AI-based autonomous system and method for predicting and removing floating waste from water bodies

An artificial intelligence (AI)-based autonomous system for predicting and selectively removing floating waste from water bodies, comprising:

• a computing device having a controller and a non-transitory memory for storing instructions that are executable by the controller,
• wherein the computing device is disposed on a floating body of an autonomous water-cleaning vehicle, and is configured to automatically maneuver the autonomous water-cleaning vehicle across a water surface for performing a cleaning operation to collect the floating waste that includes algae and recyclable waste,
• wherein the computing device is configured to execute a selective cleaning operation by monitoring and analyzing types of the floating waste and parameters of the algae, wherein the parameters include type, volume, and vitality of the algae, and
• wherein the selective cleaning operation enables retention of ecologically beneficial algae and facilitates removal of harmful or excessive algae from the water surface that negatively impacts water quality,
• wherein the controller is configured to:
• receive image data generated by an artificial intelligence (AI) imaging unit, water-salinity levels obtained from a water-salinity sensor, fluorescence-decay lifetime characteristics, temporal-attenuation profiles, and ranging data of the algae produced by an optical fluorescence-sensing unit,
• wherein the AI imaging unit and the optical fluorescence-sensing unit are configured to be disposed on a support frame affixed to the floating body, and wherein the water-salinity sensor is affixed to a front-bottom region of the floating body to enable submerged environmental sampling;
• generate a unified, time-synchronized, multi-parameter dataset by performing normalization and synchronization of the image data, the water-salinity levels, and the fluorescence-decay lifetime characteristics and the ranging data, thereby producing a reduced-dimensional computational representation that eliminates redundant data and compresses salient feature vectors into a compact form suitable for real-time inference and control execution on the controller,
• wherein the normalization and synchronization of the image data, the water-salinity levels, and the fluorescence-decay lifetime characteristics and the ranging data reduces inference latency and improves selective-removal accuracy;
• classify the algae into the ecologically beneficial and ecologically harmful types using the AI imaging unit, wherein the AI imaging unit is pre-programmed with a dataset of images representing the algae as the ecologically beneficial and ecologically harmful types, enabling precise identification and classification of the algae on the water surface;
• determine a vitality level of the algae by analyzing the fluorescence-decay lifetime characteristics and the temporal-attenuation profiles using a machine learning model, wherein the controller is pre-programmed with fluorescence decay pattern data for determining algae vitality;
• compute the volume of the algae using fluorescence intensity, the ranging data, and data processing techniques to generate a three-dimensional biomass model, thereby enabling structured volumetric estimation and optimized memory usage during point-cloud reconstruction;
• compare the types, the vitality level, and the volume of the algae with salinity-dependent ecological threshold values stored in the non-transitory memory to generate a removal decision using a decision model, wherein dynamic ecological thresholding reduces unnecessary removal of beneficial algae, and improves selective-removal accuracy compared to fixed-threshold systems;
• activate a conveyor unit of the autonomous water-cleaning vehicle when the removal decision indicates harmful, dead, or excessive algae by the decision model, and inhibit activation when the algae is determined to be beneficial and below threshold levels, thereby reducing mechanical load and decreasing energy consumption;
• and
• command a navigation unit to maneuver the autonomous water-cleaning vehicle toward or away from detected algae regions based on the removal decision, thereby increasing propulsion efficiency and reducing energy consumption through optimized path-planning,
• wherein the computing device is configured to selectively activate the conveyor unit to remove the harmful or excessive algae as determined by the removal decision from the water surface, thereby producing a tangible modification to the water body.