Waste sorting support device, waste sorting support system, and waste sorting support method

Abstract

To provide a waste sorting assist system which enables effective improvement of waste sorting accuracy by an operator, and to provide a waste sorting assist method.SOLUTION: In a waste sorting assist system 1, a material presumption part 42 presumes materials of wastes W transported by a conveyor 10. A projection control part 44 projects an image showing the material on a surface of each waste W by means of a projection device 35 in conjunction with transportation of the waste W whose material is presumed. Then, the projection control part 44 deforms the image regarding the material of the waste W according to a shape of the surface of the waste W and projects the image.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a waste sorting support device, a waste sorting support system, and a waste sorting support method for assisting manual waste sorting work.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, from the perspective of effective utilization of resources, it has been demanded to reuse waste as recyclable resources. In order to promote the reuse of waste, it is necessary to sort waste by material. For example, in demolition waste generated when demolishing houses and facilities, and rubble generated during disasters, waste of different materials such as wood, metals, glasses, plastics, etc. are mixed.

[0003] The applicant of the present application has disclosed a sorting system corresponding to such waste in Patent Document 1. The sorting system disclosed in Patent Document 1 displays information such as an image of waste conveyed by a conveyor and the weight of the waste on a monitor. An operator judges the material of the waste based on the information displayed on the monitor and operates a switch according to the material. The sorting system drives a robot arm to grip the waste on the conveyor and discharges the waste into a collection box of the material corresponding to the operated switch for sorting. Also, an image of the waste and material information indicating its material are linked and stored as teacher data.

[0004] In this sorting system, machine learning for waste sorting by artificial intelligence is performed using the stored teacher data. And when the artificial intelligence can discriminate the material of the waste with sufficient accuracy by machine learning, the robot arm is driven based on the discrimination result to sort the waste. Thereby, the waste sorting work can be automated.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] When a large amount of waste is being transported on a conveyor belt, while artificial intelligence can instantly identify the material of the waste, the robotic arm has limitations in its movement speed, which can sometimes prevent it from keeping up with the sorting process. Therefore, a practical approach would be to use a robotic arm to sort some of the waste that is difficult to sort manually, such as heavy waste or waste that has become hot due to crushing, and then have workers positioned downstream to sort the remaining waste manually. Furthermore, there are also a number of systems where it is difficult to install a robotic arm due to space constraints, for example, and all waste is sorted manually.

[0007] However, workers need a certain level of experience to accurately identify the materials of waste, and inexperienced workers may misidentify the waste materials. As a result, the accuracy of waste sorting decreases.

[0008] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a waste sorting support device, a waste sorting support system, and a waste sorting support method that can effectively improve the accuracy of waste sorting by workers. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] To achieve the above objective, a waste sorting support system according to one aspect of the present invention comprises: a projection device that projects an image onto a place where waste is placed; a material estimation unit that estimates the material of the waste; and a projection control unit that projects an image relating to the material of the waste onto the surface of the waste whose material has been estimated by the material estimation unit using the projection device, wherein the projection control unit deforms the image relating to the material of the waste to match the shape of the surface of the waste before projecting it.

[0010] To achieve the above objective, a waste sorting support system according to another aspect of the present invention comprises a transport device for transporting a plurality of wastes, a projection device for projecting an image onto the transport device, a material estimation unit for estimating the material of the wastes, and a projection control unit that projects an image relating to the material of the wastes onto the surface of the wastes using the projection device in accordance with the transport of the wastes whose materials have been estimated by the material estimation unit, wherein the projection control unit deforms the image relating to the material of the wastes to match the shape of the surface of the wastes before projecting it.

[0011] In the present invention, the image relating to the waste material is preferably a character, figure, symbol, or color assigned to the material, or a combination thereof.

[0012] In the present invention, it is preferable that the image relating to the material of the waste is a representation of the material using characters, figures, symbols, or a combination thereof, displayed in a color different from the color of the surface of the waste.

[0013] In the present invention, it is preferable that the image relating to the material of the waste is a figure indicating the direction in which the waste should be moved, as determined for each material.

[0014] In the present invention, it is preferable that the system further includes a center of gravity estimation unit for estimating the center of gravity of the waste, and that the projection control unit projects an image showing the center of gravity of the waste, along with an image relating to the material of the waste, onto the surface of the waste.

