or down when capturing debris. 

• In the belly of Ivan, there is a sonar emitter located right under the black box to scare or warn off fish located to close to IVAN. It is powered by the same 12V battery that supplies power to the entire robot.

• Overall, the robot has the relative dimensions of a great white shark, This means that the robot is 16 ft long, 6 ft tall, and 4 ft wide. This means that IVAN can easily eat up and collect any piece of trash debris swimming in the ocean.

CAPABILITIES

• The robot can go fully autonomous but also has options to be controlled by physical operators.

• Ivan has built-in harmless sonar emitters to disperse fish that come within a 10 ft radius to ensure no harm physically to ocean communities.

• In case of power failure, Ivan has a built-in emergency inflatable buoy powered by a backup emergency bank filled with batteries.

• Ivan has the total capacity to capture 215 cubic feet of trash. Ivan can do this by also having a built-in compactor feature. This feature occurs by Ivan cruising at high speed compacting the trash with water pressure. At the end of the tail, Ivan has a series of little holes to let water through so as to not fill up his trash compartment 

• Additionally, as a fun bonus, everyone may track and bet with others regarding the volume of trash certain robot intake using sensors and weights tracking trash volume collection at maintainment facilities.

CONCERNS & POLLUTION

• Ivan is foreign to the surroundings and environments he will be operating in. We understand that a mechanical bot lurking out in the deep ocean may cause a variety of different pollution that can poorly affect native species and environments. Additionally, Ivan may come into physical impact with native species or affect natural coral and habitat with its propulsion. This is why we have built as many safety features for as many possible scenarios as we can conjure.

• Regarding the sonar emission pollution, we will only activate it when severely necessary. Although it won't be efficient, IVAN will try to adjust/change course when it notices native species approaching. Our overall goal is to clean the oceans while also affecting the oceans as minimally possible.

• Regarding radio wave pollution, unfortunately, there is no clear fix. Without them, the robot cannot communicate and give data to operators. To try and combat harming fish, IVAN utilizes low-frequency radio waves for communication purposes ensuring minimal disruption to aquatic life while enabling effective data transmission in underwater environments. 

• Regarding habitat destruction, IVAN will never be in a scenario to destroy natural habitats. IVAN's propulsion mechanism is engineered to minimize habitat disturbance by employing advanced sensor arrays and sonar technology. These systems enable real-time environmental mapping, allowing the robot to navigate around sensitive habitats and avoid direct contact with marine organisms.

We hope to see the increased use of I.V.A.N around the world and across all countries and types of waterways. The I.V.A.N platform has proven to be effective in our fight against waterway pollution and we hope to build on this idea until there is no pollution in the ocean and 0 pieces of plastic enter water streams. We also hope to build new platforms like S.O.P.H.I.A and  L.E.C.H.E  which are adapted to other waterways so we can clean them too.