Imagine transforming the plastic bottles you recycled for a month into a sleek, modern chair that can last for years.

Amuzi transforms recycling into a playful experience with real rewards that keeps citizens motivated. Its key method is micro-sorting your recyclables right at your home to alleviate cities’ problems in waste management.

User Experience + User Interface + Business Strategy

Team > Cynthia Shen + George Weng + Connie Yoo

Special Thanks > Brian Boyl + Krystina Castella

Every year, $11.4 billion worth of recyclable materials left in landfills in the United States because of the lack of micro sorting.

BLUE BINS

Leads to the lack of micro sorting.

INVESTMENT

Cities can’t afford to fund good collection.

*For decades, China was the world’s largest importer of waste. However, that is changing after China banned 24 types of scraps from entering its borders starting January, 2018.

Our Solutions

Amuzi provides a one place solution for collecting and recovering recyclable materials. We do the job of connecting with waste haulers and processing companies.

Amuzi helps cities cut down the cost of waste management and spare more space in local landfills by reducing the amount of solid waste that its users produce.

Amuzi actively supports local and global environmental organizations and non-profits with recyclable materials and creations. If using Amuzi as their main recycling system, cities can improve on spreading awareness of recycling issues.

Design Criteria

*We come up with the five design criteria that will solve the primary pain points of our individual users–distrust, unaware, inconvenient, and unmotivated.

Accountable

Users are able to keep track of the waste they have recycled through Amuzi.

Personalized

Users can customize design with recycled materials to create things meaningful.

Motivational

Users will receive physical rewards as a motivation for their efforts of recycling.

Accessible

Amuzi provides one place solution for recycling different materials.

Reciprocal

Users, cities, and companies all get involved and will get things beneficial.

We recreate
recycling to solve
micro sorting.

*In Esperanto, the world most widely spoken constructed auxiliary language, the word “amuzi” stands for “recreation.”

Smart Containers

  • For ALL levels of users.
  • Various size options based on home needs, customizable for desired space arrangement.
  • Inserted tag keeping track of users’ waste.
  • Specialized volume and interior design for the three materials: plastic, glass and metal.

> Scanner

  • For the super recyclers, extra bonus points will be rewarded when using.
  • Wall projection providing detailed product information and separation instruction.
  • Featuring material recognition, embedded with light indicators.

> Mini Waste Station

  • Aiming for collecting wastes from the apartment or household users. Working with container sets.
  • The detection of containers to keep users’ wastes and credits accountable.
  • Simple-mechanical auto-release system for the wastes collecting from the containers.
  • Separated containers for different materials are easy to be picked up by collecting trucks.

Ecosystem

Style Guide

When it comes to interface design, we stick to three guide words–fulfilling, playful and synergistic. The logo of Amuzi comes from the recycling sign while green and blue are both environmental friendly colors. With rounded edges, it indicates inviting and friendly.

Amuzi has a bright color palette and sausage-like, playful typeface Omnes, which makes it encouraging. Its icon family has a consistent look compared to the logo. The modular grid for the app is inspired by the shape of Amuzi containers.

Primary User Flow

> Home

  • Provide a glance view of your recycling progress and current rewarding credits.
  • Easy access to important sub categories such as “Build Creation” and “Weekly Challenge.”

> Request Containers

  • Upon registration, users are able to choose the size and configurations for Amuzi container sets.
  • Own containers are acceptable. Store your daily recyclable wastes in any of your own containers, and carry them to Amuzi mini waste stations nearby for rewarding points.

> Manage My Waste

  • Provide a clear view of how the waste is going after getting collected by the city and waste haulers.
  • Make the whole recycling process transparent and accountable to users.

> Weekly Challenge

  • A way to help users build their recycling habits.
  • Provide an opportunity for gaining extra rewarding points for active recyclers.

> Build Creations

  • After gaining enough rewarding points for recycling, users’ Amuzi points can be used to exchange real rewards or donates to non-profits, which keeps users motivated.
  • Under “Build Creations,” users may select products they want for rewards from “Templates.” All the products here are built from recyclable materials, and details such as color can be modified.
  • Users can upload their own design under “Customize Design,” which provides a platform for creatives.