[0015] In the present invention, it is preferable that the projection control unit projects an image relating to the material of the waste onto the surface of the waste using the projection device, and also projects a background image different from the image onto the location where the waste is placed using the projection device.

[0016] In the present invention, it is preferable that the projection control unit projects an image relating to the material of the waste onto the surface of the waste using the projection device, and also projects a background image different from the said image onto the conveying surface of the conveying device using the projection device.

[0017] In the present invention, it is preferable to further include a warning sound output device that outputs a warning sound, and a warning sound control unit that outputs a warning sound in a manner appropriate to the transport of the waste when the material of the waste estimated by the material estimation unit is a material requiring attention.

[0018] In the present invention, it is preferable that the projection control unit projects an image relating to the material of the waste in a manner that matches the output of the warning sound.

[0019] To achieve the above objective, a waste sorting support device according to another aspect of the present invention comprises a material estimation unit that estimates the material of waste at a location where waste is placed, and a projection control unit that projects an image relating to the material of the waste onto the surface of the waste whose material has been estimated by the material estimation unit, wherein the projection control unit deforms the image relating to the material of the waste to match the shape of the surface of the waste before projecting it.

[0020] In the present invention, the location where the waste is placed is a transport device that transports multiple pieces of waste, and the projection control unit may project an image relating to the material of the waste onto the surface of the waste using the projection device in accordance with the transport of the waste whose material has been estimated by the material estimation unit.

[0021] To achieve the above objective, a waste sorting support method according to another aspect of the present invention is characterized by estimating the material of the waste at the location where the waste is placed, projecting an image relating to the material of the waste onto the surface of the waste whose material has been estimated, and projecting the image while deforming it to match the shape of the surface of the waste.

[0022] In order to achieve the above object, a waste sorting support method according to another aspect of the present invention estimates the materials of a plurality of wastes conveyed by a conveying device, and projects an image related to the materials of the waste onto the surface of the waste in accordance with the conveyance of the waste whose materials have been estimated. When projecting the image, the image is deformed and projected in accordance with the shape of the surface of the waste.

Advantages of the Invention

[0023] According to the present invention, the materials of the waste are estimated, and an image related to the materials is projected onto the surface of the waste whose materials have been estimated. By doing so, an operator can accurately determine the materials of the waste by referring to the image projected onto the surface of the waste. Further, the image related to the materials of the waste is deformed and projected in accordance with the shape of the surface of the waste. By doing so, for example, when projecting an image related to the materials onto a waste having unevenness or an inclined surface on its surface without deformation, the image is deformed on the surface and becomes difficult to read. However, by deforming and projecting the image in advance in accordance with the unevenness or inclined surface, the image readability can be effectively improved. Therefore, the accuracy of waste sorting by the operator can be effectively enhanced.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0024]

FIG. 1

FIG. 2

FIG. 3

FIG. 4

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0025] Hereinafter, a waste sorting support system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 9.

[0026] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the schematic configuration of a waste sorting support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the functional blocks of the control device of the waste sorting support system of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the manual sorting area of the waste sorting support system of FIG. 1. FIGS. 4 to 7 are diagrams showing examples of projecting an image related to a material onto waste (sheet, plate, part, pipe) in the manual sorting area. In FIG. 4, (a) is a plan view and (b) is a perspective view. In FIGS. 5 to 7, (a) is a plan view, (b) is a front view, and (c) is a perspective view. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of the process (waste sorting support process) in the control device of the waste sorting support system of FIG. 1. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the manual sorting area used in a modification of the waste sorting support system of FIG. It is a diagram showing an example of the manual sorting area used in a modification of the waste sorting support system of FIG. 1. The arrows in FIGS. 1 and 3 indicate the conveyance direction of the waste. [[ID=XX]]

[0027] The waste sorting support system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention sorts waste, for example, that is contained in demolition waste from houses or rubble generated during disasters. These wastes are diverse and include a wide variety of materials, such as wood, plastic, vinyl sheets, polyvinyl chloride materials, paper, siding, gypsum board, fibers, glass, ferrous metals, and non-ferrous metals. Furthermore, the size and shape of these wastes vary and are not uniform. The present invention can also be applied to a system for sorting waste such as steel cans, aluminum cans, bottles, PET bottles, and the plastic bags that contain them.

