Rice University engineering students are working on better ways to keep skyscrapers shiny.
The WashBOT team of seniors based at Rice’s Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen is part of a multiyear robotics project to automate the process of cleaning recessed windows in buildings that present problems for more traditional washers, both human and machine.
The Rice system soaps the window with a sponge-like mop on a horizontal track and follows with a squeegee to finish the job. The robot’s tension system can be adjusted for window widths. Sensors stop the brush at the end of the glass, rotate the mechanism and move it back across.
Also: Learn about an advanced robot excavator.
