Canadian University Dubai (CUD) students have developed an innovative solution for sorting household waste. The system uses artificial intelligence, mechatronics, and so-called “social robotics” to swiftly and accurately sift through garbage. Known as the Social Robot Garbage Classifier, the project is a collaboration between students from the School of Engineering, Applied Science and Technology, and the Department of Public Health.

The idea for the smart garbage bin was formulated initially by Computer Network Engineering major Jehad Al Jaghoub, who explained, “Often people will not sort recyclable materials, or will accidentally place items in the wrong bin. Our goal is to improve the outcome of recyclable garbage sorting and, ultimately, to see these smart bins installed across Dubai. The mechatronics system uses sensors, allowing the robot to interact with users and understand their waste disposal needs. Precision-engineered actuators then translate this input into actions, ensuring that trash is correctly sorted and discarded”.

Co-creator and Public Health major Abdullahi Suleiman added: “The camera-based waste detection system uses advanced image recognition algorithms to identify items swiftly and accurately, enabling bottles, cans, and other recyclables to be identified with remarkable precision. This advanced system minimizes errors, guaranteeing that waste is accurately sorted and disposed of, significantly contributing to sustainable waste management”.

The university students’ prototype waste management system will soon compete in two regional innovation competitions, including the Institute of Engineering and Technology GCC Robotics Challenge, which showcases solutions for socially interactive robotics.

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The students are supported in taking their creation to competitions by CUD Assistant Professor Dr. Salih Rashid Majeed, who summed up the project by saying, “This smart garbage bin is a remarkable innovation at the intersection of social robotics and mechatronics system design and represents the university’s strategy to harness the power of artificial intelligence to deliver sustainable practices. The social aspect of the robot creates an intuitive and user-friendly waste disposal experience that has the potential to reshape waste management as we know it”.