[0028] As shown in Figure 1, the waste sorting support system 1 includes a conveyor 10 as a transport device, a camera 20 as a photography device, a robotic arm 30 as a moving device, a projection device 35, and a control device 40 as a waste sorting support device.

[0029] The conveyor 10 transports multiple waste materials W in one direction (from left to right in Figure 1). A sub-conveyor 11 is positioned upstream of the conveyor 10, and a vibrating screen device 12 is positioned between the conveyor 10 and the sub-conveyor 11. The multiple waste materials W transported by the sub-conveyor 11 are screened out by the vibrating screen device 12 to remove waste materials Ws of a predetermined size (e.g., 50 mm) or smaller, and then supplied to the conveyor 10. In this embodiment, the conveyor 10 and sub-conveyor 11 are belt-type conveyors, but various transport devices such as roller conveyors and bucket-type conveyors can be used as long as they can transport multiple waste materials W.

[0030] Furthermore, after the vibrating sieve device 12 has sieved off waste Ws of a predetermined size or smaller, magnetic force may be used to remove ferromagnetic materials such as iron from the waste W. Since ferromagnetic materials such as iron can be easily removed by magnetic force, removing the magnetic materials beforehand and then sorting the other materials can reduce the burden on the worker who identifies the materials. In this embodiment, the removal of waste W using magnetic force is not performed.

[0031] Camera 20 is installed upstream of the conveyor 10. Specifically, camera 20 is positioned to photograph the upstream portion of the conveying surface 10a of the conveyor 10 from above. Camera 20 photographs the process of multiple waste materials W being transported by the conveyor 10 and outputs image data corresponding to the captured images. In this embodiment, the camera 20 employs an RGB camera for capturing color video, a 3D camera for capturing subjects in three dimensions, and a near-infrared camera for capturing images using near-infrared light. However, other types of imaging devices other than RGB cameras may be used depending on the system configuration, type of waste, material, etc., as long as they do not contradict the purpose of the present invention. For example, a still image camera for capturing still images, or an X-ray camera for capturing images using X-rays may be used.

[0032] The robot arm 30 is installed in the middle section of the conveyor 10. Specifically, the robot arm 30 is installed to the side of the conveyor 10 near the center in the transport direction. The robot arm 30 picks up multiple waste materials W on the conveyor 10 one by one. The robot arm 30 then moves the picked-up waste materials W to collection boxes (not shown) provided for each material. In addition, as long as it does not contradict the purpose of the present invention, other types of moving devices other than the robot arm 30 may be used depending on the system configuration and the type of waste, as long as they can move the waste materials W to the locations provided for each material. In this embodiment, the robot arm 30 sorts relatively heavy waste materials W (materials such as wood, cement, and metal).

[0033] The projection device 35 consists of, for example, a laser light irradiation device or a projector device, and is installed downstream of the conveyor 10. Specifically, the projection device 35 is positioned to project an image from above onto a downstream area of ​​the conveying surface 10a of the conveyor 10 (the area indicated by the diagonal lines in Figure 1, hereinafter referred to as the "manual sorting area S"). Waste W that has not been sorted by the robot arm 30 flows into this manual sorting area S. A sorting worker (not shown) is positioned next to the manual sorting area S on the conveyor 10, and the sorting work is performed manually by the worker in the manual sorting area S. The manual sorting area S has approximately the same width as the conveying surface 10a and a length of about 1 to 2 m in the conveying direction. In this embodiment, the worker positioned in the manual sorting area S sorts the waste that has not been sorted by the robot arm 30 (materials such as plastic, vinyl (commonly called vinyl such as polypropylene and polyethylene), polyvinyl chloride, etc.). Furthermore, if the waste W transported by the conveyor belt 10 consists only of items that can be sorted manually, such as steel cans, aluminum cans, glass bottles, plastic bottles, and the plastic bags containing them, the robotic arm 30 may be omitted. The image projected by the projection device 35 in the manual sorting area S will be described later.

