Press Release
Opossum Cleaning Robot by Suzhou University of Technology Is Granted the Bronze A' Design Award in Robotics, Automaton and Automation Design
Suzhou University of Technology acknowledged for robotics, automaton and automation design by the international grand jury of the 2024 - 2025 A' Design Award & Competition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 18, 2025 /DesignNewswire/ A' Design Award & Competition has announced that Opossum Cleaning Robot by Suzhou University of Technology has been granted the Bronze A' Design Award in the Robotics, Automaton and Automation Design category. The award was conferred within the 2024 - 2025 A' Design Award & Competition and was decided through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who scored anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.
About the Bronze A' Design Award
The Bronze A' Design Award is given to outstanding designs that showcase a high degree of creativity and practicality. It recognizes the dedication and skill of designers who produce work that stands out for its thoughtful development and innovative use of materials and technology. These designs are acknowledged for their professional execution and potential to influence industry standards positively. Winning this award highlights the designer's ability to blend form and function effectively, offering solutions that enhance people's lives and wellbeing.
Regarding Opossum Cleaning Robot
Opossum is a robot designed for street cleaning. The robot works at night, when streets are quiet and traffic is low. A retractable suction head, shaped like a mantis arm, extends under parked cars, so the cars do not need to be moved. Sensors and cameras guide autonomous navigation and help the robot avoid obstacles. Solar panels charge the storage batteries during the day. The main body is made of aluminium alloy and the moving parts of high-strength engineering plastics. Quiet night operation reduces noise and eases the workload of sanitation workers.
About Suzhou University of Technology
Zhang Weiwei is the dean of the Product Design of Suzhou University of Technology, He takes senior member of the China Digital Art Design Expert Committee and the member of Design Teaching Steering Committee of Yunnan ProvinceIn China. In the past few years, he had won 3 Red-dot Awards personally. Guiding students to win more than 30 awards in international and domestic professional competitions.
Award Record
With this recognition, Suzhou University of Technology is a winner of 8 A' Design Awards. The awards were granted between the 2018 - 2019 and the 2024 - 2025 editions of the A' Design Award & Competition.
About the A' Robotics, Automaton and Automation Design Award
The A' Robotics Design Award is an international robotics design competition recognizing good robotics designs by robotics designers and engineers worldwide. It is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to robotics designers, automation engineers, robotics brands and robot manufacturers from all countries. Typical entries include industrial robots, medical robots, agricultural robots, domestic robots, autonomous vehicles and humanoid robots. The awarded robotics designs are published at https://designers.org/design-category/robotics
About A' Design Award & Competition
Organized annually since 2008, A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The philanthropic mission of the A' Design Award is to advance society through good design, by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Nominations are peer reviewed and evaluated anonymously by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. Eligible laureates receive the A' Design Prize, which includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, uploading a work and receiving a preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. More information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com
Press Resources
- Winner Page: https://designers.org/171811
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/171811
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!171811
- Laureate Profile: https://designers.org/d/150877
Media Contact
Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953
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Fact Sheet
The Work
- Project
- Opossum Cleaning Robot
- Function
- Cleaning Robot
- Category
- Robotics, Automaton and Automation Design
- Discipline
- Service Design
- Industry
- Manufacturing and Innovation
- Colors
- Black, Dark Slate Gray, Dark Olive Green and Dim Gray
- Images
- 5
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Suzhou University of Technology
- Country
- China
- Recognition
- Bronze A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2024 - 2025
- Design ID
- #171811
Credits
- Team
- Zhu Wenzhuo, Lei Xi'er and Zhang Weiwei
- Image Credits
- Rendering Zhu WenZhuo, Street Cleaning Robot Design, 2025.
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- This design is a robot designed for street cleaning. It has a unique retractable suction head, similar to a mantis arm, enabling it to clean under cars without moving them. Unlike traditional robots used for street cleaning, it's charged via solar energy during the day and works at night, reducing noise and environmental pollution. This robot reduces sanitation workers' workload, especially their duties in the early morning, and innovates urban cleaning. Its design combines practicality and environmental protection.
- Inspiration
- My design is inspired by an opossum I came across during a night trip. Opossums are nocturnal, unlike humans. So I thought about whether street sprinklers and cleaning vehicles could work at night, just like opossums, to avoid the daytime crowds.
- Research
- This project, inspired by opossums' nocturnal behavior, is an applied design research innovation. Through user research, bionic design, and smart sensor technology integration, it offers an efficient, eco-friendly urban-cleaning solution. This design enhances urban cleanliness, minimizes disturbance, and demonstrates how bionic approaches can solve real - world problems, influencing future design thinking and sustainable urban development.
- Challenge
- Key challenges include creating a flexible yet strong mechanical arm to reach under cars, designing a navigation system for safe and efficient night - time operations, and developing an energy - efficient solar - charging system.
- Realization and Technology
- This design uses lightweight, durable materials like aluminum alloy for the main body and high - strength engineering plastics for moving parts. The solar - charging system consists of efficient photovoltaic panels and energy - storage batteries. The navigation system employs sensors, cameras, and algorithms for autonomous movement. The mantis - arm - like suction head uses flexible materials and precise mechanical structures for effective cleaning. We optimized production through modular design and 3D printing for rapid prototyping and iterative improvements.
- Operation and Interaction
- At night, the robot activates autonomously. It navigates streets using sensors and cameras, avoiding obstacles. The mantis - arm - like suction head extends to clean under cars. After cleaning, it returns to its charging station. This stagger operation reduces disturbance to daily life. The robot's quiet, efficient cleaning, enabled by solar power and innovative design, ensures better results with minimal energy use. Its autonomous navigation and specialized cleaning mechanism allow it to operate effectively in urban environments, enhancing overall cleanliness with minimal human intervention.
- Project Duration and Location
- The project started in October 2024 in Changshu and finished in April 2025 in Suzhou.
- Specifications
- Width 1560 mm x Length 3570 mm x Height 1940 mm
- Keywords
- Electric, low noise, staggered, sweeping, robotic, sustainable
