LEGO Floating Swimming Pool Insect Detector and Eliminator

This has to be one of the craziest uses of the LEGO Mindstorm robotic system. The Swimming Pool Insect Terminator (SPIT) is a self propelled floating robot that detects clusters of bugs on the surface of your swimming pool. SPIT uses a light sensor to detect the floating bugs. When a cluster of bugs is found it activates a lever that sprays bug spray from the aerosol can. A paddle wheel then pushes the dead bugs below the surface of the water so they can be sucked up by the pool’s filter (apparently floating objects can’t be). The SPIT uses ultrasonic sensors to avoid hitting the sides of the pool. The whole thing floats on sideways wheels. Pretty impressive (and scary for the bugs!).

via make