[0034] The control device 40 controls the operation of the entire waste sorting support system 1. In this embodiment, the control device 40 identifies the position and shape of multiple waste materials W being transported by the conveyor 10, and estimates their material and center of gravity, based on various image data output from the camera 20. The control device 40 also controls the robot arm 30 to sequentially move (discharge) the multiple waste materials W from the conveyor 10 into collection boxes provided for each material.

[0035] The control device 40 has a computer. The computer may be a personal computer or a large computer such as a workstation or server. The computer has a central processing unit (CPU) and a program storage device consisting of memory and a hard disk drive that stores various programs executed by the CPU. A tablet terminal 50 is connected to the control device 40 via a wireless communication line. The tablet terminal 50 is used as a display device that shows various statuses of the waste sorting support system 1 and as an operation input device into which operations of the waste sorting support system 1 are input.

[0036] Alternatively, instead of the tablet terminal 50, a display device such as a monitor having a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display, as well as an input device such as a keyboard and mouse, may be connected to the control device 40. Or, the control unit (not shown) consisting of a computer, which is part of the tablet terminal 50, may be used as the control device 40.

[0037] Furthermore, a storage device 60, such as an external hard disk drive, is connected to the control device 40. This storage device 60 stores training data used for learning to estimate the material of waste. The applicant has disclosed the generation of training data in Patent Document 1 and other documents, and a detailed explanation is omitted in this specification. The control device 40 and at least one of the storage device 60 and the tablet terminal 50 may be connected, for example, via the Internet.

[0038] As shown in Figure 3, the computer of the control device 40 functions as a waste identification unit 41, a material estimation unit 42, a center of gravity estimation unit 43, a projection control unit 44, and a movement control unit 45 by executing a program (waste sorting support program) stored in the program storage device.

[0039] The waste identification unit 41 acquires various image data (color image data, 3D image data, near-infrared image data) output from the camera 20, and identifies the position and shape of each of the multiple waste items W on the conveying surface 10a of the conveyor 10 based on this image data. The waste identification unit 41 also tracks the position of the multiple waste items W on the conveyor 10 based on the positions of the identified multiple waste items W and the conveying speed of the conveyor 10. The waste identification unit 41 outputs the various image data to the material estimation unit 42 either as is, or after processing it by cutting out the parts corresponding to each of the multiple waste items W.

[0040] The material estimation unit 42 estimates the material of each of the multiple waste materials W whose location and shape have been identified by the waste identification unit 41. Specifically, it acquires image data from the waste identification unit 41 and performs pattern matching processing on this image data using recognition pattern data prepared for each material to estimate the material of each of the multiple waste materials W. Of course, the material may be estimated by other processing methods. The recognition pattern data used for estimation is updated by machine learning using training data stored in the storage device 60.

[0041] The material estimation unit 42 reads training data from the storage device 60 at predetermined timings, such as periodically, during periods when the system is not performing sorting processing, or when new training data is added to the storage device 60, and updates the recognition pattern data by performing machine learning. In this embodiment, the material estimation unit 42 is configured to perform machine learning using a convolutional neural network with an optimization method based on backpropagation. Of course, machine learning may be performed by other methods.

[0042] The centroid estimation unit 43 estimates the centroid of each of the multiple waste materials W. Specifically, the centroid estimation unit 43 estimates the centroid position of each of the multiple waste materials W based on the shape of each of the multiple waste materials W identified by the waste material identification unit 41.

[0043] The projection control unit 44 projects an image related to the material of the waste W onto the surface of the waste W using the projection device 35, in accordance with the transport (movement by the conveyor 10) of the multiple waste W whose materials have been estimated by the material estimation unit 42. The projection control unit 44 may also project the image in the vicinity of the waste W on the conveyor 10.

