Swimming in pools may be fun, but using a dip net to skim leaves off of them can be a tedious chore. That’s why the solar-powered Ariel robot was created, as it autonomously does the job for you.
Manufactured by Arizona-based company Pivot-Solar Breeze, Ariel features a pair of waterproof photovoltaic panels on its topside. These power the robot during the day – while the sun is up – plus they also charge an onboard battery that allows the device to run at night for a claimed 10 hours or more.
By contrast, Ariel’s predecessors (the Solar Breeze NX and NX2) had a single paddlewheel in the rear, and turned using bumper wheels that rolled against the edges of the pool.
According to its creators, Ariel is able to cover the surface of an average-sized home pool in approximately 1.5 hours, collecting and retaining particles as small as 200 microns while it does so. It’s designed to operate at ambient temperatures ranging from 40º to 130º F (4º to 54º C).
Robotic paddlewheeler skims debris from swimming pools [New Atlas]