♻️ Reuse — AI Chatbot for Smart Recycling

📌 Overview

Reuse is an AI-powered chatbot that helps users transform everyday waste into reusable objects.
It combines image recognition, machine learning, and conversational AI to provide personalized reuse ideas and sustainability guidance.

Type: Competition Project

Duration: November 2018 - May 2019

Competition: Atos IT Challenge 2019 - Machine Learning for Sustainability

Achievement: Finalist

🎯 Project Goal

Reuse supports the transition toward a circular economy by helping people:

• Identify objects using AI
• Receive personalized reuse ideas
• Learn how to transform items step-by-step
• Share results with a community

The mission is to make reuse easy, intelligent, and engaging.

🤖 Key Features

Image Recognition

• Detects objects from user-uploaded photos
• Implemented using YOLO real-time object detection
• Predicts bounding boxes and object probabilities

Conversational Chatbot

• Built with Dialogflow NLP
• Understands user intent and preferences
• Suggests reuse ideas interactively

Personalized Recommendation Engine

• Uses association rule mining
• Learns from user behavior and feedback
• Improves suggestion relevance over time

Recycling Guidance

• If an item cannot be reused
• The chatbot suggests appropriate recycling options

Community Concept

• Users share reused items
• Provide feedback, likes, and suggestions
• Inspire sustainable habits

🧱 Technical Architecture

Workflow

1. User sends text or image
2. Dialogflow extracts intent/entities
3. Backend Python server processes request
4. Image recognition and recommendation logic run
5. Suggestion is returned to the chatbot

Main Components

• Chatbot Interface (Messenger/Web)
• Dialogflow NLP
• Python Backend
• YOLO Detection Module
• Recommendation Engine
• Database and APIs

🛠 Technology Stack

AI / Machine Learning

• YOLO Object Detection
• Association Rule Mining
• Hyperparameter tuning (Grid Search)

Backend

• Python
• JSON API communication
• NGROK for local server exposure

NLP & Integration

• Google Dialogflow
• Facebook Messenger API

Environment

• Linux / Anaconda
• Python 2.7 (prototype stage)

🚀 Demo & Links

GitHub Repository

https://github.com/Karim-53/Reuse-Chatbot-Atos-Challenge-2019

Project Demo Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Intw22lcmo

Atos Challenge Finalist Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esOe2S2eJ68

🏆 Competition

• Event: Atos IT Challenge 2019
• Achievement: Finalist Team
• Supervisor: Dr. Thomas Hoberg

👨‍💻 Team

• Mohamed Karim Belaid
• Aicha Garci
• Eya Cherif

🌍 Impact

Reuse contributes to:

• Reducing landfill waste
• Increasing resource efficiency
• Encouraging sustainable habits
• Promoting circular economy practices
• Building environmental awareness