[0044] The projection control unit 44 deforms and projects an image relating to the material of the waste W to match the shape of the surface of the waste W (i.e., unevenness, curved surfaces, inclination angle with respect to the conveying surface 10a, etc.). The projection control unit 44 acquires the shape of the surface of the waste W based on the shape of the waste W identified by the waste identification unit 41. In this embodiment, when the projection control unit 44 projects an image onto the upper surface of the waste W, it does not deform the image if the upper surface is a horizontal plane (including a nearly horizontal plane), but deforms the image if the upper surface is a surface other than a horizontal plane. The projection control unit 44 deforms the image so that when a worker positioned next to the manual sorting area S lowers their gaze by about 45 to 60 degrees from the horizontal and looks down at the conveying surface 10a of the conveyor 10, the image is visible without distortion or with only slight distortion. Furthermore, if the image consists only of color, the projection control unit 44 adjusts the shading of each part of the image (i.e., deforms it) so that it is visible without color shading or with only slight color shading. Furthermore, the projection control unit 44 obtains the position of the waste W from the waste identification unit 41 and moves the image in accordance with the transport of the waste W so that the image continues to be displayed on the upper surface of the waste W.

[0045] The image of the waste material W consists of letters, shapes, symbols, or colors assigned to the material, or a combination thereof. Letters indicating the material are, for example, the material name (plastic, polyvinyl chloride, etc.). Shapes indicating the material are, for example, circles for plastic and triangles for polyvinyl chloride, or arrows indicating the location of collection boxes provided for each material (i.e., shapes indicating the direction in which the waste should be moved, as determined for each type of waste). Symbols indicating the material are, for example, abbreviations (PLA for plastic, PVC for polyvinyl chloride, etc.). Colors assigned to the material are, for example, red for plastic and blue for polyvinyl chloride, etc. In this case, the color assigned to the material is projected onto the entire top surface of the waste W. Alternatively, the material name or abbreviation may be colored with the color assigned to the material and projected. This allows workers to easily identify the material.

[0046] Alternatively, the image relating to the material of the waste W may be a character, figure, symbol, or combination thereof indicating the material, displayed in a color different from the color of the surface of the waste W (for example, a complementary color to the surface color). This allows the image to be projected onto the surface of the waste W in a more visible manner, making it easier for workers to identify the material. The image relating to the material of the waste W may also be projected near the waste W on the conveying surface 10a of the conveyor 10. For example, a symbol indicating the material (an abbreviation of the material) may be projected onto the surface of the waste W, and a figure indicating the material (an arrow indicating the location of a collection box provided for each material) may be projected near the waste W on the conveying surface 10a.

[0047] In this embodiment, the image relating to the material of the waste W uses symbols to indicate the material, with "PLA" for plastic, "VNL" for vinyl (including polypropylene and polyethylene), and "PVC" for polyvinyl chloride. The projection control unit 44 projects these symbols onto the upper surface of the waste W. Furthermore, the image relating to the material of the waste W includes arrows indicating the location of collection boxes provided for each material of the waste W, and the projection control unit 44 projects these arrows near the waste W on the transport surface 10a. By including the arrows, i.e., figures indicating the direction in which the waste should be moved according to the material of the waste W, the operator can be encouraged to move the waste W in the correct direction. Note that the projection of the arrow images may be omitted.

[0048] Examples of projected images related to the material of waste W are shown in Figures 3 to 7. As shown in Figure 3, images related to the material, G11 to G14 (symbols) and G21 to G24 (arrows), are projected onto each of the multiple waste W in the manual sorting area S of the conveyor 10.

[0049] Figure 4 shows an example of projecting images G11 and G21 related to the material onto a polypropylene sheet W1. Image G11 is a symbol (VNL) indicating that the material is vinyl. The projection control unit 44 projects the symbol without deformation because the top surface of the sheet W1 is a horizontal plane. Image G21 is an arrow pointing to the location of a waste collection box (not shown) for waste W made of vinyl. The projection control unit 44 also projects a mark M1 indicating the position of the center of gravity of the sheet W1, which was estimated by the center of gravity estimation unit 43.

[0050] Figure 5 shows an example of projecting images G12 and G22 related to the material onto a plastic plate W2. Image G12 is the symbol (PLA) indicating that the material is plastic. The projection control unit 44 projects the symbol without deformation because the top surface of plate W2 is a horizontal plane. Image G22 is an arrow pointing to the location of a collection box (not shown) for waste W made of plastic. The projection control unit 44 also projects a mark M2 indicating the position of the center of gravity of plate W2, which was estimated by the center of gravity estimation unit 43.

