Introduction: Automatic Trash Can Using Arduino Based Embedded Platform

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Trash bins and managing the waste in them can be messy. And overstuffing them with waste? Even messier. But trash bins that can sense your presence when you approach them to put trash and track how much of it do they hold? Possible, smart, or both? The answer is both!

It’s time to go tech-savvy and transform the trash bin of your home into a smart one; and all it is going to take is two ultrasonic sensors, a servo motor, your old pal, evive, and some DIYing! So, are you ready to make waste management at your home smart and simple with this unique DIY smart bin? Then begin right away!

Step 1: Things You'll Need:

  • evive
  • Trashcan
  • Ultrasonic Sensor
  • Metal Servo Motor and Accessories
  • Male to Female Jumper Cable 20cm

Step 2: Detecting Our Presence

We want that our trashbin should sense that we have approached the bin to throw the waste.

Let’s start by giving this sense to our Trash bin.

Take an Ultrasonic Sensor and glue it on the front of your bin.

Step 3: The Opening of the Lid

As soon as you approach the bin, you want that the lid of the in should open automatically.
For this purpose, we will be using a servo motor and a thread.

Take the servo motor and glue it at the back of the bin.

To the free servo head, attach the servo horn.

Now take the thread and tie the lid to the servo horn.

Step 4: Checking the Amount of Content in Bin

We always need to open the lid to check the amount of waste in the bin.

To make it sense automatically and notify us about how much percentage of the bin is filled, we will be using another Ultrasonic Sensor.

Take the sensor and glue it under the lid of the bin.

The assembly is almost complete except the connection of servo and sensors to evive.

Step 5: The Connection

Make the connections as shown in the figure.

Make sure that you have drawn all the wires out of the bin.

Step 6: Working

As soon as you go near the bin, the first ultrasonic sensor will sense your presence. Thus notifying the evive.
In return, the servo head will rotate pulling the thread thus opening the lid of the bin.

The ultrasonic sensor beneath the lid will sense the amount and signal the evive. evive will then display the percentage of the waste on the screen.
As soon as the level reaches 90%, the evive will let out the inbuilt buzzer notifying the user.

Once it reaches 90%, the ultrasonic sensor attached to the front of the bin does not respond on approaching the bin.
Thus, the bin will not open up thus you definitely need to clean up the bin.

Step 7: Arduino Code

To perform the same function following code should be uploaded to evive.


Attachments

Step 8: Conclusion

With this, the DIY smart trash bin is all set to help with waste management and keeping your house clean!