It’s a creative way of tackling waste in big cities, where trash cans are either overflowing or just … not used. To cut down on the problem of litter, the TetraBIN rewards you for throwing things away.
The three-sided container features a wrap-around screen, a side-scrolling green field that comes complete with bats in the air (apparently this is a green field in a cave) and dogs on the ground. When you throw something into the trash can, motion detectors sense this movement, and it’s represented on-screen as chicken drumsticks falling through the sky to feed the hungry dogs.
And when you feed a dog, you win. A code will appear on the TetraBIN that you can input on Sencity’s website for prizes, some of which are even tangible objects you’ll get in the mail. This, the company hopes, will incentivize the act of throwing things away, appealing in particular to young people who may develop a no-littering habit early on.
Sencity’s goal is to partner with city governments and local business improvement districts to bring the TetraBIN to the masses. And in cities like New York, where some trash cans already double as Wi-Fi hubs, this smart bin seems like a natural addition. TetraBINs employ 4G technology and can actually communicate with one another, opening up the possibility of an entire connected trash can network. Don’t want games on the bin? It displays other things too, like public transportation schedules, traffic updates, and the weather.
Get excited, friends. Looks like TetraBIN just may make throwing things away fun again.