Smarter, more sustainable cities with the artificial intelligence of Genius, the 5.0 container

The partnership between Alia Multiutility and Nord Engineering has given rise to Genius, the high-tech container that uses artificial intelligence to revolutionise waste collection. The “5.0 container” will help make our cities smarter, cleaner and less polluted.

The digital revolution meets the green revolution

Genius brings these two strategic trends together in a single solution and turns city waste containers into drivers of the Green Digital Transformation. This is also thanks to the large amount of data it produces, which is essential for drawing up effective development plans and green policies.

User identification, waste measurement, data transmission and vehicle routing are the pillars of the cloud-based IT services that make up the refined Genius ecosystem, unique in the sector. Its strengths include the internal volumetric sensor, which allows a control centre to remotely record the volume of each disposal and link it to individual users, and the electronic board that makes the container truly “smart”. Patents for both technologies have already been filed by Alia Multiutility, the Tuscan leader in local public services, and Nord Engineering, the Piedmont-based company that has led smart waste management for more than 20 years.

Lower collection impact thanks to data

Beyond measuring disposals, Genius also sharply reduces the ecological footprint of collection: real-time data will make it possible to optimise the service by “guiding” the trucks that empty the containers. Routes will be planned according to fill levels, traffic and external conditions. The system also constantly monitors the status of devices and equipment and runs with a very high level of energy efficiency, powered by its integrated photovoltaic panel.

The results of the pilot

The pilot in the municipality of Lastra a Signa (Florence) produced positive results, with a significant improvement in the quality of separate collection and in the overall efficiency of the service. The 110 smart 5.0 containers installed across the area made it possible to analyse strategic data: for example, the average number of daily disposals per container (4.61), the average volume disposed (30 litres), the average fill level at each emptying (46.15%) and the peak disposal times (around 9 am and 8 pm).

The “5.0 container” therefore opens up new scenarios and virtuous collection models in terms of sustainability, citizen accountability, service quality and pay-as-you-throw measurability that were unimaginable until now.