Research Plan/Project Summary Instructions

RATIONALE

Waste management is often uncontrolled due to the world population continuously

growing. The amount of wastes in cities is increasing rapidly, posing a major threat in the

environment. Traditional waste management means manual segregation of wastes which leads to

excessive amounts of time wasted.

By developing a system where it can segregate wastes automatically, we can reduce the

risks of environmental problems related to waste management. It automates the waste

segregation and sorts the wastes into different categories such as plastic, metal, and paper wastes.

This can be achieved by the use of motors and sensors that can aid the waste management. This

ensures that waste is segregated correctly, reducing the risk of contamination and promoting

recycling.

RESEARCH QUESTION(S), HYPOTHESIS(ES), ENGINEERING GOAL(S), EXPECTED OUTCOMES

Research Questions

1. To determine if Arduino-based Automatic Solid Waste Segregator can help to increase

the efficiency of waste management.

2. To reduce occupational hazard for people who are involved in the collecting and handling

of waste.

3. To compare the Arduino-based Automatic Solid Waste Segregator to regular bins.

Hypotheses

H : There is no significant difference in the efficiency of waste segregation using the Arduino-
0

based automatic solid waste segregator compared to manual waste segregation methods.
H : There is a significant difference in the efficiency of waste segregation using the Arduino-
1

based automatic solid waste segregator compared to manual waste segregation methods.

Procedures

Phase I Designing the Waste Segregator

Starting with the main base, which features a circular platform with bins that can rotate from 0
to 180 degrees using a servo motor. Beneath the circular platform, there's a box with a door that houses
the Arduino Nano and the breadboard. It is connected to the power supply from a separate
compartment. Lastly, there are two tubes in the design. One tube is connected to the power supply
compartment, creating a pathway to the Arduino board. This tube stands to support the second tube. On
the other hand, the second tube acts like a chute where waste can be dropped from the top.

Phase II Gather Materials and Components

Collect all the required materials and components for the project. These include an Arduino
Nano board, ultrasonic sensor, two servo motors, a color sensor, jumper wires, a breadboard, a power
supply, and a waste bin prototype.

Phase III Testing of Components and Materials

To ensure optimal performance of the automatic waste bin, comprehensive testing of

components and materials will be conducted. The ultrasonic sensor will be tested for accurate distance
measurements. Servo motors will be tested for smooth movement across angles, and the color sensor's
color detection abilities will be assessed using various objects. Power stability will be ensured by
connecting and testing the chosen power supply.

Phase IV Creating the Waste Segregator Structure

Creating the final model is straightforward since we already have the design as a reference. With
sintra board and shoe glue, we can construct the final model.

Phase V Programming

Programming the model isn't simple for us since we have limited programming knowledge.
That's why we require an expert's assistance to help us program the model.

Phase VI Finalization and Testing

Once the programming is done, we complete the model and ensure all the wirings are properly
secured for correct functioning. After the finalization, we test the model to ensure everything is working
perfectly, including all sensors and motors.
Risk and Safety

Risks that are included in our research may arise during the use of materials such as Arduino.
These risks may have an impact on the proper functioning of the automatic waste segregator. Therefore,
it is advisable to take necessary precautions to minimize such risks. For instance, keeping any liquid
substances such as mineral water or soft drinks away from the working area is recommended to avoid
any spills or accidental damage to the equipment.

Data Analysis

In order to determine if the proposed hypotheses will be accepted or rejected, we will use
statistical tools such as T-Test Independent to compare Automatic Waste Segregation and manual
segregation using a survey. The survey is composed of questions using Likert Scale to gather the data
that will be used into the T-Test. Using the t-test, we can determine if there are significant differences
between the Automatic Waste Segregation and Manual waste segregation.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Aahash, G., Ajay Prasath V., Gopinath, D., Gunasekaran, M. (2018) Automatic Waste Segregator using
Arduino https://www.ijert.org/automatic-waste-segregator-using -arduino
Afolalu, S. A., Noiki, A. A., Ikumapayi, O. M., Ogundipe, A. T., & Oloyede, O. R. (2021). Development
of smart waste bin for solid waste management. Planning, 16(8), 1449-1454.
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Omolayo-Ikumapayi/
publication/357433081_Development_of_Smart_Waste_Bin_for_Solid_Waste_Management/
links/61d00ac0b8305f7c4b15be11/Development-of-Smart-Waste-Bin-for-Solid-Waste-
Management.pdf
Agarwal, C., (2020). Automatic Waste Segregation and Management. V9(06).
https://doi.org/10.17577/ijertv9is060534
Agarwal, C., Yewale, B., & Jagadish, C. (2020). Automatic waste segregation and management.
International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology (IJERT), 9.
https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/63914205/automatic-waste- segregation
Automatic Waste Segregation System | Advanced Mechanical Project. (2019,October 14). Nevon
Projects. https://nevonprojects.com/automatic-waste-segregation-system/
Bautista, M. X. L., Aranas, C. B., Arcigal, R. J. (2023) Arduino-Based Waste Detector with Alarm System
https://www.ejsit-journal.com/index.php/ejsit/article/view/167 /147
Camarillo, M. E. C., Bellotindos, L. M. (2021) A Study of Policy Implementation and Community
Participation in the Municipal Solid Waste Management in the Philippines https://ph01.tci-
thaijo.org/index.php/saujournalst/www.tci-thaijo.org /index.php/aer/article/view/240916
‌Climate Change Commission. (2017). Waste. NICCDIES. https://niccdies.climate.gov.ph/
mitigation/waste
Jimeno, F. N., Briz, B. J. A., Artiaga, M. R. P., Angelia, R. E., Limsangan, M. B. (2021) Development of
Smart Waste Bin Segregation using Image Processing
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/9732038‌
Pamintuan, M., Shiela Mae Mantiquilla, Reyes, H., & Jane, M. (2019). i-BIN: An Intelligent Trash Bin
for Automatic Waste Segregation and Monitoring System.
https://doi.org/10.1109/hnicem48295.2019.9072787
Pereira, W., Parulekar, S., Phaltankar, S., & Kamble, V. (2019, February). Smart bin (waste segregation
and optimisation). In 2019 Amity International Conference on Artificial Intelligence (AICAI) (pp.
274-279). IEEE. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/ abstract/document/8701350
VJ, A., Balakrishnan, K., Rosmi, T. B., Krishna, K. S., Sreejith, S., & Subha, T. D. (2016). Automatic
waste segregator and monitoring system. Journal of Microcontroller Engineering and
Applications, 3(2), 1-7.
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Subha-T-D/publication/317720527_Automatic_Waste_Segre
gator_and_Monitoring_System

Addendum

Changes were made to utilize the use of the color sensors, since the sensor alone couldn’t detect
what type of waste will be dropped into the segregator. In order to develop into a functional waste
segregator, we must first focus on what we have, which is the color sensor. Objects that will be dropped
on the prototype will only be based on colors such as red, green, and blue.

The color sensor categorizes the colors to drop the objects into different compartments by
rotating the base of the bin using a servo motor. Designing the segregator is much more complicated
than we expected. One solution is to first create a model made out of cardboard to see how the
segregator stands up on its own. Then we created the final model which is made out of sintra board and
the robotic components are completely hidden to ensure safety of the users.

Our research questions was changed, from a survey to a trial of accuracy whether the object was
dropped into the correct compartment. It consists of 10 trials to provide more accuracy in the results
and discussion. However, it cannot be measured by any statistical tool since we are not comparing but
rather only testing the accuracy of the Color Segregator