A Smart Bin for Real Consumption Data created by TeknTrash Robotics
POD (Point of Disposal) is a smart bin developed by TeknTrash Robotics that captures actual consumption data—not just sales. While Point of Sale (POS) systems tell you what was purchased, POD reveals what was truly consumed by analyzing what ends up in the trash.
This distinction is critical:
Over 80% of the ~30,000 new products launched each year in the U.S. fail—largely because brands lack insights into post-sale product engagement.
Unlike sales data, consumption data enables powerful new insights, including:
-
Consumption Lag Analysis
Track the time between purchase and disposal to understand usage speed. -
Geo-Consumption Matching
Compare purchase location with disposal location to validate marketing strategies. -
Churn Detection
Identify users who stop disposing specific products and take action. -
Campaign Monitoring
Measure the impact of advertising in real time based on regional usage.
POD is not just a bin—it’s a smart device that:
- Scans Barcodes using a Datalogic reader
- Identifies Objects by shape with a ZED depth camera
- Measures Weight and Temperature to assess consumption level
- Sorts Waste into two internal bins (monitored vs. unmonitored products)
- Uses a touchscreen display for user prompts and interaction
- Recognizes Users via an NFC card
- Connects to the Cloud to retrieve user and product monitoring data
- Speaks to the User, offering rewards and feedback (via USB audio)
- Verifies levels, closing the single waste entry point and indicating where there is another POD available
- Geolocated, POD is supposed to work as a networked device and to that end it is geolocated. This allows it to point to another POD when full
For example, if a product is disposed of mostly full, it might signal dissatisfaction. POD captures this type of actionable insight in real time.
POD supports reward systems by integrating with ProduTrak, a data platform that:
- Aggregates consumption data from multiple PODs and recycling plant robots
- Closes the loop in product lifecycle analysis
- Enables FMCG brands to reward eco-conscious consumer behavior
Watch a full demo of POD in action here:
👉 POD.mp4 on GitHub
The POD system is designed to work with:
- Datalogic Barcode Reader 3550HSi
- ZED Depth Camera
- Robotic Arm Dobot V1
- Generic NFC Card Reader
- Generic USB Audio Output Device
- Touchscreen Waveshare 8DP-CAPLCD
This repository contains the first release of the POD software. We are open-sourcing it because it includes useful components for learning:
- Barcode identification
- Robotic control
- NFC card reading
- Text-to-speech integration
- Consumption analytics logic
- Touchscreen reading
It does not include however routines to detect weight, temperature, etc of disposed products, databases of users/points/products/campaigns/companies, backends to verify products, rewards, users, etc of the real POD system
We welcome contributions, feedback, and ideas to improve POD. If you're interested in using POD in your smart city, waste management, or FMCG data initiatives send an email to info@tekntrash.com
This project is released under the MIT License. See LICENSE for details.
See install.md for complete setup instructions.