Confused about what recycling bin to put your empty bottle? What about that cardboard coffee cup sleeve — can that be recycled? A new technology being tested in Cooper Library can help.
Meet Oscar Sort, an AI recycling assistant, now located on the fourth floor of Cooper Library at the entrance to the P.O.D. convenience store as part of a pilot program in partnership with University Facilities.
Simply hold up your object in front of the Oscar Sort screen and the “smart recycling assistant” will tell you which bin your item goes into for recycling. It can even identify and sort multiple items at the same time and identify when items contain liquids or food that need to be disposed of before sorting.
Not only can Oscar Sort help people place items in the correct bins, but it can also keep non-recyclables from being placed into recycling bins, reducing contamination that can hamper the recycling process.