Alexandros Petkos: The 18-year-old who brings artificial intelligence to the garbage collection

Alexandros Petkos (18 years old)
BRANCH: Robotics – Artificial Intelligence

Alexander has found a solution to the well-known problem of plastic pollution. The 18-year-old from Thessaloniki created a robot that has the ability to collect garbage from any outdoor area, recognizing – in fact – through artificial intelligence – the material of each garbage and categorizing it accordingly. In particular, an algorithm designs how the robot will move according to the environment in which it is located and how it will use its arm to collect the waste according to their shape.

Alexandros presented his project last June at the SUP Free hackathon “A Greece without plastics”. In fact, it won the interest of the public so much that, while it was not foreseen, the organizers of the event announced that they would support Alexandros in the construction of the robot and in its pilot use for the cleaning of shores in the area of ​​Sani. Alexander’s innovation and pioneering idea will take three months and about 15,000 euros to be implemented using artificial intelligence and robotics.

At the same time, Alexandros has developed a tool for customer service, which makes the work of employees in call centers much easier and faster. Using AI and Big Data technologies, he has created a text production algorithm that generates possible answers to user questions. The answers are based on previous discussions the system has seen. For this particular tool, Alexander is currently in discussions with two players, in order to proceed with its use.

Finally, a project is “running” together with the University of the Aegean for the automatic recording of the percentages of garbage on Greek beaches using drones and artificial intelligence.

Methodology: Out of the more than 100 nominations collected by “Forbes” – either through applications of the interested parties themselves or through proposals from institutions and competent bodies – the editorial team made a first selection and came up with 50. The jury, which consisted of Mr. Spyros Theodoropoulos (CEO of Chipita), Nikos Karamouzis (former President of Eurobank and the Hellenic Banking Association, President of Grant Thornton), Michalis Bletsas (Director of Informatics at MIT Media Lab), Theocharos Filipos Capital.gr, president of Attica Publications), evaluated the 50 candidacies with scores from 1 (lowest) to 4 (highest), based on which the final ranking was formed. The order of publication is defined according to the members’ rating (from highest to lowest) and then alphabetically. Conditions for participation in the list “Forbes 30 Under 30 Greece 2022” were met by those born from 1/1/1992 onwards.

* Cleesto: The platform that offers digital solutions in the tourism industry

* Project Parenting is the first educational platform that supports parents

* Staiatis Voglis: The startupper who shares the same passion for sustainable fishing and information services

* Stefanos Douskos: He did not give up and was justified

* Marialina Tsinidi: The 17-year-old student whose experiments travel in space

* CollegeLink: The platform that connects young people with the job market

* Nikolas Varveris and OVIVIEW open the door of employers to young people

* Authentic fishing experiences in the Mediterranean via Fisea

* Thanasis Gavelas: The gold paralympian who twice broke the world record in Tokyo

* Video games and virtual reality made in Greece by eNVy softworks and V. Karavasilis

* Carge makes appointments for charging anywhere in Europe

* Eleni Keliri has set a goal of water consolidation

* ShelfNow: The marketplace that knows traders directly from food producers

* Rebecca Paleologos with Inverzio brings revolution in the field of human interaction

* M. Tentoglou: From amateur parkour to Gold Olympian

* Wet lab: A group of 15 students in the fight against coronavirus with a bacillus vaccine