Brownsville Gets Talking Trash Can And Cellphone-Charging Park Benches

BROWNSVILLE, BROOKLYN — Brownsville is about to get a talking trash can and two cellphone-charging park benches, the mayor announced Friday.

The city’s first Neighborhood Innovation Lab, which launched at Osborn Plaza in March, will begin rolling out the technologies it has spent the past four months developing, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Friday.

“We are thrilled to see the launch of the Brownsville Innovation Lab,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. "As technology evolves and becomes even more essential to our everyday urban lives, New York City only grows stronger.”

This high-tech scheme stems from President Barack Obama’s Smart Cities Initiative, which provided federal funding for the development of high-tech solutions to local problems.

In Brownsville, the Neighborhood Innovation Lab has been tackling the problems of trash and dying phones. They’ve developed Bigbelly, a solar-powered garbage that tells maintenance workers when it’s full, and Soofa, a bench that use solar power to charge phones.

The launch of the odd-yet-handy devices will be celebrated Saturday, the same day the lab kicks off its Brownsville youth program, where elementary and middle school students will have access to workshops on how to build solar-powered toy cars, and other such STEM concepts.

Organizers expect about 1,000 kids from Brownsville youth to attend the lab's various interactive workshops and technology demonstrations, which will be managed by the Brownsville Community Justice Center.

"Responsive neighborhood investment begins with a resident-driven community planning process,” said Deputy Director of Brownsville Community Justice Center, Erica Mateo. "We are proud to be a partnering on this initiative."

Photo courtesy of Made in Brownsville