Introduction: Smart Trash Management System

INTRODUCTION.

Current Problem or Issue related to this project

The main problem with our current society is the accumulation of solid waste matter. It will be having a greater impact on the health and environment of our society. The detection, monitoring and management of these wastages is one of the primary problem of the present era.

It is a new methodology to manage the wastage automatically. This is our IOT Smart Garbage Manufacturing system, an innovative way that will you to keep the cities clean and health. Follow on to see how you could make an impact to help clean your community, home or even surroundings, taking us a step closer to a better way of living

Why IOT ?

We are living in an age where tasks and systems are connected together with the power of IOT to have some what more efficient system of working and to execute jobs quickly! With all the power at our finger tips it will be able to accomplish!! In and through the use of IOT we are capable of directing mankind into a new technological era Building a general architecture for the IOT is hence a very complex task, mainly because of the extremely large variety of devices, link layer technologies, and services that may be involved in such a system.

Step 1: ​Overview of the Monitoring System

Present Problem with the Garbage Collection

These days we can observe that the garbage truck use to go around the town to collect solid wastages twice a day. To say it is really in vain and inefficient. For example let’s say that there are two streets, namely A and B. Street A is a busy street and we see that the garbage fills up really fast whereas Street B even after two days the bin isn’t half full.Then what are the problems will be arising due to this???

  • Waste of Human Resource
  • Waste of time
  • Waste of money
  • Waste of fuel

Step 2: ​Formation of Hypothesis

The problem is that, we don’t know the actual level of garbage in every trashcan. So we need a real time indication of the garbage level in the trashcan at any given time. Using that data we can then optimize waste collection routes and ultimately reduce fuel consumption. It allows trash collectors to plan their daily/weekly pick up schedule.

Step 3: Criteria

The following things should be under taken into consideration:-

  • First of all you have find the height of the dustbin. This will be helping us to generate the percentage of the trash in the trashcan.To do that so two criteria should be satisfied to show that the particular bin needs to be emptied;
  • The amount of trash, in other words if the bin is half full, you don’t really need to empty it. The maximum amount of trash we permit is, 75% of the bin. ( It can be done according to your preference)
  • There is another case, if a particular bin fills up 20% and then for a week if it is not changing, it comes into the second criteria, time. In accordance with time, even little amount of trash will lead to a smelly surrounding. To avoid this, we can assume that our tolerance level is 2 days. So if a trashcan is less than 75%, but if it is two days old it should be also emptied.

Step 4: Electronic Components

  • Arduino 101(it is a powerful micro-controller which can be used to send the data via BLE)
  • Arduino WiFi Shield 101( It will be connected to the arduino 101 to transmit its data through the help of WiFi
  • sensors
    • Ultrasonic sensor(used to measure the distance between lid of dustbin and base of it)
    • IR sensor(used to implement on large scale trash system)
  • 9V Battery ( it is the power source for our project)
  • 9V Battery Clip
  • Jumper wires (generic)
  • Slide Switch

Step 5: Software Applications

Arduino IDE

Blynk ( It is one of the best applications for all users as it let’s you visually see your project on any of your devices)

Python

SQL /MYSQL

Step 6: ​Necessary Tools and Machines

Hot Glue Gun (generic)

A plastic box

Hand Driller

Step 7: Technical Part

An Infrared sensor will be placed on the interior side of the lid; the Sensor will be facing the solid waste. As the trash increases, the distance between the IR Sensor and the trash decreases. This Live data will be sent to our micro-controller.

Note: Using an ultra-sonic sensor won’t be effective for large scale as many sounds are created during this process. So that we can assure the rate of trash as the Sensor is very sensitive to sounds. It may lead to errors in data transaction.

Our micro-controller, the arduino 101, then processes the data and through the help of Wi-Fi it sends it to the database / app.

Through the app or using the database we can visually represent the amount of trash in the bin with small animation.

Step 8: Construction of the Model

It’s the time to construct our very own system to minimize the negative impacts of non-proper garbage management. It can be dine in two ways as follows:

Small Scale: Using the usage of Blynk, we can create an app to a small level. It can be used up for a household garbage disposal or for an apartment or even for a small network of houses.

Large Scale: By creating a database in the cloud, we can make an intranet connection between certain boundaries. Using Python/SQL/MYSQL we can create a database in the cloud to form a network of Trash bins.

