PURPOSE
The target users for our smart trash-sorting project are public visitors, families, maintenance staff, and trash collectors who deal with waste every day. Through direct observation in parks, schools, and office buildings, we noticed that children often struggle to identify the correct bins, sometimes placing recyclables in trash bins out of confusion or distraction, while adults occasionally ignore sorting instructions when in a hurry. In some places, contamination is so common, their initiatives were eventually stopped.
These factors exemplify the need for an auto-sorting machine, as not only does it help facilities but civilians too. It incentivizes trash disposal through its ease of use, and the “ooh” factor that it gives to people.
SURVEYS
We asked the public whether they would actually use a trash can that sorts for them, we received overwhelmingly positive results. With 95.8% of people saying that they would use one. This shows that there is already existing demand for our product, emphasizing how important our project would be in daily life
Moreover, we asked the respondents if they find lots of trash in their surroundings and more than half of our respondents answered that they do. This shows how littering is a real problem for many people, and that there is a real problem that can be solved by our product.
People were also asked if is is difficult for them to figure out what type of bin to organize their trash into. By a majority (58.3%) responding that it is hard for them to asses which bin to place their trash into, it supports that a an automatucally sorting trash bin can be very effective.
DEFINE
The Driving Question
How can we automate recycling to reduce human error and improve ease of use?
Purpose
The purpose of this project is to create more efficient and effortless trash sorting system. The bin will support those who struggle with sorting items correctly and those who are affected by the outcome of unorganized trash. By having an auto-sorting machine, all problems including confusion, carelessness, overflowing, environmental consequences, injuries, efficiency, and more.
Thesis Statement
Unorganized trash is due to human causes such as lack of care and confusion reguading organizing items into correct trash bins.
SYSTEM DIAGRAM
