Culvert Buddy

A culvert-cleaning robot

Creator:

Matthew Sender, Robotics and Embedded Systems

Last Updated: 10/24/2023

Technical Field
This project will involve the technical field of Robotics and Embedded Systems.

Background Information
Working in construction is a hard job, so any way that we can make it easier is great. One of the
worst parts of the job is cramming yourself into a 3-foot-wide tube and digging out debris.
Culvert cleaning is probably one of the most unpleasant parts of the job. This job can be
particularly gross when you’re fishing for dead animals and snakes. It would be so nice to have a
remote-controlled device to do it for us.

Prior Art (legal term)

https://www.amazon.com/Hydraulic-RC-Bulldozer-Control-JDM-98/dp/B09VB5PDYV/
ref=asc_df_B09VB5PDYV/?tag=hyprod-
20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=647363962209&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=24352121031574176
80&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9024509&hvta
rgid=pla-1965267745919&gclid=CjwKCAjw1t2pBhAFEiwA_-A-
NBkSionw_Djw98phbabm_qvjDd4vrpqNUeAPIjUACgAG547IHpo8sRoCIZkQAvD_BwE&th
=1

There is very limited competition in the market right now. The remote-controlled bulldozer that I
have linked is the closest thing that I can find to my project. My project will be bigger and
heavier, to get better traction and be more durable. The plate on the front of my device will be
rounded at the bottom to contour to the shape of the culvert and it will be detachable so that the
user can switch sizes. My device would also have more power so that it would be able to push
heavier objects through the culvert. The biggest downside to my device is that it will be more
expensive.

Project Description
The final product of this project is a working device that will be able to push debris out of a
culvert to make the job easier for consumers. This prototype would be intended for use anywhere
that people are cleaning culverts. This could be construction workers, city workers, or even
farmers. This device will be driven into the culvert and push all the debris and dirt out on the
other side. It will make the job easier for people and make it less dangerous.

Innovation Claim
This project is innovative because of the power and the abilities that it holds. Right now, there
are several Remote-Controlled bulldozers on the market. However, there are none that have the
power tools, and potential to improve work like this project.

This project is also innovative because of its size. Similar products on the market right now are
all marketed towards big box bridges and drainage ditches. This product is meant to clean
residential culverts. These culverts can be approximately 18-36” in diameter, which is a tight
squeeze for most machines. There currently is not a machine on the market that targets small
residential culverts, which is why people are cleaning them right now.

Usage Scenario
The intended use of this device would be to clean residential sized culverts. However, it has
several other uses as well. The biggest being that it can be beneficial for people to shovel
sidewalks, and clean debris off of the walkway. This can be beneficial for people so that they
won’t have to get out and about in the cold weather to shovel snow. This part of the project
would be specifically geared towards older citizens and citizens with disabilities who are unable
to do the work manually. This project could also have an attachable brush head so that you can
use it to brush grass clippings and leaves off the sidewalk.

Evaluation Criteria
The following questions will identify the successful completion of the project.

 Is the machine drivable with the remote?

 Does the machine steer in the proper direction?
 Is the machine able to fit into a residential-sized culvert?
 Is the machine capable of pushing the debris out of the culverts?
 Does the machine maintain a connection with the remote throughout the entirety of the
culvert?
 Are the tracks sturdy enough to maneuver the machine through the culvert?
 Is the push plate easily cleaned?

Objectives and Tasks Associated with the Project

Goal – Develop a remote control robot to help clear the debris from a residential-sized culvert.

1. Objective 1 – Create a robot that can be driven with a remote control.

a. Gather motors that are necessary to make the robot go.
b. Draw up the design on Fusion 360 using the measurements from the motors.
c. Send the CADD files to be cut with a plasma table.
d. Assemble the pieces into the robot.
e. Test robot for issues.
 2. Objective 2 – Add the robot's components to allow it to do its job.
a. Design and attach the detachable plate to the robot.
b. Design and attach the durable tracks to the robot.

Description of Design Prototype

Describe the design prototype implementation. You should describe the platform on which the
system will be built and provide directions on how to run the prototype (if necessary). Elaborate
on the functionality of the parts that define your project. Effective descriptions will give the
reader an understanding of what the design prototype will be, and how it relates to the final
project.

Note: This section will be drafted in SIP311, but must be revised prior to SIP403 (or SIP409) to
describe the design prototype in its final form.

Evaluation Plan
Provide a complete, paragraph style description of the plan that is to be used to evaluate your
project. This section should be a description of the full plan for how the team will go about
answering the “Evaluation Criteria” questions. Do not simply repeat the questions!

Note: This section will be drafted in SIP311, but must be revised prior to SIP403 (or SIP409) to
describe the full evaluation plan as it was actually implemented.

Project Completion Assessment

Note: This section must completed prior to SIP403/409.

Provide an in-depth description of the completion assessment of your project. Describe how well
the completed components function and highlight the innovative facets of your design. This is
sometimes known as a “Post-Mortem” or “Lessons-Learned Report”. A good approach for this
section is to answer the following 4 questions: “What went right? What went wrong? What was
learned throughout the process? What would be done differently if you had to do it again?

Appendices
Note: While students are encouraged to start citing their sources as soon as SIP311, this section must
completed prior to SIP403/409. For SIP402 (or SIP408), use this as a way to share your progress
TOWARDS completion with your SME

Include as appendices any supporting material for this project, including charts, graphs, and other
data; images associated with the project; or other documentation (e.g., a game design document
or read-me file). Include any prior art that was used such as U.S. Patent Documents, Foreign
Patent Documents, or other sources. Remember that this section should only be a list of
additional files, not the actual data of the files!

Use the following format:

Appendix letter: description of item – file name

Example…

Appendix A: Game design document – myGameDoc.docx

Appendix B: 3D render of primary character – mainCharacter.jpg

Appendix C: References

Author. (date). etc, following APA style.