[0051] Figure 6 shows an example of projecting images G13 and G23, which represent the material, onto a relatively complex-shaped plastic part W3. Image G13 is the symbol (PLA) indicating that the material is plastic. Part W3 has an overall wedge shape, and its top surface, which is an inclined surface, is cut out in a semicircular shape. The projection control unit 44 deforms the symbol to match the shape of the top surface of part W3, since the top surface of part W3 is a surface other than a horizontal plane (the inclined surface and the inner surface of the semicircular cutout). Image G23 is an arrow indicating the location of a waste collection box (not shown) for waste W made of plastic. The projection control unit 44 also projects a mark M3 indicating the position of the center of gravity of part W3, which has been estimated by the center of gravity estimation unit 43.

[0052] Figure 7 shows an example of projecting images G14 and G24 related to the material onto a polyvinyl chloride pipe W4. Image G14 is the symbol (PVC) indicating that the material is polyvinyl chloride. The pipe W4 has a cylindrical shape and a curved top surface. Since the top surface of the pipe W4 is a curved surface other than a horizontal plane, the projection control unit 44 deforms the symbol to match the shape of the top surface before projecting it. Image G24 is an arrow indicating the location of a waste collection box (not shown) for waste W made of polyvinyl chloride. The projection control unit 44 also projects a mark M4 indicating the position of the center of gravity of the pipe W4, which has been estimated by the center of gravity estimation unit 43.

[0053] The movement control unit 45 acquires the positions of multiple waste materials W from the waste identification unit 41 and controls the robot arm 30 to move the waste materials W within the area movable by the robot arm 30 that are to be sorted by the robot arm 30, based on the material estimation unit 42, to the collection boxes. As a result, the waste materials W to be sorted by the robot arm 30 are moved to the collection boxes corresponding to their material and discharged from the conveyor 10.

[0054] Next, an example of the processing (waste sorting support processing) according to the present invention, which is performed in the computer of the control device 40 of the waste sorting support system 1 of the above-described embodiment, will be explained.

[0055] The control device 40 controls the camera 20 to photograph the process of transporting multiple waste materials W. The control device 40 then analyzes the image data output from the camera 20 to identify the position and shape of each of the multiple waste materials W included in the image data (S110).

[0056] The control device 40 estimates the material and center of gravity of each of the multiple waste materials W whose position and shape have been identified, based on the image data (S120, S130).

[0057] The control device 40 tracks the positions of multiple waste materials W and controls the robot arm 30 to move the waste materials W that are estimated to be the target of sorting by the robot arm 30 from among the waste materials W within the area that the robot arm 30 can move (S140). As a result, the robot arm 30 moves (sorts) the waste materials W to be sorted into the collection box.

[0058] The control device 40 tracks the positions of multiple waste materials W and, for each waste material W located within the manual sorting area S, projects a symbol indicating the estimated material of the waste material W onto the top surface of the waste material W using the projection device 35, in accordance with the transport of the waste material W. It also projects an arrow indicating the direction in which the waste material W should be moved near the waste material W on the transport surface 10a (S150). As a result, workers positioned next to the manual sorting area S can determine the material of each waste material W based on the images projected onto its top surface and its vicinity, and move (sort) the waste material W into the corresponding collection box. The control device 40 may also recognize the sorting action performed by the workers and stop projecting the image related to the material of the waste material W after it has been moved off the conveyor belt 10 (by erasing the image). The control device 40 repeatedly performs the above process to proceed with the sorting of the waste material W.

[0059] As described above, according to the waste sorting support system 1 of this embodiment, the material estimation unit 42 estimates the material of each of the multiple waste materials W being transported by the conveyor 10, and the projection control unit 44 projects an image indicating the material onto the surface of the waste materials W in accordance with the transport of the waste materials W whose material has been estimated. In this way, the worker can accurately determine the material of the waste materials W by the image projected onto the surface of the waste materials W. Furthermore, the image relating to the material of the waste materials W is deformed to match the shape of the surface of the waste materials W before projection. In this way, for example, if the image relating to the material were projected without deformation onto waste materials W with uneven or inclined surfaces, the image would be deformed on the surface. However, by deforming the image in advance to match the uneven or inclined surfaces before projection, the readability of the image can be effectively improved. Therefore, the accuracy of waste sorting W by the worker can be effectively increased.

