Saskatchewan using artificial intelligence to track waste

Innovation Saskatchewan plans to use robots to help reduce the amount of solid waste that is placed in landfills.

The group unveiled its new technology at Innovation Place on the University of Regina campus on Tuesday from its two winners of the 2019 Innovation Saskatchewan challenge.

Prairie Robotics used artificial intelligence and cameras to capture waste data in real-time while researchers at the U of R created a system designed to handle Saskatchewan’s extreme weather all while being able to weigh moving vehicles.

The province expects the two solutions to be beneficial in helping to reduce sold waste dumped into landfills by 30 per cent by 2030.

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“Our tech community has developed a tracking and reporting mechanism using artificial intelligence which can reduce the expense of landfill operations and lead to long-term environmental efficiencies,” Innovation Minister Tina Beaudry-Mellor said.

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Both winners received $10,000 in funding and a 16-week residency to develop their innovation in collaboration with the Saskatchewan government.

“Artificial intelligence eliminates human errors and bias,” said Sam Dietrich, with Prairie Robotics.

“Our system means better tracking of waste across urban and rural Saskatchewan, which can lead to better management.”

The province released its Solid Waste Management Strategy in January. They found that each Saskatchewan resident produces 842 kilograms of trash per year on average.

It is the second-highest amount of trash produced per capita among Canadian provinces.

To learn more about the Innovation Challenge, visit their website.