RecycloBot

LeaderBoard SwiftUI
Home Page SwiftUI
Chat bot SwiftUI
Prototyping

Inspiration

In Canada, only 16% of recyclable plastic waste ends up being recycled. This is largely due to contamination from garbage that was incorrectly filtered, causing the remaining majority to end up in landfills or other processing facilities. This is catastrophic for the environment as landfills contribute to large methane emissions and release harmful toxic chemicals such as lead and mercury, which seep in the water-ways and land. For these reasons, we created RecycloBot, an innovative project combining hardware and software, to promote eco-friendly habits and waste management awareness. as well as encourages sustainability. Through this project, we aim to make recycling and waste management more engaging, accessible, and educational for users. Our mission is to inspire individuals to take steps toward a greener planet by providing tools to track, learn, and compete in adopting environmentally mindful habits!

What it does

RecycloBot is a full hardware and software solution to the recycling contamination problem. Users can simply place the disposed item on the smart bin's dedicated platform and watch as the AI-powered system identifies and categorizes the item adequately into one of four compartments: recycling, organics/compost, glass, and garbage. Then, on the iOS application, users can track their waste disposal habits and get insights on how much waste they have recycled or discarded in each category. The leaderboard feature allows users to compete to become the most eco-friendly amongst each other, which encourages sustainable habits. Finally, users can chat with an integrated AI chatbot, which provides recycling tips, answers questions relating to sustainability, and helps set eco-goals.

How we built it

Using a simple plastic trash bin, we created a prototype for RecycloBot's smart bin. Created with cardboard, the lid has two rotating layers controlled by two servos and powered by an Arduino kit, enabling a smooth waste categorization system. The item-identifier is a computer webcam pointed at the dedicated waste platform, allowing integrated ChatGPT visual AI API to perform real-time video analysis to filter items. The application aspect of the project was implemented using Swift and SwiftUI, to make an iOS application. Both the smart bin and the application are connected to a FireStore database, pushing data from the bin to the application in real time.

Challenges we ran into

During the construction of the smart bin, we faced several obstacles such as not being able to stabilize the lid when the servos were rotating. However, through the installation of two extra wooden dowels, we were ultimately able to stabilize the rotating lid-platforms, ensuring a seamless travel for the disposed item into its respective category. While implementing the chatbot, we encountered a lack of adequate libraries related to connecting to the online ChatGPT API service. Therefore, after searching for some time, we evaluated the situation and concluded that we should make our own service, enabling us to successfully implement the chat bot.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We are especially proud of our ability to integrate both hardware and software to create a cohesive solution tackling waste management and environmental sustainability. Our team successfully combined a SwiftUI iOS application with a smart bin powered by Arduino and servo motors, working together to promote better recycling habits and inspire eco-friendly behavior. Furthermore, we are proud that the bin is able to communicate live data to the application. Finally, we are extremely proud of completing the project within the 24-hour time constraint.

What we learned

Through the enriching environment and time constraints, we were able to learn rapid prototyping methods to develop and deploy a working product. Additionally, working as a team strengthened our collaboration skills and effective communication, all contributing to us learning the importance of balancing technical depth and time efficiency while working on all aspects of our project.

What's next for RecycloBot

We want to expand our hardware capabilities and improve the materials used. In particular, we aim to increase the size of the smart bin, as well as optimize the lid design to more effectively transport/sort waste from the starting location to its designated category.