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Abstract
The study focused on redesigning an existing institutional waste receptacle that
suffered from frequent misuse, excessive mass, cramped capacity, and overflow
among other issues. Field observations revealed that ambiguous aesthetics
prompted users to treat the unit as furniture or storage, while manual handling
fostered surface contamination. The revised unit incorporates proximity triggered lid actuation through combined infrared sensing and microcontroller logic, eliminating direct contact. Structural refinements replaced dense wooden elements with high-density polyethylene and thin aluminium composites, yielding a 52 % mass reduction and a 30 % smaller base area while increasing internal volume fivefold. Fabrication involved iterative prototyping, sensor calibration, and load-bearing trials. Controlled assessments demonstrated 94 % actuation consistency, zero observed lid contacts during disposal, and full elimination of prior misuse patterns. The resulting device presents a practical, low-maintenance intervention for hygiene-sensitive environments such as lecture theatres and administrative corridors.
suffered from frequent misuse, excessive mass, cramped capacity, and overflow
among other issues. Field observations revealed that ambiguous aesthetics
prompted users to treat the unit as furniture or storage, while manual handling
fostered surface contamination. The revised unit incorporates proximity triggered lid actuation through combined infrared sensing and microcontroller logic, eliminating direct contact. Structural refinements replaced dense wooden elements with high-density polyethylene and thin aluminium composites, yielding a 52 % mass reduction and a 30 % smaller base area while increasing internal volume fivefold. Fabrication involved iterative prototyping, sensor calibration, and load-bearing trials. Controlled assessments demonstrated 94 % actuation consistency, zero observed lid contacts during disposal, and full elimination of prior misuse patterns. The resulting device presents a practical, low-maintenance intervention for hygiene-sensitive environments such as lecture theatres and administrative corridors.
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