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AI-Powered Smart Grapple Tackles Seabed Waste in Europe

11/24/2025

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Summary

Story summary

The Smart Grapple, from Technical University of Munich (TUM), uses AI to identify and retrieve seabed trash.
It can lift up to 250 kilograms and is part of EU SeaClear 2.0 project with 13 organizations across Europe.
The robot has been tested in the Ports of Marseille and Hamburg and does not yet provide a full solution.
Development included training on over 7,500 underwater images to distinguish waste from non-waste.

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Story summary

The Smart Grapple, from Technical University of Munich (TUM), uses AI to identify and retrieve seabed trash.
It can lift up to 250 kilograms and is part of EU SeaClear 2.0 project with 13 organizations across Europe.
The robot has been tested in the Ports of Marseille and Hamburg and does not yet provide a full solution.
Development included training on over 7,500 underwater images to distinguish waste from non-waste.