Design and Experimental Characterization of a Solar-Powered Multi-Sensor Instrumentation System for Smart Dumpster Monitoring and GPS Tracking

This study presents the design and experimental characterization of a solar-powered multi-sensor instrumentation system for smart waste monitoring and GPS tracking. The developed system integrates an ultrasonic sensor for waste-level measurement, a GPS module for location tracking, a GSM communication unit for remote notification, and a photovoltaic power subsystem for autonomous operation. An Arduino-based controller was employed for data acquisition, processing, and communication. Experimental evaluation was conducted to determine the performance of the sensing, communication, positioning, and power-management subsystems. Results showed a waste-level measurement accuracy of 99.1% with an average sensor error of 0.28 cm, demonstrating high reliability for real-time monitoring applications. The GPS subsystem achieved an average positioning accuracy of 3.3 m, enabling effective location identification and tracking of the waste bin. The solar-energy subsystem delivered a maximum output power of 40 W, while the battery backup system sustained continuous operation for approximately 15.6 h under test conditions. The servo-actuated lid mechanism exhibited an average response time of 0.81 s, ensuring prompt system operation. Furthermore, the GSM communication module achieved a 100% message transmission success rate during the experimental trials. The results demonstrate that the prototype instrumentation system provides reliable sensing, communication, and energy autonomy for intelligent waste-management applications. The integration of renewable energy, multi-sensor monitoring, and wireless communication offers a practical and sustainable solution for smart-city dumpster-monitoring infrastructure.