Unbiased Sorter

A "Unbiased" Color Sorter Robot

2022

Keywords
Critical Design
Technology Critique
Ethical Robotics
Tools
3D Printing
Arduino
Rhino
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Advisor
Tobias Schwinn
Teammates
Max Fouillat
Bill Xie
My Role
Concept Development
Physical Computing
Prototyping
Highlights
AI Bias: Critiques how AI algorithms perpetuate unconscious human biases.

"Unbiased" Robot: The robot sorts pencils by color, revealing how "unbiased" algorithms may still reflect inherent data biases.
Concept
Unwritten Bias in AI
As we increasingly rely on artificial intelligence, we often overlook the coders’ biases embedded in these technologies.

This project ironically explores how AI systems—like search engines and algorithms—are filled with both conscious and unconscious biases. The robot sorts pencils by color "unbiasedly", but can technology ever truly be free of bias?

Drawing on Safiya Noble’s Algorithms of Oppression, the project highlights how data bias reflects unconscious stereotypes and private interests, reinforcing discrimination. It calls for reflection on the social impacts of AI technologies and their consequences for marginalized groups.
UN Women Campaign 2013, by Memac Ogilvy & Mather Dubai
Robot Features
1. The robot detects the color of the pencils similarly to how humans do

2. It picks up pencils of specific colors based on its “programmed unbiased” and moves them to corresponding locations

3. The pencils are sorted according to a coded color algorithm, which mirrors the ubiquitous nature of algorithms in today’s AI systems.
Test The "Unbias"
Color Calibration
Find Pencils
Sorting
Pick and Place
Design
The Unbiased Sorter consists of two main components:

Robot Car: Moves pencils to designated locations.

Grabber: Detects pencil colors and grabs them.

The assembly includes several 3D-printed parts, primarily made of PLA, except for the tires, which are printed with TPU.​​​​​​​
Kinematics
Car: Linear Movement
A stepper motor, connected through an H-Bridge to a rotating gear, drives the front wheels for movement.

Arm: Folding Movement
A rectangular rod connects the grabber to a servo motor, allowing the grabber to fold up to 90 degrees.

Grabber: Rotation Movement
A servo motor rotates a linear rod to control two gears, enabling the grabber to:
- Move up/down for the color sensor to detect pencils.
- Open at a set angle to grab or release pencils.

Assembly
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