Multi-Sense Trash Can Is A Bit Too Far...

Technology! It's here to solve all our problems - except when it's creating new ones. Exhibit A: the $225 electronic "multi-sense" trash can from a company somewhat-ironically called SimpleHuman. The image on this post is a summary of all the clever ways that the sensor interprets your actions, the different modes and functions, the safety and efficiency mechanisms. And yet, with all this, I'm almost sure that it won't perform as reliably or predictably as your standard foot-pedal model. Don't get me wrong, I'm a geek who loves to think about how to design automatic systems to do all kinds of things. But this, SimpleHuman, is too much even for me. Take it back a step - specifically, back to step-operated trash cans.

[via Gizmodo]

2 comments:

Ben Scheele said...

I have used and loved Simplehuman's products for years, and I had the exact same reaction to this product. Then I realized that it could be very useful to someone in a wheelchair, or with some other sort of situation that would prevent easy use of a foot operated garbage bin. For everyone else, it does seem excessive.

Dave Gustafson said...

Very good point, this tech would be great in a design specifically for special needs - but marketed as cool tech for everyone, it's too much. And yeah, my regular foot-operated trash can is a SimpleHuman, and I love it!