Binit AI facilitates home waste management

Many remain skeptical of AI advancement, viewing some of its innovations as rubbish. However, a Finnish startup may have taken that in a literal sense. 

Binit Technologies developed “the first household waste tracker.” Binit AI uses camera vision tech and artificial intelligence to recognize household waste.

READ: Plastic waste affects marine reproduction

The gadget categorizes and counts the types of trash users throw away. Then, it encourages users to consider more eco-friendly alternatives to their favorite household staples. 

How does Binit AI work?

TechCrunch spoke with founder Borut Grgic regarding his unique AI innovation. “We’re producing the first household waste tracker,’ he said.

“It’s a camera vision technology that is backed by a neural network. So we’re tapping the LLMs for recognition of regular household waste objects,” the tech leader added.

The original Binit AI device is a wall-mounted gadget with sensors and cameras to activate whenever someone’s nearby. Then, it scans items before they enter the garbage bin.

The company initially tried to train a proprietary AI model, but it had only 40% accuracy. Consequently, Binit used OpenAI’s image recognition capabilities.

Grgic claims this large language model raised the Binit’s accuracy to 98%. Surprisingly, he admits that he has “no idea” why it works so well.

“It’s even able to tell, with relative accuracy, whether or not a coffee cup has a lining, because it recognizes the brand,” the founder stated. 

“What we have the user do is pass the object in front of the camera. So it forces them to stabilize it in front of the camera for a little bit.”

“In that moment, the camera is capturing the image from all angles,” he added. Ultimately, the gadget recommends more eco-friendly alternatives to a user’s rubbish.

For example, it might recommend using tote bags if the user throws away too many plastic bags. Some may think using Binit AI to encourage sustainability is excessive, but Grgic explains this gadget is necessary to develop a habit.

Binit also promotes segregating garbage. The company claims tests in the United States reduced mixed-bin waste by 40%.

Ultimately, Grgic aims to make everyone more environmentally conscious by managing their rubbish. The company would likely launch Binit AI in the US for $199 and provide a free app version.