Oscar: The Singing Trash Monitor 

Project Description

Oscar solves the age-old problem of annoying roommates doing what they do best: forgetting to throw out the trash. When your roommate attempts to sneak past the full trashcan without the intention of emptying it, Oscar will detect motion, see that the trash can is full, and light up and play loud music to alert your roommate that the trash needs to be emptied. Oscar uses a motion sensor, so that when motion is detected around the trashcan, it will analyze the height of trash in the trashcan using an infrared sensor. Blue, green, yellow, and red LED lights will light up, respectively, when the trash level in the can is very low, low, medium, or full. Using a speaker, Oscar will play loud music to urge your roommate to empty out the trash. The playful flower shape of Oscar symbolizes and encourages freshness and cleanliness in the kitchen.

Observational Process

While considering the most problematic scenarios in the kitchen, one of our team members recalled (multiple) instances of his roommates not throwing out the trash. We also observed roommates adding trash into an overflowing trash can, carefully balancing the trash into the bin rather than simply emptying it out and putting a new bag. We then began brainstorming ways to effectively urge people to empty out the trash. We finally decided to use visual feedback to show the current level of trash in the trashcan. We also decided that people would be most responsive to continuous auditory feedback, wanting to do something to stop a loud, undesirable song or sound.

Design Process Documentation

Prototyping

Step-by-Step Process

1. Solder LEDs with male jumpers for attaching to the circuit.

2. Laser cut the pieces to assemble the base, the flower-shaped layers, and the stackable pieces for the flower walls (found in the .ai files below).

3. Thread the LED lights individually through the holes on the middle flower layer and glue them using hot glue from behind to hold them in place.

4. Place the speaker on top of the middle flower layer.

5. Using acrylic cement, glue all 5 layers of 5 wall pieces together (in wallpiecesreal.ai file) and glue the walls on the outer edge of each flower petal. Glue the assembled wall onto the top and the middle flower layers.

6. Repeat step 3, but glue the wall onto the middle and the bottom flower layers.

7. Use acrylic cement and hot glue to assemble the base

8. Align fours holes on the base with the holes of fours small trapezoidal pieces (in base.ai file) to allow screws through for attachment. Once they are aligned, attach the small trapezoidal pieces to the bottom flower layer.

9. Secure the motion sensor from the inside of the base while it peeks through the designated hole.

10. Download the STL file, 3D print the infrared sensor casing, and put the sensor inside the casing.

11. Thread the wires for the infrared sensor out through the small half-circle hole on the bottom of a wall of the base.

12. Clone the Github repo (https://github.com/tomasero/oscar) and import libraries to the Arduino Library folder. Open oscar_led.ino and upload it to the Arduino.

13. Wire everything onto Arduino and breadboard, following the schematic found below. Place Arduino and the breadboard in the base. Alternative to this is either to print the PCB yourself, or to order it from OSH Park.

14. Thread the power cable out through the rounded rectangle hole at the black base, to allow for easy power connectivity when the fully assembly is enclosed.

15. Screw four screws into the four trapezoidal connectors on the bottom flower layer to secure the flower to the base.

16. Secure structure onto trash can lid, with the motion sensor side facing the front of the can.

17. Thread the infrared sensor wire through the trash can lid’s hinge, and attach the infrared sensor to the inside of the lid with tape.

18. Fill the trash can with trash. As you pass the motion sensor and throw more trash in, different LED colors will light up based on the trash level, and an annoying trash song will play once your trash is full, indicating to you to throw the trash away.

#include <Wtv020sd16p.h>
#include <DistanceGP2Y0A21YK.h>

int resetPin = 2;  // The pin number of the reset pin.
int clockPin = 3;  // The pin number of the clock pin.
int dataPin = 4;  // The pin number of the data pin.
int busyPin = 5;  // The pin number of the busy pin.

Wtv020sd16p wtv020sd16p(resetPin,clockPin,dataPin,busyPin);
 
int blue = 13;
int green = 12;
int yellow = 11;
int red = 10;

int blueId = 3;
int greenId = 2;
int yellowId = 1;
int redId = 0;

//SENSORS//
//Distance
DistanceGP2Y0A21YK Dist;
int infraRed = A0;
int distance;
int maxDistance = 30; //Set this to the height of your trashcan

//Motion
int calibrationTime = 30;   
int motionSensor = 9;

int state = 1;
// 0 = default (idle)
// 1 = measure trash level

int trashLevel = 0;

// the setup routine runs once when you press reset:
void setup() {                
  // initialize the digital pin as an output.
  pinMode(blue, OUTPUT);     
  pinMode(green, OUTPUT);     
  pinMode(yellow, OUTPUT);     
  pinMode(red, OUTPUT);     
  wtv020sd16p.reset();
  
  Serial.begin(9600);
  Dist.begin(A0);
  pinMode(motionSensor, INPUT);
  digitalWrite(motionSensor, LOW);

  //give the sensor some time to calibrate
  Serial.print("calibrating sensor ");
  for(int i = 0; i < calibrationTime; i++){
    Serial.print(".");
    delay(1000);
  }
  Serial.println(" done");
  Serial.println("SENSOR ACTIVE");
  delay(50);
}

// the loop routine runs over and over again forever:
void loop() {
  // state = 1 if detecting motion.
  state = digitalRead(motionSensor);
  if(state==1) {
    // The function should return
    // - 0 for full
    // - 1 for almost full
    // - 2 for half
    // - 3 for empty
    trashLevel = getTrashLevel();

    if(trashLevel<=blueId) {
      digitalWrite(blue, HIGH);
    }
    if(trashLevel<=greenId) {
      digitalWrite(green, HIGH);
    }
    if(trashLevel<=yellowId) {
      digitalWrite(yellow, HIGH);
    }
    if(trashLevel<=redId) {
      digitalWrite(red, HIGH);
      playSound(22000);
    }
    delay(3000);
 
    digitalWrite(blue, LOW);
    digitalWrite(green, LOW);
    digitalWrite(yellow, LOW);
    digitalWrite(red, LOW); 
  } 
}

int getTrashLevel() {
  int distance = Dist.getDistanceCentimeter();
  distance = map(distance, 0, maxDistance, 0, 3);
  return distance;
}

void playSound(int time) {
  wtv020sd16p.asyncPlayVoice(4);
  delay(time); // This indicates how long the song will play for 
  wtv020sd16p.stopVoice();
}

Progress Pictures

Final Product

Team Pictures

Slides

slides.pptx

Final Product Video