HOWELL – Two students were honored by the Howell School Board for achieving 2nd place in a state-wide STEAM competition with their “smart garbage” invention.
Nivaan Pai and Shreyaan Pai from Newbury School excelled in this year’s New Jersey School Board Association’s STEAM Tank Challenge. STEAM Tank is modeled after the TV show Shark Tank, where the students pitch their ideas to a panel of judges. The two secured 2nd place in the Elementary Division for the State with their invention called “Smarrrbage.”
Smarrrbage is a smart recycling system that uses artificial intelligence in order to sort recyclable items from trash.
At the November Board of Education meeting, Nivaan and Shreyaan presented their invention to the Board and explained where their inspiration came from.
“Last year when we went to the US Open, we noticed that trash was ending up in recycling and vice versa. We thought this would be an interesting problem to solve for STEAM Tank,” Nivaan said. “90% of waste in this landfill is actually recyclable.”
“Waste is getting sorted at recycling facilities, which costs a lot of money and energy. This leads us to greenhouse gases, which will cause problems to humans, plants, and animals,” Shreyaan said.
The three R’s in Smarrrbage stand for: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. The Smarrrbage has multiple compartments are for plastic, cardboard, glass, and trash. It makes sure all the trash and recyclables will end up in the right compartments within the bin.
Over nearly a year, Nivaan and Shreyaan employed the engineering design process and harnessed artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies to develop algorithms for their Smarrrbage cans. These innovations enable the system to learn, predict, and make decisions regarding item classification.
Guided by their computer teacher Jeff Smith, Nivaan and Shreyaan programed this invention using coding skills they learned in class.
“Team Smarrbage wowed the judges with their AI technology which recognizes and separates recyclables,” Claire Engle, Director of Digital Learning, Innovation and Special Projects, said. “Their dedication resulted in a technology that not only aids in waste management and recycling but also holds great potential for positive contributions to environmental sustainability.”
Their groundbreaking invention impressed the judges and earned them a well-deserved $1,500, which will be reinvested in enhancing STEAM programs at Newbury School.
At the end of their presentation, boards members honored Nivaan and Shreyaan with certificates for their hard work and dedications.
“Truly incredible. Great work,” Superintendent Joseph Isola said. “Having youngsters being able to problem solve and identify needs. You are a source of pride in our entire community.”
