The increasing threat of ocean pollution, particularly from plastic waste, poses a serious risk to marine ecosystems and human health. In response to this growing crisis, Neptune’s Hand was developed as a practical, low-cost solution aimed at collecting floating debris and plastics from the ocean’s surface. Unlike fully autonomous or solar-powered devices, Neptune’s Hand is a human-controlled, drone-like aquatic robot designed for simplicity, precision, and efficiency. Operated remotely like a marine drone, it allows users to navigate through polluted waters and manually collect waste using an integrated grabbing mechanism. This project focuses on creating an accessible prototype that demonstrates how technology, even on a smaller scale, can contribute meaningfully to environmental cleanup efforts.
Let's Discover
Late commers
Innovation Fest 2025
About Late commers
UN SUSTAINABILITY DEVELOPMENT GOALS
Empowered and Driven:
Delivering Solutions for Global Issues
Goal 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
This goal emphasises building resilient infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialisation, and fostering innovation. It encourages the development of affordable, clean, and accessible technologies that can support economic growth and sustainability across all regions.
In the context of Neptune’s Hand, this goal is reflected in the innovative approach to tackling marine pollution using a low-cost, manually operated aquatic robot. The project demonstrates how even simple, small-scale technologies can contribute to addressing environmental challenges. It encourages young innovators to explore practical engineering solutions that are accessible, replicable, and impactful—particularly in areas where advanced infrastructure may not be readily available.
Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
Goal 6 focuses on ensuring the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. It includes targets to improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping, and minimising the release of hazardous materials into water bodies.
Neptune’s Hand contributes to this goal by directly removing plastic and debris from marine environments, helping to reduce contamination in coastal and ocean waters. Cleaner water not only benefits marine life but also supports communities that rely on these ecosystems for fishing, recreation, and tourism. While the robot does not filter water or treat waste, its role in physically collecting pollutants supports broader efforts to maintain clean and healthy aquatic environments.
THE STORY BEGAN
DESIGN STORY
Challenges
Limited Resources and Budget Team co-operation Environmental Conditions Maintaining Buoyancy and Stability Designing a Functional Yet Simple Mechanism
Solution
To address the challenge of limited resources and budget, the team sourced affordable, recycled, and lightweight materials, prioritising function over complexity. Team co-operation was improved through regular planning sessions, clear delegation of tasks, and open communication to ensure all members contributed effectively. For environmental conditions, the prototype was tested in controlled water environments first, allowing gradual adjustments to improve performance in unpredictable settings. Achieving buoyancy and stability involved balancing the weight distribution and using sealed, buoyant materials such as foam or plastic bottles to keep the robot afloat. Finally, the team overcame the difficulty of designing a functional yet simple mechanism by focusing on a straightforward manual control system and a basic grabbing tool that could reliably collect debris without the need for advanced electronics.
Use Case
Scenario: A small coastal community is organising a local clean-up day to tackle the plastic and debris polluting their shoreline and nearby shallow waters. Volunteers often struggle to reach floating rubbish further from the shore without boats or costly equipment. Application of Neptune’s Hand: During the clean-up, a volunteer operates Neptune’s Hand from the shore or a pier. Using the remote-controlled system, they navigate the robot through the water to collect visible plastic waste and floating debris. The grabbing mechanism gently captures the rubbish, which is stored in an attached container or net for easy removal. Thanks to its lightweight design and simple controls, the robot is easily manoeuvrable, even by volunteers with minimal technical experience. Once full, Neptune’s Hand is guided back to shore to empty its contents and resume operation. Impact: This use case highlights how Neptune’s Hand can assist in community-led environmental efforts by expanding reach, reducing the need for expensive tools, and enabling safer, more efficient waste collection from hard-to-reach water zones.
TECHNOLOGIES
List of Essential Tools and Technologies
THE PROCESS
PROTOTYPE DESIGN
The Neptune’s Hand prototype is a human-controlled, boat-like aquatic robot designed to collect floating debris and plastic from the ocean’s surface. It features a lightweight, durable frame constructed from recyclable materials, ensuring buoyancy and stability in water. The robot is powered by a rechargeable battery and uses a combination of DC and servo motors to drive the wheels and control the grabbing mechanism.
The system is remotely operated via Bluetooth, with a simple joystick or mobile app for manual navigation. The user can guide the robot across the water, using the grabbing tool to collect debris and deposit it into a detachable waste container. The design prioritises simplicity and cost-effectiveness, making it ideal for small-scale or community-driven environmental clean-up projects.
While Neptune’s Hand is not autonomous, it provides a practical solution for reaching areas that are difficult to access by traditional boats or human efforts. The prototype showcases how basic robotics can contribute to the fight against ocean pollution by providing an accessible tool for cleaning up our waterways.
PLEDGE
Impact on the market
Neptune’s Hand has the potential to make a significant impact on the environmental and robotics markets by providing an affordable, scalable solution for addressing ocean pollution. Its low-cost design makes it accessible to small communities, schools, and local environmental groups, empowering them to participate in cleanup efforts without the need for expensive, heavy-duty equipment. By offering a simple, user-friendly prototype, the product encourages the adoption of robotic technology in environmental protection and highlights the role that accessible innovation can play in global sustainability efforts.
The potential market for Neptune’s Hand extends beyond community clean-up projects. It can appeal to coastal tourism operators, environmental NGOs, and local governments, all of whom are increasingly focused on reducing ocean waste. As the global demand for sustainable practices grows, Neptune’s Hand can position itself as an affordable, entry-level tool for environmental action. Furthermore, the project has the potential to inspire further innovation in eco-friendly robotics, driving new solutions for ocean conservation and environmental monitoring.
RESULTS
FINAL PRODUCT
The development of Neptune’s Hand began with an exploration of the key problem: ocean pollution, particularly floating plastic debris. The first step was identifying the need for a low-cost, manually controlled robotic solution that could assist with small-scale environmental clean-up efforts. The concept was to design a simple, user-operated robot that could collect waste from water bodies such as coastal areas or shallow lakes.
The design process started with selecting materials that were both affordable and water-resistant. A combination of recycled plastics, foam, and PVC was used to create a lightweight, buoyant frame that could support the robot’s components. The team then focused on the mechanical design, selecting motors and a grabbing mechanism that would be effective yet simple to control.
Next, the team integrated a Bluetooth communication system, enabling remote control through a mobile app or physical joystick. This allowed users to easily navigate the robot in water and activate the grabbing mechanism to collect waste. The system was powered by a rechargeable battery pack, chosen for its capacity and reliability in water environments.
Once the initial prototype was built, the team conducted several rounds of testing in controlled water environments. Challenges such as ensuring buoyancy, maintaining stability, and dealing with unpredictable environmental conditions were addressed through iterative adjustments to the design. Feedback from these tests informed improvements in both the mechanical and control systems.
Throughout the project, emphasis was placed on simplicity, affordability, and functionality, ensuring that the final product was accessible for community-driven environmental initiatives. The process culminated in a fully functional prototype capable of effectively collecting plastic debris, offering a promising solution to a growing environmental challenge.
