Crowd-Sourced Waste Recycling System Using Vehicle Sensors
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional waste service providers fail to utilize items that could be reused, leading to higher disposal costs and environmental impact, as information about reusable items is not shared and they are disposed of with other waste.
Innovation Solution
A system and method utilizing a mobile app that includes sensors on waste service vehicles to capture images of waste, allowing consumers to identify and match desired items, and facilitate notifications and arrangements for reuse or recycling through a portal and processor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional waste service providers dispatch service vehicles to pick up waste according to a predetermined schedule, then waste collection service is provided to customers, but reusable items are disposed of along with other waste without being identified or shared
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by capturing images of waste items before disposal, storing them in a database, and making them available for public viewing and claiming. This allows reusable items to be identified and claimed by community members before the waste is disposed of, preventing loss of valuable resources while maintaining efficient waste collection operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary system consisting of a database and public portal that mediates between waste collection and disposal. The database stores images and information about waste items, while the portal allows community members to view, search, and claim reusable items. This intermediary layer enables resource recovery without disrupting the efficiency of waste collection services.
2Device complexity
If information about reusable items is not shared, then waste collection operations remain simple and straightforward, but disposal costs increase and environmental impact worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a multi-functional approach where the waste management system not only collects and disposes of waste but also identifies, catalogs, and facilitates reuse of valuable items. The database and portal serve multiple purposes: tracking waste collection, storing item information, enabling public access to reusable items, and reducing disposal costs. This universal system addresses multiple objectives simultaneously without requiring entirely separate infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies the principle of discarding and recovering by systematically capturing images of waste items before disposal, storing them in a database, and enabling community members to claim and recover reusable items. This process recovers valuable resources that would otherwise be discarded, reducing disposal costs and environmental impact while maintaining relatively simple operational procedures through automated image capture and database management.
3Loss of information
If sensors and image capture systems are added to waste service vehicles, then reusable items can be identified and matched with consumers, but system complexity and initial costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual inspection and identification of reusable items with automated image capture sensors and computer vision technology. Instead of requiring workers to manually sort and identify valuable items, the system uses sensors to automatically capture images, store them in a database, and make them available for public viewing. This substitution reduces the need for complex manual sorting processes while effectively capturing and preserving item information.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates digital copies of waste items through image capture and stores them in a database. These digital copies preserve all visual information about reusable items without requiring physical handling or complex sorting mechanisms. Community members can view and identify reusable items through these digital representations, enabling information availability while keeping the physical waste collection process relatively simple and efficient.
Data Source
AI summary
A system is provided for use in managing waste services performed by a service vehicle. The system may include a sensor configured to capture during completion of a waste service activity an image of waste set out for retrieval by the service vehicle, a portal, and a processor in communication with the sensor and the portal. The processor may be configured to execute instructions stored in memory to receive from a consumer via the portal at least one of a picture and a description of a desired item, to recognize an object in the image captured by the sensor, to make a determination regarding matching of the object with the desired item, and to selectively cause a notification to be displayed on the portal based on the determination.