Data-driven waste collection

Rethinking waste management to reduce carbon emissions

Compology is redefining waste management by monitoring the contents of dumpsters and providing flexible tools that enable data-driven routing and powerful analytics. As part of this service, Compology installs custom IoT hardware in each dumpster to monitor the fill level and send data back to a central hub.

Compology was testing a preliminary prototype version of their hardware through low-volume controlled trials when they experienced a sudden increase in the demand for more units. This catapulted Complology forward, and through partnering with Synapse we helped them develop lower-cost, more manufacturable designs for future high-volume trials and releases.

Our team of Electrical, Mechanical, RF, and Firmware Engineers worked with Compology to architect an industrial IoT sensor, then developing it through manufacturing readiness. They overcame major engineering challenges to ensure the small device was rugged enough to perform in the harsh operating environment of a dumpster, which required maintaining cellular connectivity and long battery life. Within a tight time frame, the team developed the product quickly, allowing Compology to successfully fulfil orders just six months after Architecture. 

Over time, Compology has evolved their waste monitoring system to where it is today—a sustainability solution that makes financial sense to their clients—allowing them to automatically monitor and detect fullness, content, location, and activity at every dumpster to optimize waste handling and reduce carbon emissions.