Talk Trash

Learn how to properly dispose of trash with just a snap of a photo. TalkTrash skips the junk talk to make waste reuse or disposal faster, smarter, and more sustainable. 153E918C377DA7BA

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What it does

Talk Trash allows a user to send a photo to Google Gemini through the Gemini API of any trash the user needs to dispose of. Gemini will then reply and give the user a detailed analysis on the the product's environmental friendliness and how to recycle, dispose, or even reuse the trash. It teaches users how to be environmentally conscious when trying to get rid of waste.

How we built it

We used HTML5, CSS, JavaScript and the Google Gemini API. We also used Adobe Photoshop for the logo and icon creation.

Inspiration

After learning how a significant proportion of families tend to practice wishcycling- having the well-founded intentions but unfounded belief that things are recyclable when it's not- we brainstormed many different ways where AI could help users understand when something could be recycled or not, other ways to dispose of it if it is unrecyclable, and provide sustainable alternatives. We also wanted the app to be easy to use, and image recognition would work well in creating this accessibility for users.

Challenges we ran into

Initially, we were having trouble with committing on Git through live shares, but after some troubleshooting, we managed to solve the issue. Another hurdle was getting access to a Gemini API Key due to constant errors popping up when we tried to get in. Fortunately, one of our team members were able to acquire the key.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We are extremely proud of the fact that even if one user manages to help the environment, we have contributed towards a greater global cause. We are also proud that we finished this project within 36 hours, despite the added challenge of it being virtual.

What we learned

We learned how to implement the Google Gemini API into a website and upload images that it can understand and create a text response from, and then taking that response and displaying the results in a formatted way.

What's next for Talk Trash

We would love to add a community tab to Trash Talk. This tab would allow users to share what they have used Trash Talk for, and what waste they have creatively reused. It would foster a greater group around the website. We also have some other future enhancements that we are planning to make:

Short-term

  • Dark mode theme
  • Community reviews on products

Medium-term

  • Mobile app version
  • Price tracking and alerts
  • Multi-language support

Long-term

  • Batch image analysis
  • Save analysis history
  • Integration with recycling facility locator
  • Carbon footprint calculator
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