Inspiration
We are most concerned with the fact that one misplaced piece of garbage in the recycling bin can end up bringing the entire bin to landfill. In our daily lives, it is often hard to decide where some waste should be thrown out to, especially when the waste bins include several different types of recycling and/or garbage. We wanted a simple and straightforward way to know where a certain piece of waste should go.
What it does
This program can standardize which waste is thrown into where. Google’s Vision API can consistently identify the same types of the objects, and using our code that sorts each object with its corresponding waste type, the same types of wastes can end up in the same bin. Not only does it serve as a simple guide to waste sorting, this program can help reduce the amount of misplaced waste that end up in the landfill as well.
How We built it
We used Google’s Vision API to identify objects in pictures, and wrote an algorithm that matches Google’s labeling of the object with a waste type. We also built a rough UI in html that tells the user which bin the waste belongs to.
Challenges We ran into
-Integrating Google’s Vision API and Cloud SDK with a python program -Establishing an automated form of image transferring from the phone (where the picture is taken) to the laptop (where the picture is analyzed), we were ultimately unable to solve this problem or build a mobile app to eliminate the laptop component of the process
Accomplishments that We're proud of
-learning how to use Google Cloud services -achieving a functional program that can recognize and sort different objects -stepping out of our comfort zone with developing programs
What We learned
-coding in python -working with Vision API
What's next for Waste Sort
-more specific types of waste that objects can be sorted into -larger dataset of wastes and their corresponding types -mobile app which incorporates the Vision API and computer program into the phone
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