Project Overview

An autonomous waste management solution integrating ultrasonic proximity sensing, servo-mechanical actuation, and cellular communication protocols for smart city applications.

Objective

Develop a contactless, intelligent waste disposal system capable of autonomous operation and remote monitoring for institutional environments.

Methodology

Embedded C programming on Arduino platform with multi-sensor fusion and GSM-based alert mechanisms.

This research project demonstrates the practical application of embedded systems in solving real-world sanitation challenges. The system architecture employs a distributed sensor network with centralized processing, enabling real-time decision making for lid control and capacity management.

Research

Project Specifications

Project ID BAG-EC-2024-001
Platform Arduino UNO
Communication GSM/GPRS
Sensors 2× HC-SR04
Status Active

Principal Investigator

Saswata Bag

Interactive System Simulation

Simulator Active

Control Panel

Empty Full
Near (0cm) Far (100cm)

System Log

> System initialized...
> Sensors calibrated
> Waiting for input...
100% 75% 50% 25% 0%
USER
BIN READY
Buzzer
GSM
Servo

System State Monitor

NORMAL OPERATION
Monitoring sensors
LID ACTIVATED
User proximity detected
CAPACITY ALERT
SMS transmission active

Real-time Metrics

Bin Capacity
20%
User Range 80 cm
System Uptime 00:00:00

Working Principle

Sensor Fusion Architecture

The system employs dual ultrasonic sensors operating in parallel to create a comprehensive environmental awareness model. The top-mounted sensor performs volumetric scanning to determine fill percentage, while the front-facing sensor monitors the approach vector of potential users.

Distance Calculation Formula:

Distance = (Time × Speed of Sound) / 2
D = (t × 0.034) / 2 [cm]

Decision Logic Matrix

1
Priority Check: Capacity
If fill > 85%, trigger alert protocol
2
Secondary Check: Proximity
If user < 30cm and not full, open lid
3
Default State
Maintain closed position, idle monitoring

Operational Flowchart

START
Initialize Hardware
Bin Full?
Distance < 10cm
YES
ALERT MODE
• LCD: "FULL"
• Buzzer ON
• Send SMS
• Lock Lid
NO
Check Person
Distance < 30cm?
YES
Open Lid
Delay 2s
Close
NO
Display
"Ready"
Close Lid
LOOP EVERY 500ms

Hardware Specifications

Component Specification Quantity Function
Microcontroller Arduino UNO R3 (ATmega328P) 1 Central processing unit
Ultrasonic Sensor HC-SR04 (40kHz, 2-400cm range) 2 Distance measurement
Servo Motor SG90 9G (Torque: 2.5kg/cm) 1 Lid actuation
GSM Module SIM800L Quad-Band (850/900/1800/1900 MHz) 1 Cellular communication
Display LCD 16×2 with I2C interface 1 Status visualization
Audio Indicator Active Buzzer 5V 1 Alert notification

Circuit Design

Smart Bin Circuit Design

Circuit Description

The circuit diagram illustrates the complete interconnection between the Arduino UNO microcontroller and all peripheral devices. The dual HC-SR04 sensors are connected to digital pins 2-5, with dedicated trigger and echo lines for independent operation.

The GSM module (SIM800L) communicates via software serial on pins 9 and 10, while the servo motor receives PWM signals on pin 6 for precise lid control.

Critical Wiring Notes

  • Use external 5V 2A power supply for GSM module—do not power from Arduino
  • Connect common ground between Arduino and external power supply
  • Use pull-down resistors on echo pins if signal instability observed
  • I2C LCD requires SDA→A4 and SCL→A5 on Arduino UNO

Source Code Access

Complete Source Code Available

The complete Arduino sketch including sensor calibration algorithms, GSM communication protocols, and LCD display drivers is available for research and educational purposes. Please contact us with your institutional affiliation to request access.

Request Access Via Email

Please include your institution name and intended use case