University of Wisconsin–Madison
If you’ve been in Union South or Memorial Union lately, chances are you’ve met Oscar. Oscar Sort is UW–Madison’s new AI waste and recycling assistant, introduced by the Office of Sustainability’s Zero Waste Team to improve recycling accuracy on campus. If you hold up a waste item to Oscar Sort’s cameras, it’ll identify it and …
In February 2024, Chancellor Jennifer L. Mnookin announced a university-wide environmental sustainability initiative centered around five goals: launching the Sustainability Research Hub to accelerate interdisciplinary research and external collaboration; attaining STARS Gold as a framework to drive cross-campus involvement; creating widely accessible sustainability educational experiences for all interested students; becoming a zero waste campus through improved systems, engagement, and materials management; and …
The University of Wisconsin–Madison has deployed four state-of-the-art AI recycling assistants called “Oscar Sort” (“Oscars”) across campus, marking an exciting step in the university’s commitment to sustainable operations, education, and research. The Oscars, which use technology developed by the company Intuitive AI, combine waste bins with interactive, digital displays that are designed to make waste …