Autonomous Beach Dung Beetle Roller Roomba consists of a large and very heavy metal ball covered with sharp spikes, with a groove running around its circumference. This groove is to faciliate the enagement with the driving mechanism that pushes it around.

For our purposes, we use a mechanical dung beetle as the power for the roomba.

Once activated, off it goes wandering randomly around the beach, skewering and collecting all manner of litter on a variety of spikes, and prongs that feature suction ends.

Periodically Roomba Roller returns to a docking station, where it turns sideways and spins at high speed, causing the captive litter to be flung off and captured.

Roomba Roller is dangerous, so sleeping on the beach etc while it's in action is not advisable.

Domestic Lego and sock pick version under development.
-- xenzag, Mar 10 2021

How big is it? Maybe 3m diameter? With 1m needle-sharp polished steel spikes?

How do you get the pronged items off the prongs?
-- pocmloc, Mar 10 2021


A giant bouncing white latex balloon would be more fun.

A sticky surface could be used so unwanted beach detritus adheres to it & it would regularly return to a bath of mild solvent to deposit the collected items then bounce to another bath of fresh adhesive & back off around the beach again .. something like morphex in a semi inflated zorb or similar with an appropriately textured & coloured latex skin might do the trick.

It should be programmed to chase beach goers for that authentic 'The Prisoner' feel of course.

Straw boaters & umbrellas with varicoloured panels would be issued to beach goers as they arrive.
-- Skewed, Mar 10 2021


Wouldn't a sticky surface become quickly covered with sand?

If the spikes were in regimented rows then when back at the docking station long metal rods could extend into the spaces between the spikes to rip out impacted items.
-- whatrock, Mar 10 2021


Alternatively, a practical use for Straandbeest.
-- RayfordSteele, Mar 10 2021


//sand?//

That .. may be a problem.

[Stomps back to the drawing board muttering angrily under his breath]
-- Skewed, Mar 10 2021


Eureka!

[Rushes back from the drawing board with every evidence of excitement]

I have it!

Get rid of the sand

Simple really

[Beams happily]
-- Skewed, Mar 10 2021


//How do you get the pronged items off the prongs?// This is achieved at the docking station by a combination of prong retraction and the rapid spinning action.
-- xenzag, Mar 10 2021


...throwing everything eventually back onto the beach...

Bun if they also vocalize a robotic 'EXTERMINATE' while doing so...
-- RayfordSteele, Mar 10 2021



random, halfbakery