🛠️ Devlog – Smart Waste Segregation Bin
📌 Overview
In this project, I built a Smart Waste Segregation Bin using Arduino that can automatically classify waste into metal, wet, and dry categories. The goal was to reduce manual waste sorting and demonstrate how sensors and actuators can work together in a real-world problem.
🔧 Components Used
Arduino Uno
IR Sensor (object detection)
Metal Detector + Sound Sensor
Capacitive Soil Moisture Sensor
3 Servo Motors (for bins)
I2C LCD Display
External 5V power supply
⚙️ How It Works
The IR sensor detects when an item is placed on the tray. The LCD first displays “Checking…”.
If the sound sensor detects sound from the metal detector, the waste is classified as metal and the metal bin opens.
If no metal is detected, the moisture sensor checks for wet waste. If moisture is high, the wet bin opens.
If both checks fail, the waste is treated as dry and the dry bin opens.
Each bin opens using a servo motor, waits for a short time, then closes automatically. The system waits until the item is removed before resetting. After completion, the LCD shows “Smart Waste Bin – Place Item”.
🧠 Challenges Faced
Servos initially vibrated due to timing and angle issues
Sensor thresholds needed calibration
Preventing repeated triggering while the item was still present
These issues were fixed by improving delays, using proper servo angles, and adding logic to wait until the object was removed.
🌱 What I Learned
Sensor integration and threshold calibration
Servo motor control and timing
Real-world debugging of hardware + software
Designing logic flow for automation systems
🚀 Future Improvements
Adding IoT monitoring
Weight-based detection
Mobile app integration
Recycling data analytics
