The Lépine competition awarded its grand prize to Alan D’Alfonso Peral for his invention « Mr Turbino », an underwater vacuum cleaner without a motor. This device aims to clean the seabed of plastic waste, without disrupting marine life.
The Lépine competition, which rewards the best inventions since 1901 in France, awarded its biggest prize on May 10 to Alan D’Alfonso Peral who created « Mr Turbino », an underwater vacuum cleaner; without a motor. With « Mr Turbino », the objective is simply to clean the seabed of plastic waste that is there, without disturbing marine life.
The Lépine competition awards its Grand Prize to an underwater vacuum cleaner
The Lépine competition awarded its most prestigious prize to Alan D’Alfonso Peral, or rather to « Mr Turbino« . To be more precise, « Mr Turbino » is an underwater vacuum cleaner created by the Haut-Viennois Alan D’Alfonso Peral. This somewhat special device is simply intended to suck up waste and microplastics present in the seabed.
So the mechanism would be similar to a house vacuum cleaner? Not really since « Mr. Turbino » does not integrate an engine, and therefore does not disturb marine life. As its creator explains, the device can thus be used « near sensitive areas such as grasslands or rocks« . On Linkedin, Alan D’Alfonso Peral specifies that this is a « patented underwater collection technology based on a low-pressure vortex« , « without continuous suction, respectful of ecosystems« .
Alan D’Alfonso Peral explains: « 70% of marine plastic waste is at the bottom of the oceans. Once fragmented, they become almost impossible to recover.” Mr. Turbino will be used precisely to suck up this plastic waste, without making noise or vibration. For its part, the Lépine competition explained in a press release that Mr. Turbino is: « an ecological, connected and citizen invention that makes it possible to suck plastic waste and micro-waste without disturbing marine life« .
A consecration after years of work
On Linkedin, Alan D’Alfonso Peral reports hard work: « After years of field, underwater collection, prototyping, testing, chess, reconstruction and conviction, our invention Mr Turbino has received the highest distinction of the Lépine International Paris 2026 Competition« . It must be said that « Mr Turbino » was crowned among the 250 inventions presented during this 125th edition of the Lépine competition.
Currently, the « Mr Turbino » robot is in the pre-series phase, i.e. the phase between prototype and large-scale production. Eight devices have already been sold in France and abroad. Some were even sent for free, including to diving clubs.
source : 01net