[0060] Furthermore, the center of gravity estimation unit 43 estimates the center of gravity of the waste, and the projection control unit 44 projects an image showing the center of gravity of the waste W onto the surface of the waste W, along with an image related to the material of the waste W. In this way, workers can pick up the waste W while taking the center of gravity into consideration, making the sorting process easier.

[0061] The waste sorting support system 1 described above only displays images related to the material of the waste W, but it is not limited to this. For example, the projection control unit 44 may project an image related to the material onto the surface of the waste W, and at the same time project a background image different from the image onto the manual sorting area S on the conveying surface 10a of the conveyor 10. The background image can be any image, such as various patterns like checkerboard, grid, or polka dot patterns, landscape images, or images of people, and can be either a still image or a video. By doing so, a stimulating element can be added to the sorting work, which tends to be monotonous, and a decrease in work efficiency can be effectively suppressed. In addition, by selecting a background image that makes the image related to the material stand out, the accuracy of sorting the waste W by the worker can be more effectively improved.

[0062] Furthermore, while the waste sorting support system 1 in the above-described embodiment was configured to visually support waste sorting, auditory support may also be provided. For example, the waste sorting support system 1 may be equipped with a warning sound output device that outputs a warning sound, such as a buzzer or speaker. The control device 40 may then control the warning sound output device so that when the material of the waste W estimated by the material estimation unit 42 is made of a predetermined warning material (for example, polyvinyl chloride), a warning sound is output from the warning sound output device in a manner that matches the transport of the waste W. In this configuration, the control device 40 functions as a warning sound control unit.

[0063] As a mechanism to coordinate with the transport of waste W, for example, a warning sound (e.g., "beep") is emitted from a buzzer when the waste W containing the material requiring attention enters the manual sorting area S. Alternatively, the warning sound is emitted intermittently (e.g., "beep, beep, beep"), and the interval between beeps is shortened or the volume of the warning sound is gradually increased as the waste W containing the material requiring attention approaches the manual sorting area S. A message voice (e.g., "PVC material is approaching") may be used as the warning sound.

[0064] In this way, in addition to providing visual support for waste sorting, auditory support is also provided for waste materials that require special sorting, allowing workers to clearly recognize the approach of such waste. Therefore, the accuracy of waste sorting by workers can be more effectively improved.

[0065] Furthermore, in the above-described visual support configuration, the projection control unit 44 may project an image relating to the material of the waste W in a manner that matches the output of the warning sound. As an example of a manner that matches the output of the warning sound, the image may be projected simultaneously with the sounding of the warning sound, or the image may be projected intermittently (flashed) in accordance with the intermittent sounding of the warning sound.

[0066] This method allows workers to clearly identify the location of waste materials that require careful sorting. Therefore, it is possible to more effectively improve the accuracy of waste sorting by workers.

[0067] Furthermore, although the above-described embodiment was applied to a configuration in which waste W is transported by a conveyor 10, the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, as shown in Figure 9, it may be applied to a configuration in which waste is placed on a waste sorting table 15. The waste sorting support system applied to this configuration has a camera 20 and projection device 35 positioned above the table 15, and a control device 40, but does not have a robot arm 30. This system projects images onto stationary waste W. For multiple waste items (sheets W1, boards W2, parts W3, pipes W4) placed in the manual sorting area S on the table surface 15a of the table 15, this system estimates the material and projects images G11 to G14 (symbols) related to the material and marks M1 to M4 indicating the position of the center of gravity onto the surface of each piece of waste, and projects images G21 to G24 (arrows) related to the material onto the table surface 15a. This system can be applied not only to configurations in which waste is placed on a table 15, but also to configurations in which waste is placed on the ground or in which waste is stored in a container. In this system, for example, a maximum number of waste items (e.g., 4) on which an image can be projected at one time may be defined, and when one waste item is moved out of table 15, an image may be projected onto the other waste items that do not currently have an image projected onto them.

