Wednesday, November 02, 2005
09:17 PM
for u disney-philes

Talking kitchen-trash can burps when it's full: "Cory Doctorow:
An NYU student is planning to build an animatronic trash-can that extends the functionality of Walt Disney World's talking trash-can:

The trash can and recycling bins are a modular set that would gives both sound and visual feedback. the trash can would only make a sound when you open it (i.e. open it's mouth). For example, when you throw something out, and the can is near full, it can belch. When it gets very damp (using a moisture detector), often an indication that the trash is more prone to germs, smells, etc., it can cry. When you open it up to take out the trash, and change the liner and you have the most contact with i, it can giggle, as in being tickled. The sounds don't need to be so human, animal, or literal. But, with the sounds, the trash can takes on some 'creature' behaviour.

Link

(Thanks, John!)

Update: Ken sez, 'Some years ago several fast food chains tried interactive trash cans--there's a reference in the link to robotic trash cans at Taco Bell. I was in a Burger King a few years ago that had trash cans in the play area which talked to the children, 'thanks for the trash!', that sort of thing. It was probably designed to get people to put their own trash away so the staff wouldn't have to do it, but what actually happened was that children would put their heads into the trash cans to see who was inside there. This caused their little heads to be caught in the manner of a squirrel trap. It was somewhat dangerous but very funny. Next time I went to Burger King the interactive trash cans were gone.'

"

(Via Boing Boing.)