Trash can detector

[aboyce]

I use a timer event to anounce on monday night that it is trash pickup day tomorrow. It would be nice if it did not anounce anything if the trash can was already taken down to the street.

------------------------------------------------------------
A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject.
Sir Winston Churchill
------------------------------------------------------------

[Rupp]

Attach this to the bottom of your garbage can and a powerflash module and it should be easy to detect the garbage can is out.

-Rupp

[aboyce]

but it would need to be placed exactly in place when returned or it will not work. I would do it but others in my house would find it confusing.

AB

------------------------------------------------------------
A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject.
Sir Winston Churchill
------------------------------------------------------------

[Rupp]

I haven't added the switch but I did, last summer, construct an area of bricks and laid a surround of patio bricks on edge for an exact fit of the garbage can. Looked sort of like this:

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">
|-----------|
| |
| |
| |
| |
</pre>
Garbage can wheels fit exactly between the bricks on edge. I never got around to adding the sensor because I thought if the can was pulled forward it would false trigger. I need to check the contact distance on the above mentioned contacts.

-Rupp

[aboyce]

a plywood floor with a micro switch and a spring that would close when weight is applied anyware in the trash can parking slot.

------------------------------------------------------------
A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject.
Sir Winston Churchill
------------------------------------------------------------

[electron]

I was going to go with the magnet setup too, pretty cheap, and just like Rupp said, if you make a 'docking station' for your trash can, you are good to go (are we geeks or what lol). We need an affordable RFID solution!

---
http://www.CocoonTech.com

[rmasonjr]

How about a motion detector in the trash can lid?
Your reminder script could check the status of the detector and if it has had motion (on or off) within x hours of the reminder on the trash day, do not speak...

Hope this helps

Rob Mason

[huggy591]

You guys are thinking way too inside the box. What you need is the weight detector possibly coupled with the stink detector (if the trash is loo light but really rancid, take it out anyway) mounted on a track robot that'll take the trash out BY ITSELF at the right time.

I keep mine in the garage so the critters don't get into it, so it'll have to open and close the garage door. It needs object detectors to avoid the cars in the driveway, and a human/critter detector (maybe IR or video motion) to make sure nothing is waiting to jump into the garage when it opens the door.

The one variable you can count on is the sanitation engineers, who always - ALWAYS - throw the cans back elsewhere or mix them up with other houses' cans on the street... so collecting them for return to storage would still be a manual chore. &lt;SIGH&gt;

- Gordon

Did they really change the Star Trek motto under Jean-Luc Picard's command to, "To Baldly Go Where No Man's Hair's Gone Before!" ???

"Don't look under the hat."
- Gordon, 2004

[aboyce]

They do do that . Just this morning i went to get my trash can and it was empty with the lid open and folded back when i went to close the lid i looked inside and there was some dog food all mushy and grose stuck all over the bottom of the inside of the can. The problem is i do not have a dog. This is obviously not my can.

Now if i had a robotoc module built into the trash can it would drive it self back to my house. That would mess with the trash men. HA HA I would like to see them deal with that. and the dog food dumping neighbor would just have to take his stinky old trash can back.

Andrew

------------------------------------------------------------
A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject.
Sir Winston Churchill
------------------------------------------------------------

[Rupp]

We have those hugh large wheeled types with the owners address printed on it.

-Rupp

[aboyce]

I am in Georgia and i guess we could learn from you Alabama rednecks. We never got smart enough to think about painting the address on the Trash Can

I am going to Lows this weakend and I will be the first one on my street to paint my address on my can. Wow you can sure get all types of advancments on this BBord..

------------------------------------------------------------
A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject.
Sir Winston Churchill
------------------------------------------------------------

[This message was edited by Andrew Boyce on Tue, 17 February 2004 at 09:40 PM.]

[Rupp]

I didn't paint it on there the trash company put our address on their can.

-Rupp

[Auritania]

Electric eye. If the can is close to where it belongs, it will block it. Works for garbage that won't fit in the can too. Make a shelf and it can detect the recycler bin.

Could do it utrasonic too. Just measuring if something is close or not.

[aboyce]

Like i said Alabama must be more advanced than us in Georgia. They never had that briliant idea.

AB



------------------------------------------------------------
A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject.
Sir Winston Churchill
------------------------------------------------------------

[huggy591]

We buy ur own cans here, I've got the basic 50 (?) gallon green Rubbermaid-style with wheels built into the bottom, that the trash guys always break off when they throw the cans back. I learned long ago not to bother with the lids... they end up being frisbees for the guys.

I went to buy stencils to paint my house number on my garbage cans, and they wanted $14 for a set of 4" paper stencils! Screw that - I'll make them myself out of cardboard...

- Gordon

Did they really change the Star Trek motto under Jean-Luc Picard's command to, "To Baldly Go Where No Man's Hair's Gone Before!" ???

"Don't look under the hat."
- Gordon, 2004