NCR produces 'smart' rubbish bin

NCR has produced a "smart" rubbish bin, hot on the heels of its microwave bank.

The idea is that the "smart" bin can recognise the type of waste in your kitchen bin by reading bar codes and segmenting it into eco-friendly bottle, can and food disposal areas.

The bin's intelligence does not stop there. It can also track consumers' purchasing habits from the waste and create shopping lists based on the records.

NCR believes that the bin could generate invaluable consumer information for supermarkets.

Like intelligent fridges, the bin could be linked up to the local supermarket and let it know when a household is about to run out of milk, for example. The supermarket could also use the information to send consumers special deals on products they buy regularly.

NCR believes there is an opportunity for supermarkets to sponsor the bin. Like the microwave bank, however, the bin is still in prototype and is unlikely to be available commercially in the near future.