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Bincoin
By : Fahimeh Sarrafian
GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN 18th edition
Discipline : Student
Categories : Students work / Student - Industrial Design / Product / Furniture : Grand Winner
In a world where urban populations grow by 2.1% annually and global waste generation continues to outpace municipal capacity, Bincoin proposes a shift: from passive disposal to incentivized recycling. This smart bin transforms the city’s most overlooked infrastructure into an active agent of environmental stewardship.
Bincoin is more than a container. It is a system designed to reward behavior change. At its core lies an IoT-integrated infrastructure that recognizes users via QR code, verifies recyclables using embedded sensors and cameras, and tracks usage in real time. Each correct deposit earns users virtual coins, which can be exchanged for transit credits or public benefits. This micro-incentive loop turns recycling into a habit, one choice at a time.
Engineered for resilience, Bincoin is clad in an anti-vandal, anti-scratch PC/ABS shell with an aluminum-stamped inner structure and a stainless steel base. Its four-load-cell system calculates weight for rewards, while a silicone-sealed design ensures durability across seasons. Powered by solar panels and a LiFePO4 battery, the system is energy-independent, built to thrive outdoors, and to last.
Its anthropomorphic profile, ergonomic handles, and lockable wheels humanize interaction, making the bin approachable for citizens and efficient for recycling collectors. With GPS-enabled location tracking and predictive fullness alerts, Bincoin supports city logistics by reducing redundant collection routes and preventing overflow.
Research for this project spanned behavioral science, interviews with recyclers and collectors, and systemic analysis using the Double Diamond and PESTEL frameworks. Through this lens, the design responds to both emotional and infrastructural challenges, lightening the workload for municipal workers and engaging citizens as co-creators of a circular economy.
As cities worldwide struggle with rising landfill rates, Bincoin offers an alternative. It is intelligent, inclusive, and immediate. It reimagines urban waste management as a collaborative, data-driven, and deeply human act.
Collaboration
Student : Fahimeh Sarrafian
