CleanRobotics Adds Educational Feature to Trashbot Robotic Recyling Bin

CleanRobotics las week launched a new feature for its waste-sorting robot designed to help inform people about the benefits of recycling. The TrashBot will now display “custom educational content” on its screen based on when certain items are discarded.

“Once TrashBot sorts the waste item into the correct bin inside, the user will get a helpful tip based on the item they just threw away, acknowledging the completion of the process and providing education,” the company said. “Using TrashBot's waste data, the CleanRobotics team will continue to develop relevant educational content reflecting the trends of its host facility.”

The Pittsburgh-based company launched Trashbot in 2017. It was first installed at the Pittsburgh City Council building. It’s a smart recycling bin that sorts waste using computer vision, machine learning, and AI. CleanRobotics said the robot has a 95% stream accuracy, the company said.

"With this [new] feature, TrashBot can now react to the precise item disposed and educate users on context-specific tips related to the detected item,” said Al Richard Galvez, CleanRobotics’ senior director of software and AI. “For example, although identifying plastic bottles and diverting them from landfill is great enough, the TrashBot's AI can now also advise the user to empty out water from their plastic bottles before disposal so they can be properly recycled."

CleanRobotics beleives change comes from education

CleanRobotics said it is driven to help reduce barriers to recycling and has deployed TrashBot units in airports, hospitals, and stadiums.

"TrashBot's new dynamic content feature will expand the reach of the education provided by creating a more engaging environment for the user. Our customers will now be able to leverage this engagement of their facility population by helping users understand where their waste is going and how it affects the waste management system and our environment," said Alexandra Niesen, associate director of customer success for CleanRobotics.

"As we continue to track unique patterns through our customer's waste data, we can utilize dynamic content to change the way the world thinks about trash and how we throw it away," she added.

Everyday Robots was working on developing general-purpose mobile robots that were capable of handling items and learn on the go.

In related cleaning robot news, Wired recently reported that Alphabet would be shutting down Everyday Robots, an X moonshot lab robotics startup. The Mountain View, Calif.-based company made the decision to cut costs.