Valencia is making waves with a new beach-cleaning robot powered by artificial intelligence (AI).
Imagine relaxing on the city's beautiful beaches and spotting a sleek robot roaming around, meticulously picking up litter. That'll be PlatjaBot, which simply means Beachbot in the Valencian language.
Announcing the beach bot earlier this week, the city council - Ayuntamiento de Valencia - said the robot is a game-changer for keeping beaches clean. They announced it can cover almost 2 square miles (5 square kilometres) on a single charge, picking up around 130 pieces of rubbish per square mile (around 330 pieces per square kilometre). Plastics, cigarette butts, you name it, this new beach hero has it covered.
The high-tech marvel is made by Spanish robotics company, Umibots, and is part of the city's urban "sandbox" initiative (no pun intended!) which allows innovative projects to be tested in real-life settings. The council says Valencia is the first city in Spain to implement such a plan, as it seeks to position itself as a leader in urban sustainability and technological advancement.
By using AI to map and identify objects on the beach, it efficiently removes waste and helps preserve the natural beauty of the coastline and protect wildlife. Less plastic on the beach means less plastic in the ocean, which is a win for everyone and gives visitors yet another reason to visit the beaches in Valencia.
Visit our city tours and boat tours, for more ideas on what to do on and around the beaches in Valencia.