[0068] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications are possible. For example, in the embodiments described above, the present invention was explained as being applied to a system for supporting the sorting of demolition waste or rubble generated when a building is demolished, but the present invention may also be applied to a system for sorting waste discharged from ordinary households. In that case, the image of the material should be one that is most suitable for the type of waste to be sorted. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0069] 1...Waste sorting support system, 10...Conveyor, 10a...Conveying surface, 11...Sub-conveyor, 12...Vibrating screen device, 15...Table, 15a...Table surface, 20...Camera, 30...Robot arm, 35...Projection device, 40...Control device, 41...Waste identification unit, 42...Material estimation unit, 43...Center of gravity estimation unit, 44...Projection control unit, 45...Movement control unit, 50...Tablet terminal, 60...Storage device, S...Manual sorting area, W...Waste, W1...Sheet, W2...Board, W3...Parts, W4...Pipe, G11-G14...Images (symbols) related to materials, G21-G24...Images (arrows) related to materials, M1-M4...Marks indicating the position of the center of gravity

Claims

1. a projection device for projecting an image onto a location where the waste is to be placed; a material estimation unit that estimates the material of the waste; a projection control unit that projects an image relating to the material of the waste by the projection device onto the surface of the waste whose material has been estimated by the material estimation unit, A waste sorting support system characterized in that the projection control unit projects an image relating to the material of the waste by deforming it to fit the shape of the surface of the waste.

2. a conveying device for conveying a plurality of waste materials; a projection device that projects an image onto the transport device; a material estimation unit that estimates the material of the waste; a projection control unit that projects an image relating to the material of the waste by the projection device onto a surface of the waste in accordance with the transport of the waste whose material has been estimated by the material estimation unit, A waste sorting support system characterized in that the projection control unit projects an image relating to the material of the waste by deforming it to fit the shape of the surface of the waste.

3. 3. The waste sorting support system according to claim 1, wherein the image relating to the material of the waste is a character, a figure, a symbol, a color assigned to the material, or a combination thereof, which indicates the material.

4. A waste sorting support system as described in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the image of the waste material is a display of letters, figures, symbols or combinations thereof indicating the material in a color different from the color of the surface of the waste.

5. 3. The waste sorting support system according to claim 1, wherein the image relating to the material of the waste is a graphic indicating a direction in which the waste should be moved, which is determined for each material.

6. The waste disposal device further includes a center of gravity estimation unit for estimating the center of gravity of the waste, 3. The waste sorting support system according to claim 1, wherein the projection control unit projects an image showing the center of gravity of the waste together with an image relating to the material of the waste onto the surface of the waste.

7. The waste sorting support system of claim 1, wherein the projection control unit projects an image relating to the material of the waste onto the surface of the waste using the projection device, and projects a background image different from the image using the projection device at the location where the waste is placed.

8. The waste sorting support system of claim 2, wherein the projection control unit projects an image relating to the material of the waste onto the surface of the waste using the projection device, and projects a background image different from the image onto the transport surface of the transport device using the projection device.

9. a warning sound output device that outputs a warning sound; The waste sorting support system of claim 2, further comprising a warning sound control unit that outputs a warning sound in a manner consistent with the transportation of the waste when the material of the waste estimated by the material estimation unit is a warning material.

10. 10. The waste sorting support system according to claim 9, wherein the projection control unit projects an image relating to the material of the waste in a manner that matches the output of the warning sound.

11. a material estimation unit that estimates the material of the waste at the location where the waste is placed; a projection control unit that projects an image relating to the material of the waste by a projection device onto the surface of the waste whose material has been estimated by the material estimation unit, The waste sorting support device is characterized in that the projection control unit projects an image relating to the material of the waste by deforming it to fit the shape of the surface of the waste.

12. The location where the waste is placed is a transport device that transports multiple wastes, The waste sorting support device according to claim 11, wherein the projection control unit projects an image relating to the material of the waste onto the surface of the waste using the projection device in accordance with the transportation of the waste whose material has been estimated by the material estimation unit.

13. A waste sorting support method comprising: estimating the material of waste located at a location where the waste is to be placed; projecting an image relating to the material of the waste onto the surface of the waste whose material has been estimated; and, when projecting the image, deforming the image to fit the shape of the surface of the waste.

14. A waste sorting support method comprising: estimating the material of multiple wastes being transported by a transport device; projecting an image relating to the material of the waste onto the surface of the waste in accordance with the transport of the waste whose material has been estimated; and, when projecting the image, deforming the image to fit the shape of the surface of the waste.

Images