MakerSpace Moment
July 2020 | Issue 19
Defiance Public Library Systems
July is Plastic Free Month
Check this Tech out!
Technology has the ability to solve problems, like our plastic issue. Many companies are looking to create plastic free alternatives for packaging their products. This is where technology is coming to to help out.

# Packaging Free Shampoo

Some companies have started offering shampoo, conditioner, and other bathroom staples in plastic free formats. One such company is LUSH who has taken it one step farther to have an app that can scan their products using smartphone cameras. This technology eliminates the need to packing that tells you what the item is and how much it costs. The app uses machine learning to identify the item before presenting the information to the customer.

#Recycling Robots

Amp Robotics has created robots to help with sorting recyclable materials. These robots have the ability to sort 80 items per minute which is fast. Human recycling sorters are only able to do about half of what these robots can do. Besides being efficient these robots take on a job that can be messy, monotonous, and sometimes unsafe (broken glass and sharp metals). Using machine learning the robots learn what each material is how to identify it and where to sort each item. Watch the video below to learn more about these robots and the history of recycling.
References

Bonasio. Naked Tech for a Plastic-Free World. 14 Feb. 20 19 , techtrends.tech/tech-trends/naked-tech-that-smells-good/.

CNBC. (2019, July 20).  Why The United States Is Turning To Recycling Robots  [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mxaN_xqQh4