Smart Trash Bins are of the products that promote the smart city concept. The most favorable feature of a smart trash bin is its intelligence. Equipped with various kinds of sensors on the front, a smart trash bin is able to detect temperature, humidity, odor, smoke, and even can automatically send alerts when it is full or overstuffed. In other words, a smart trash bin as such can sense its fullness, and therefore, to inform sanitation workers so that they can clean it up on time.

TF Series LiDAR developed by Benewake achieves intelligent and touch-free garbage recycling. It provides two solutions for monitoring a trash bin – detecting if lid is open, and measuring the height of garbage within. Benewake LiDARs have already been applied on smart trash in many cities. These smart trash, not only being able to facilitate touch-free waste disposal, will also send real-time data to garbage trucks and request garbage collection when they are 80% full. Therefore, seamless garbage collection and transportation becomes possible. 

1. Components and Functionalities of the Smart Trash Bin System

Solar Power Supply: supplies photovoltaic electricity to the measuring, communication, and sound/light units.

Disinfection System: effectively decelerates the decay of perishable trash, reduces unpleasant odor, and disinfects various bacteria.

IoT Information Collecting System: provides access to information such as product locations, status of capacity, malfunctioning logs, and garbage amount.

Smart Lid-opener: automatically opens the lid of a trash bin for people who dispose of their garbage. Using LiDAR as the sensor device, a smart lid-opener can help achieve touch-free waste disposal so as to protect people from bacterial infections. The device will make trash-dumping much easier.

Standard Trash Bin: the product is fully compatible with the standard 240L trash bins. It can be installed on an ordinary trash bin, in which way to upgrade the functionality. The product adopts a component structure, making it simple to install without the necessity of relocating the trash bins. It will facilitate the promotion of garbage recycling.

Advertising System: the product can carry advertising LED screens that promote garbage recycling or other commercial advertisements.

Monitoring System: the product can work with remote surveillance and provide access to city information management systems.

Unmanned Garbage Cleanup: the IoT system used by the product can be upgraded to 5G data transmission protocols, so as to communicate with unmanned garbage trucks in real time. When a trash bin is full, unmanned garbage trucks will clean it up autonomously, which makes our product a perfect device for establishing smart communities.

2. Workflow of Smart Trash Bin

①. Detect if someone is approaching the trash bin, and automatically open the lid for them.

②. Automatically close the lid after garbage disposal is finished, and start measuring garbage amount.

③. Send garbage amount data to remote information management systems.

④. The systems mark the trash bins as garbage collecting targets when they are full.

⑤. Plan pick-up paths, and dispatch garbage trucks to the full trash bins.

3. LiDAR Application on Smart Trash

Automatic Lid-opener: The product features an automatic lid-opener. When installed above a garbage recycling station and facing down to the front ground, the LiDAR is able to detect people (taller than 130cm) coming from the front. When people who come to disposal of the garbage approach, the lid of the bin will be automatically opened, so as to make people’s hands free from touching it. In this way, we can reduce the possibility of bacterial infections, and make garbage disposal trouble-free for citizens.

Garbage Amount Measuring System: Installed on the inner top of the lid and facing downwards, the LiDAR is able to measure garbage amount within a trash bin. When garbage amount reaches 80% of bin’s capacity, it sends data to a garbage truck to request garbage pickup. In this way, seamless garbage collection becomes possible. 

4. Solution Advantages 

1. Long distance for black trash identification: 3-8m distance

2. Ultra-low power consumption, power consumption<0.35W,supports battery power supply.

3. Less than the weight of a dollar coin, easy to install and integrate.

4. 100Hz high frequency accurate real-time measurement, configurable parameters.

5. 2° detection angle to prevent false alarms caused by touching the barrel wall.

6. Plug and play, consumer grade price.

7. Satisfying human eye safety.

8. Modular construction, protective housing can be added.