Trash Talk: Innovative Solutions for Cafe Waste Management

Link to Student
Journal Entry For
Prototype WIP

CHOSEN PROBLEM STATEMENT: Customers are frequently encountered with overfilled trash bins, leading to unsightly waste overflow and customers being unable to dispose of their trash when exiting the shop.

CCP / POV 1

CCP: Cindia (Cindy + Nadia) - Athletic: Basketball - Artistic: Ballet - 17 Years old - Creative writing - Reads alot

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Behaviour: - Likes to engage in hobbies during her free time - Likes to go outdoors to engage in sports at lease once a week - Passionate about Ballet

Concerns: - Likes to make full use of her time - Wants to do well in all she does

Needs: - More convenience and comfort - Need to feel engaged with the activity at hand

POV: - Cares about a clean environment to read / do her writing - Requires a peaceful / quiet environment to relax from her daily activities and hustles - May have little free time to spend at a cafe as schedule may be packed - Will be disgusted by the sight - Leaves a bad taste as a customer when leaving the shop

CCP / POV 2

CCP: - Likes the outdoors - Adventurous - Likes to travel - Likes to relax at a cafe - Athletic: Swimming

Behaviour: - Likes to engage in hobbies during her free time - Likes to engage in sport - Passionate about Ballet

Concerns: - Likes to make full use of her time - Wants to do well in all she does

Needs: - More convenience and comfort - Need to feel engaged with the activity at hand

POV: - Is concious of sitting in a clean environment - Monitors his or her health closely so as to maintain level of fitness - Would not like to sit near the bin - Would decide to throw her trash somewhere else instead - May not sit and relax at the cafe if the cafe is deemed as unsanitary

CCP / POV 3

CCP: - Athletic: Fencing - Likes to read - 20 Years old - LIkes to go on long walks - Adventurous

Behaviour: - Likes to engage in hobbies during her free time - Likes to engage in sports as much as possible - Passionate about Fencing - Likes to meet new people and try new things - Likes to come to cafes to chill and relax after doing something tiring

Concerns: - Likes to make full use of her time - Wants to do well academically - Focuses on things and people important to her

Needs: - Work life balance is important - Need to feel engaged with the activity at hand - Rest is non-negotiable

POV: - Cares about a clean environment to read, sit and relax - Doesn’t mind sitting beside the overfilled bins - Would provide feedback to the workers and help to clear the overfilled trash into another bin if possible

PROTOTYPE / POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS

  1. Trash Compactor
    1. There is a sensor near the top of the bin to sense if there is any object.
    2. If an object is in its way, there will be a mechanical arm to compress the trash to make additional space in the bin
    3. The force used to compress the trash has a limit and thus, it will not overcompress the trash to the point it breaks the bag.
  2. Sensor and Alert
    1. This mechanism works similar to the above where there is a sensor that senses whether there is trash / objects nearing the top of the bin
    2. This would then send out an alarm or alert to the employees to take out the trash
    3. This is just a manual solution, but does not address the entirety of the issue when there is a shortage of employess.
  3. Trash Sorter
    1. When the cups just enters the bin, there will be a light sensor to detect whether the disposed cup is made of plastic or cupboard. If the light goes through the cup, it is plastic and if not, it is made of cupboard.
    2. This would then initiate the respective gates to open for the trash to flow into the respective bins.
    3. Before going into the bin as well, the disposed cups will get washed briefly before it lands into the bin.
    4. The trash sorter helps to sort the trash from the recyclables. This helps to clear the trash bin and make more space for customers to throw their waste into the bin.