IoT Garbage Monitoring Using Raspberry Pi

This guide will help you create an IoT-based garbage monitoring system using Raspberry Pi. The system will monitor garbage levels in bins and provide real-time updates to optimize waste collection processes.

Components Required

• Raspberry Pi (Model 3 or later)
• Ultrasonic distance sensor (e.g., HC-SR04) or capacitive level sensor
• Relay module (optional, for triggering alarms or notifications)
• Connecting wires and breadboard
• Power supply (for Raspberry Pi)
• Cloud service account (e.g., ThingSpeak, Blynk, or AWS IoT)

Setting Up the Hardware

Follow these steps to set up the hardware:

1. Connect the Ultrasonic Sensor

   Attach the ultrasonic distance sensor to the Raspberry Pi using GPIO pins. This sensor will measure the distance to the top of the garbage bin, allowing you to determine the fill level.

2. Integrate the Relay Module

   Connect the relay module to the Raspberry Pi if you want to trigger alerts or notifications when the garbage level reaches a certain threshold.

3. Power the System

   Ensure the Raspberry Pi and all connected components are properly powered using appropriate power supplies.

Programming the Raspberry Pi

Write the code to read data from the ultrasonic sensor and send updates to the cloud. Below is a basic outline of the code using Python:

                import RPi.GPIO as GPIO
                import time
                import requests

                # Configuration
                TRIG_PIN = 23
                ECHO_PIN = 24
                RELAY_PIN = 25
                CLOUD_URL = "https://api.thingspeak.com/update?api_key=YOUR_API_KEY"

                # Setup
                GPIO.setmode(GPIO.BCM)
                GPIO.setup(TRIG_PIN, GPIO.OUT)
                GPIO.setup(ECHO_PIN, GPIO.IN)
                GPIO.setup(RELAY_PIN, GPIO.OUT)

                def measure_distance():
                    GPIO.output(TRIG_PIN, False)
                    time.sleep(2)
                    GPIO.output(TRIG_PIN, True)
                    time.sleep(0.00001)
                    GPIO.output(TRIG_PIN, False)
                    
                    start_time = time.time()
                    stop_time = time.time()
                    
                    while GPIO.input(ECHO_PIN) == 0:
                        start_time = time.time()
                    
                    while GPIO.input(ECHO_PIN) == 1:
                        stop_time = time.time()
                    
                    time_elapsed = stop_time - start_time
                    distance = (time_elapsed * 34300) / 2
                    return distance

                def send_data_to_cloud(distance):
                    response = requests.get(f"{CLOUD_URL}&field1={distance}")
                    print(f"Data sent to cloud: {response.status_code}")

                try:
                    while True:
                        distance = measure_distance()
                        print(f"Distance to top of bin: {distance} cm")
                        
                        if distance < 10:  # Example threshold for full bin
                            GPIO.output(RELAY_PIN, GPIO.HIGH)
                        else:
                            GPIO.output(RELAY_PIN, GPIO.LOW)
                            
                        send_data_to_cloud(distance)
                        time.sleep(60)  # Wait 1 minute before next update

                except KeyboardInterrupt:
                    GPIO.cleanup()
            

This code reads the distance from the ultrasonic sensor to measure the garbage level. It sends the data to the cloud service and can trigger an alarm if the bin is full.

Setting Up Cloud Integration

To monitor the garbage levels remotely, integrate the system with a cloud service. Configure the cloud service to receive data from the Raspberry Pi and set up dashboards or alerts based on the garbage levels.

Testing and Calibration

Test the system by simulating different garbage levels and ensuring that the data is accurately reported to the cloud. Adjust the sensor sensitivity and code parameters as needed for reliable performance.