ROB | The Intelligent Bin
This project was featured on the Google Blog. Check it out!
“Sustainability” always felt like a somewhat nebulous concept to me. Of course, we were taught in school the importance of recycling and reuse, and I tried to embody those values as best I could. But I don’t think I ever truly appreciated the impact of putting that bottle in the recycling bin, so I was always curious to see what I could do to make that feeling more visceral.
That’s why, in the summer of 2019 when me and one of my friends were brainstorming ideas for a coding project, we decided on creating a “Smart Bin”–a recycling bin that would automate recycling and hopefully encourage good waste management practices in our communities. We worked many hours every day, but nearing the end of the summer, we finally finished our first prototype.
After presenting it at various innovation fairs and a Google Developer event, and even getting the project covered by the Google Blog, I realized that I wanted to continue with the project and bring it to the public. So in the summer of 2020 I worked with a company–PALO IT–that I had previously interned at to develop the project further, and present it to sponsors who would be interested in investing.
In presenting my bin to investors, and working on it alongside talented engineers, I realized that “sustainability” is, ironically, more than just a recycling bin. It’s a cause wherein I can explore my own passions in the context of social good. That is the lesson I want to take with me on my future endeavours.