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GeniCan smart garbage builds your shopping list, engages in trash talk

As noted in classic Sunny Delight commercials and ads for the Keurig 2.0 brewer, we must always be prepared for the possibility that a random mob might barge into our homes demanding something to eat or drink. That’s not the time to find out a shopping trip is called for. As a result, a number of products have sought to save us from prolonging consumption interruption by reminding us to reorder or automatically doing so.

While some of these products focus on goods while they’re in the process of depleting, GeniCan steps in at the end of their lifecycle. A barcode scanner that clips onto a kitchen garbage can or recycling bin, GeniCan adds disposed items back into a shopping list under the assumption the owner would like to order that item again. For products without a barcode, the GeniCan incorporates voice recognition for less automated list building.

The device, which looks a bit like a high-tech toilet seat cover when removed from the can, lasts about a week on its battery. The product seeks $50,000 in its Flexible Funding Indiegogo campaign. GeniCan will educate garbage receptacles for $149 come September.

GenCan competes on some level with its fellow Indiegogo campaigner SmartQsine, which  weighs items in the refrigerator and cabinets. The latter product has a lower cost of entry, but could become more expensive if one were to try monitoring all food and beverages that wind up being devoured. While the goals have a fair amount of appeal, it’s still the early days.

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