Step 9: Making a Small Scale Monitoring System

STEP-1
  • Take a plastic container and mark two eyes on it.Now remove the lid and trace the two ''eyes'' of the ultrasonic sensor. this will be the side facing the bottom of the bin.

Step 10: Step-2

Take a hand driller and drill the marked places smoothly. Then fix the ultrasonic sensor in the holes without trapping any part of the Sensor.( Therefore we can assure that the reading would be reliable)

Step 11: Step-3

  • Simply mount the Base shield onto the Arduino 101 and attach the Ultrasonic sensor to any of the pins. The source code is given below.
  • Connect a slide switch with the module.

Step 12: Step-4 ( Prototyping)

  • Take a sample bin in the house and then fix the components to it carefully and then Connect it to Blynk and test.

Step 13: Step-5 ( Linking With the Blynk App)

  • To connect the data received from the arduino to the internet, we can use a prebuilt platform called Blynk.It can be downloaded from the android app store. This app can be controlled using Arduino IDE

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=cc.

Step 14: Step-06 (Setting the App)

  • The source code is already given above.To be able to program the Arduino 101, you need to first install the drivers needed. To check if you already have them installed open the Arduino IDE, click on tools, then boards and look if either Arduino or Genuino 101 are in the list. If they are there, skip to next step, if not follow along.

  • To download the necessary drivers to be able to use Arduino mkr1000, open the Arduino IDE again, click on tools, boards, then boards manager.

  • Once your drivers are installed, go ahead and download the libraries needed. For our program to run we need the WiFi101 library, the Blynk library and the ultrasonic library, all three can be found in Arduino's in built library manager. Open to sketch then include library. then library manager.

Step 15: Step-7 (Testing)

  • Using the Blynk app, we can make a small representation of the level of trash in the bin using 3 LED s.Select Arduino 101 as your micro-controller ad use "BLE" as "connection type.

Strictly; No use of Bluetooth.

  • You will then receive a mail of the "auth token" which you need to input in the code, (mentioned in the code).

Step 16: Step-8 (Results)

  • Using a smartphone or a laptop you can monitor the garbage bin as follows....

  • The following color represent the amount of trash in the bin

  1. Green - 25%
  2. Orange - 50%
  3. Red - 75%

Step 17: Conclusion for Small Scale

  • As mentioned above it can be monitored under the control of a smartphone or a laptop. More over it won't be suitable, when it comes to large scale. So the project of monitoring for a small scale is success.

Now let's explore how to make it for a larger scale.

Step 18: Large Scale Monitoring System

It is gonna be some what different than the small scale.

It would be more prominent for the government of all countries.

As all the government are seeking for a good solution, here I am going to tell a solution for that. Here it comes...

Step 19: Overview

This can be done under two criteria:-

  • we can create a big dustbin which is common for a street. Let's say that in the certain place called "A" and it consist of 10 streets. Then we are going to make 40 trash bins which are really large in size( 4 bins for each street as Polythene, food items, Glasses and metals should be collected separately)
  • Or else, we can market new dustbins to all shops and we can announce all to buy those bins. Simultaneously we can earn for the government even.

Step 20: Steps to Be Concerned

  • it's going to be the same module used for small scale.

But the usage of infrared Sensor would be much prominent as lots of noises are created in the environment and it may lead for data errors.So it is better to use IR Sensor.

So i think there won't be any need of explaining the same things again as all the things are mentioned above.

Step 21: Handling of Big Data Using Database

So this is going to be the very important part of all and this is the new idea of all.

  • we are going to create a database using python/SQL/MYSQL. Then we will be connecting it to the cloud. So that it can be useful for the government to handle all the data received from arduino.

Step 22: Results Calculation in Database

As said above, we are going to set the arduino to send data to the database at certain intervals from different places.

Then from that we can evaluate where the garbage is getting collected quickly. There after we can manage the garbage collection.

This can be done with the indentation of using for a long time or to collect data surveillance .

Step 23: Conclusion

Using the data received from the database , the government will be able to create a wide network to collect trashes . So that it will be leading to -

Minimal usage of fuel.

Minimal usage of Human Resources.

Efficient usage of time.

So our project of smart garbage management is almost finished now. So let's try to keep our surrounding clean and healthy. Make a happy time : )


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