Forum - Recent Threads

RE: Design challenge main page - link missing

JoRatcliffe — Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:10:18 GMT

You're right, this challenge should be on the design challenge page. I'll let you know when it's been updated :)

Design challenge main page - link missing

JWx — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 10:01:30 GMT

Is there a possibility to include this challenge on the main design challenge page? This way, access would be possible even when the link on the main page would be removed...

It's all lonely here

obones — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 13:21:43 GMT

I feel that I am missing something here, but maybe it's just me.

Are there ghosts around?

RE: It's all lonely here

Fred27 — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 07:44:00 GMT

Now I'm considering getting tickets to see Penguin Cafe Orchestra live...

RE: It's all lonely here

Qbit — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 10:14:46 GMT

Good to know it was just a group membership display bug after clicking the carousel link! It definitely looked like a ghost town at first, but glad to see the full challenge details are visible now.

RE: It's all lonely here

DAB — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 20:36:16 GMT

You never know.

Some ghosts are active others are just passive.

RE: It's all lonely here

beacon_dave — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 15:23:57 GMT

The waste bin scene starts at about 1h05m

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjJXExbQ-ww&t=3925s

[quote userid="123345" url="~/challenges-projects/design-challenges/my-project-is-trash/f/forum/57309/it-s-all-lonely-here/238426"]the local waste collection people gave me a little mini bin earlier this year [/quote]

Kitchen waste recycling caddies per chance ?

On windy days here, the wheelie bins get to do their Dalek impersonations roaming the street.

I think John has a bit of a head start on this competition:

https://community.element14.com/members-area/personalblogs/b/john-wiltrout-s-blog/posts/using-extremely-sophisticated-electronics-to-solve-a-real-world-problem

RE: It's all lonely here

beacon_dave — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 15:02:20 GMT

[quote userid="8646" url="~/challenges-projects/design-challenges/my-project-is-trash/f/forum/57309/it-s-all-lonely-here/238429"]That film's definitely worth a watch.[/quote]

It was released the same year as Crocodile Dundee, so it probably didn't get quite the same viewing that it deserved.

[quote userid="8646" url="~/challenges-projects/design-challenges/my-project-is-trash/f/forum/57309/it-s-all-lonely-here/238429"]Just seeing those bins has Penguin Cafe Orchestra playing in my head.[/quote]

Telephone and Rubber Band

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziW0gVm7cOY

RE: It's all lonely here

Fred27 — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 09:05:37 GMT

That film's definitely worth a watch. Just seeing those bins has Penguin Cafe Orchestra playing in my head.

RE: It's all lonely here

shabaz — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 21:32:31 GMT

Not seen that, but the local waste collection people gave me a little mini bin earlier this year (well, two by mistake, and I've not used either one so far..) with little wheels on them, turn them into something more useful. When I saw this challenge, it made me think maybe they needed electrical motion added to both (but lack of time.. : (

RE: It's all lonely here

beacon_dave — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 19:46:37 GMT

Ever seen the 1986 movie 'Malcolm' with the remote-controlled waste bins scene ?

RE: It's all lonely here

javagoza — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 14:03:43 GMT

Hi Obones,

Glad the mystery has been solved!

RE: It's all lonely here

obones — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 14:01:18 GMT

Nice to see you have so many ideas, but my message was really about the fact that apart from this thread, I can't see anything else.
I mean, no details on the kit, no presentation of the challenge, nothing.

And now that I have posted these two messages, I can actually see all the details that I could not see before.

I believe this comes from the fact that I am now part of the group. But coming from the front page image in the carrousel, it was a very strange behavior.

RE: It's all lonely here

javagoza — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 13:52:09 GMT

Hi Obones,

No ghosts here!

I think many of us are still in the "staring at a blank sheet of paper" phase and trying to decide which direction to take. At least that's where I am.

So far my mind has wandered through all sorts of ideas: a pager-style system to locate bins, monitoring systems for noise, vibration, gases, odors or vandalism, intelligent action recognition around waste containers, automatic waste-sorting bins, sorting based on impact sound and vibration, recycling reward systems, alert beacons, and several others.

The problem is that every idea seems promising for about ten minutes, and then I find a technical, economic, or practical obstacle that makes me rethink everything.

Maybe that's actually a good topic for discussion. What ideas have other participants considered so far, and what were the main challenges that made you reject them?

It could be interesting to share concepts early, even if they're only half-baked. Sometimes another person sees a solution to the exact problem that made you abandon an idea.

Looking forward to hearing what everyone is thinking.