Binbot 9000 moves to where the bin is

Our modern societies create a lot of waste, which we can fortunately remove from our homes through local waste management services. But garbage collectors won't come and search your house for trash, which forces you to use trash cans. These bins never seem to be around when you need them, which is why James Bruton built the Binbot 9000.

The Binbot 9000 is exactly what it sounds like: a robotic trash can. The bin should no longer be parked in a remote location. Instead, Binbot 9000 can roam around a house looking for people who need to throw things.

Bruton started by placing a standard trash can on a robotic frame constructed from aluminum extrusions and 3D printed parts. It has two drive wheels with encoders, which an Arduino Mega 2560 controls. To navigate around the house while avoiding collisions, Bruton added an NVIDIA Jetson Nano single board computer and a Raspberry Pi camera. The Jetson runs computer vision software and passes commands to the Arduino via serial.

Computer vision software looks for single targets printed on sheets of paper. The robot rotates until it sees and centers a target in the video image. It will then move forward until it hits the target, rotate 90 degrees, and repeat the process. If it collides with something (ideally someone's foot), the code wheel will detect the stall and the robot will open its lid with a servo. Once someone has deposited waste and closed the lid, the robot resumes its target search cycle.

By placing targets in strategic locations around his house, Bruton gave Binbot 9000 the ability to effectively move around his house. Whenever he needs to throw something away, he can push the robot to stop it and drop off his trash. He also responds to voice commands, allowing Bruton to summon him or send him home as needed.