Zabble, a leading provider of AI-powered zero waste technology solutions for businesses and cities, announced that it has expanded its U.S. patent, Patent No. 11,788,877, for mobile device-based AI for waste monitoring and analysis to increase contamination visibility and improve field operations for leading campuses and jurisdictions. The expanded IP details how Zabble鈥檚 technology uses a plurality of images from mobile devices and leverages computer vision AI to identify and analyze several factors related to waste鈥揺ven without internet connectivity, including automated reporting and recommendations for improvements to field operations and education related to reduce waste/ contamination and increase landfill recovery:
- Container fullness
- Material/content-types and countPresence or absence of contaminant
- Container-type – bins, bags, carts, containers and compactors
- Waste-type, including municipal solid waste, recycling, compost, hazardous and medical
The mobile application experience that powers it is designed and built with enterprise-grade technology and features鈥揷onnecting the power of the latest, industry-leading AI and cloud computing technology to a mobile device and platform that waste leaders already carry around in their pocket. While the current application of this patented technology is already being used in markets such as higher education, corporate campuses and jurisdictions, the patent will also extend to offices, retail and industrial facilities, while also exploring beyond visible light to include infrared, ultrasound, x-ray and lidar.
By patenting their core technology, Zabble is able to support its customers by:
- Showcasing their continuous innovation mindset
- Safeguarding and future-proofing investment in a time of an AI surge
- Increasing value with devices that customers already own鈥搘ith no additional sensors or cameras needed.
- Ensuring no legal and operational disruption due to IP infringement issues that occur in booming, competitive markets
Expanding their patent allows Zabble to offer licensing of their AI models through an API to accelerate the time to market for industry software partners across the waste ecosystem. While the industry has seen a lot of digital innovation at all parts of the waste and recycling lifecycle, computer vision AI鈥檚 difference is in the improvement of operations at the source before materials hit the curb for pickup. And just as LLM models have greatly improved text-based AI applications and generative AI has enabled expansion from images to now video, as phone hardware develops, it will open up more opportunities for computer vision AI to drive even greater impact at the waste generation point鈥揻rom contamination reduction to bin operations to service optimization.
“As we expand our patent, we know we’re not just advancing technology; we are catalyzing a fundamental shift in the waste industry towards smarter, more efficient field operations,” said Nik Balachandran, CEO and founder of Zabble. “Our vision is to empower businesses and cities with the tools they need to digitally transform waste management, starting from the source. With our patented technology, we’re not just imagining a greener, more sustainable future 鈥� we’re actively building it, one container at a time.”