SmarTrash is an application of the Oplà IoT Kit used for monitoring trash in a city dumpster or for your own bin.
SmarTrash measures: the trash level in the dumpster using an ultrasonic sensor, temperature and humidity. These data are transferred to the cloud for visualization. The measurements are executed as follows:
- The trash level is measured in centimetres and is given by : Trash Level = Lenght of the bin - distance (measured by HC-SR04).
- Temperature and humidity are measured by the respective embedded sensors
Trash level is used to determine wether waste has overcome a given threshold or not. The threshold is set by default at 20cm, but if temperature overcomes 20 degrees Celsius the threshold is lowered to 15 cm. This change is applied in order to avoid waste rotting and smelling within the bin when temperatures are higher.
Whenever the threshold is reached the system sends a message via cloud stating that "The bin is full!". The carrier display also turns red when this happens.
In case the threshold is not reached the system sends a message via cloud stating that "The bin is no longer full" and the carrier display turns green (see the opening picture)
In order not to execute false measurements a PIR motion sensor is used to detect movements around the bin. The goal of the PIR sensor is to suppress the measurements and messaging. The suspension of measurements makes it so that no false distance measurements are caused by the lid movement.
Mount & InstallationThe Oplá IoT, Mkr 1010 and the sensor have been mounted on the lid of a house bin for our tests. The carrier has been placed on the outside facing the user so that the color of the display could be actually seen. The sensor position sensor is also placed there in front of the Oplà IoT.
The wires are connected to the Mkr 1010 through a hole in the lid of the bin. The ultrasonic sensor is mounted on the lower part of the lid facing the bottom of the bin.
* The wiring work is very poor due to a final rush setup!
DashboardThe dashboard has been thought for a possible trash management company. Its goal is to give a clear overview of the measured parameters.
The dashboard on the cloud shows:
- Trash Level Plot that represents the trash level in the bin
- Temperature Plot
- Humidity Percentage graph
- Threshold in centimeters
- Notification log containing all the messages sent to the users/ trash management company
In the future we are considering introducing some modifications to smarTrash:
- Adding a GPS Module for dumpster position tracking
- Adding in the threshold setting loop an evaluation of humidity in the conditions and improving the set of conditions based on a real mathematical model.
We are from Rome, Italy, where trash management is highly inefficient. SmarTrash could provide a solid solution because:
- It can optimize trash pickup, notifying wether the dumpsters are full or not, so the trash management companies can move trucks just when needed.
- Provide measured and reliable data on the volumes of trash produced in every area of a city and also the environmental conditions.
- SmarTrash could provide valuable information on the condition of dumpster in the neighbourhood to the final hand users, such as civilians in the public use, avoiding useless research of empty dumpsters and also allowing them to know how much waste they, as a community, are producing.
smarTrash can also be thought for commercial use in a mall/airport in order to optimize resource use and trash pick-up.
The TeamWe are DevotiLabs:
- Eleonora Ferroni, 15, a science lover
- Federico Ferroni, 13, a young maker
- Claudio Di Pietro, 26, a rather poorly weathered engineer
Comments