Invented "smart trash can" at age 15
With his passion for creativity and love for the environment, student Nguyen Viet Gia Khai, grade 9/7, Chu Van An Secondary School (Da Nang City) has successfully invented a "Smart trash can".
| Mr. Nguyen Viet Gia Khai with the product |
Smart trash cans can “see” people approaching and give instructions on how to classify inorganic and organic waste to raise environmental awareness in the community.
Khai said his invention originated from his love for the natural environment. After accidentally reading an article on the Internet about the classification of inorganic and organic waste in Ho Chi Minh City, realizing that classification would help to process waste more easily and limit environmental pollution, he began to research and manufacture smart trash cans.
In more than 3 months, with the help and guidance of Mr. Tra Lam Khoi (Art teacher), Khai created a smart trash can, the most notable of which is the automatic trash can that reminds people to put trash in the correct classified bin and in the right place.
Red bin for inorganic waste, blue bin for organic waste. The special thing is that the bin is equipped with infrared sensor, which can detect human body temperature above 36 degrees Celsius.
When people approach, the trash can will automatically flash the LED light, then make a sound "Welcome to the smart trash can. Please note, the red bin on the left is for inorganic waste, the green bin on the right is for organic waste. Please throw the trash in the right place. Thank you". This sound is repeated 3 times within 45 seconds.
Khai's smart trash can products use 220V power source, with switch components, infrared sensor, transformer (220V-12V), LED control circuit, MP3 player, two LED lights and speakers.
To complete the product, Khai researched every step, from the design of the shape to the way to attach the light. The product seemed to be abandoned when installing the infrared sensor. The conventional sensor is too sensitive, just a person far away or a mouse running across the trash can will light up and start "talking", unintentionally causing noise pollution.
Khai said: "Another difficulty in the process was connecting the components. The first time I plugged it in, I connected the negative and positive wires incorrectly, so the LED light box burned. After two times of burning the entire test kit to a crisp, I found the cause and how to fix it."
With this product, I won first prize in the City-level Science and Technology Competition for high school and middle school students in the 2014-2015 school year organized by the Department of Education and Training of Da Nang.
Khai shared, “I want to form the habit of classifying garbage for people. When using this smart trash can, people will be more aware of throwing garbage.”
Mr. Ho Huu Tue, Vice Principal of Chu Van An Secondary School, said that Khai's product has all the new, scientific, creative and practical features. "This product is based on Gia Khai's idea. The school found this idea feasible so they supported Khai in perfecting the product in terms of aesthetics. Khai's passion for creativity has contributed to promoting the movement of learning and creating science and technology among students in the school. If the product is further developed and brought to market, it will be very useful," he said.
Currently, Khai is continuing to manufacture and upgrade smart trash cans to suit both the visually impaired and the hearing impaired.
In the near future, Khai plans to start researching more products that are both practical for life and help protect the environment to be greener and cleaner.
According to Chinhphu.vn
