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Why not turn your garbage can into a smart device?

Why not turn your garbage can into a smart device?

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The GeniCan is a smart accessory for converting your boring, analog garbage can into an internet-connected smart trash can of the future. Look, smart devices are going to enter every facet of your house anyway, and when you actually think about it, a smart garbage kind of makes sense.

GeniCan automatically adds things you throw out to a shared shopping list

The GeniCan automatically adds things you throw out to a shared shopping list, making it easy to figure out what you need to buy the next time you're in a grocery store. That list is then available in an accompanying app, which also has the same barcode scanning and manual item adding options as the GeniCan itself. 

Of course, it's a little more complex than that — you have to actively scan a barcode on a box to get the GeniCan to add it to your shopping list, so it doesn’t just add everything you throw out. Products without barcodes can also be added by using voice recognition to identify the item while holding it in front of the GeniCan's cameras. The GeniCan runs off four AA batteries, and claims to work for about a year before you'll need to swap the batteries out for new ones (ideally, using the GeniCan to order more batteries). 

Alternatively, the GeniCan can use Amazon's Dash Replenishment Service to automatically order more stuff for you. And while you could you use Amazon's Dash buttons for that, there's something clever and elegant about using a sensor in a trash can to detect when you've thrown the last box of snacks away. 

The GeniCan is available for preorder for $124.99, and is estimated to ship in early 2017.