5G waste power: Smartsensor Technologies

5G and IoT networks are accelerating the capabilities of smart bins located in global cities. Leon Hayes, Managing Director of Smartsensor Technologies, explains how Australia’s 5G network is leading the way.

The Internet of Things (IoT) movement is well and truly amongst us.

“Today, it’s about awakening this technology and ensuring it is applied to our cities to make them smarter,” Leon Hayes, Managing Director of Smartsensor Technologies says.

What is 5G all about? Technically speaking, it is the fifth generation technology standard for broadband cellular networks.

Phone companies began deploying the technology worldwide in 2019, but now it’s a planned successor to enable new opportunities for people, businesses and society.

“The world’s connectivity needs are changing. For waste management, smart cities and IoT technologies must be at the forefront to provide immediate actionable insights and outcomes for councils, constituents, private enterprise, and the wider community,” Hayes says.

In the age of analytics, data quality has never been more important. Hayes says that we are in a society that demands data as a service at every hour or every day.

“Information is available at our fingertips and this translates to what it required of the waste sector as well.”

Smartsensor Technologies SmartBIN sensor is the world’s leading smart waste bin sensor.

Sensors attached to bins can now detect when they’re full and can notify the council when they require a service, preventing overflows, reducing collections of near empty bins and reducing the number of rubbish trucks on the road.

Hayes says that the sensors are installed with just four screws or adhesive mounts, with installation taking as little as five minutes.

Most importantly, with 5G networks, the sensors and platform work straight out of the box. Every Smartsensor sensor comes pre-configured and ready to optimise waste management immediately.

“This technology is vital for key decision making. The sensor is battery powered and can provide data where and when you need it,” Hayes says.

“You can rely on the technology operating in the field for over four years, it’s a very small footprint inside a location that captures data in real time, working around the clock to deliver, insights that are just not possible from humans.”

Hayes believes Australia is leading the way with connectivity and enabling smarter cities through technology.

“Australia has one of the most reputable 5G networks in the world, and it’s not just Australia that is benefiting. We have seen expansion to Singapore, Canada and New Zealand, who all have the great networks for connectivity,” he says.

Five years ago, 3G was at the forefront of technology for service providers. Now, with Australia’s NBN network, connectivity management is more streamlined through the proven infrastructure.

Across the pond, New Zealand pioneered the roll-out last year across its capital city, Auckland.

New Zealand’s largest telecoms and digital services company, Spark, and Auckland Transport installed IoT-enabled infrastructure at Auckland’s Wynyard Quarter, which includes 5G connected lighting, smart benches with charging capability and smart bins to tackle waste challenges

The IoT applications powered by 5G, including the Smartsensor technologies SmartBIN sensor, have been used to collect valuable data to address urban, economic and sustainability challenges while also detecting incidents and improving the health and safety of locals.

“Certain data is only able to be captured through reliable smart technology that is powered by 5G. This is enabling us to bring our technology to competitive markets and make smarter cities a reality,” Hayes says.

Smartsensor Technologies SmartBIN sensors have been deployed to Albury Wodonga, City of Canada Bay, Townsville City Council, Hobart Airport and over 100 deployments in Australia, providing waste collection insights around these bustling cities.

“The sensors and the related platforms are set to power decision making in these use cases. It’s the future of waste management moving forward in this fast-paced and technology fuelled society.”

Hayes says deploying smart waste networks in cities allows them to take advantage of dynamic routing, planned collections and most impactfully, predictive collection optimisation.

“Just this month the NSW and Federal Governments released nearly 50 million dollars in grant funding combined, directly related to 5G and smart technology implementation,” Hayes says.

“Its already upon us and those that do not act are going to be left on the rubbish pile.

“Now is really the time to awaken technological capabilities within our cities and waste management teams and really advance the way waste is moved and collected.”

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