PUNTOnet Prototypes: Innovative Urban Services Supporting Healthy and Sustainable Behaviours

This paper describes the objectives and the outputs of a University- Industry research project, with the aim to innovate household waste collection and other urban services, through the design and development of prototype multifunctional station, in line with the principles of circular economy. It begins by presenting the potential of ordinary garbage bins to become an urban interface with the support of technology. In order to meet European recycling targets and optimize operational costs, trash containers need to achieve a greater intelligence, recognize users’ identity, record the type and the quantity of delivered waste. The specialisation and improvement of such awidespread service give the possibility to reinvent collection points as a smart and sensing zones, sharing their sophisticated technology equipment with other urban facilities. The essay then looks at possible additional services for the city and displays the research group proposal dealing with mobility infrastructure. Finally, the paper closes with the description of the content of an experimental urban dashboard gathering all data coming fromthe prototypes, developed by the local utility group for the demo site, a small smart city of 10 000 inhabitants.This paper describes the objectives and the outputs of a University-Industry research project, with the aim to innovate household waste collection and other urban services, through the design and development of prototype multifunctional station, in line with the principles of circular economy. It begins by presenting the potential of ordinary garbage bins to become an urban interface with the support of technology. In order to meet European recycling targets and optimize operational costs, trash containers need to achieve a greater intelligence, recognize users’ identity, record the type and the quantity of delivered waste. The specialisation and improvement of such a widespread service give the possibility to reinvent collection points as a smart and sensing zones, sharing their sophisticated technology equipment with other urban facilities. The essay then looks at possible additional services for the city and displays the research group proposal dealing with mobility infrastructure. Finally, the paper closes with the description of the content of an experimental urban dashboard gathering all data coming from the prototypes, developed by the local utility group for the demo site, a small smart city of 10 000 inhabitants