I first learned about the TrashBot when I took a trip to Houston this summer. I was really intrigued by this new innovation and wanted to learn more. I learned that over 25 percent of recycled material is too contaminated to be recycled and is sent to landfills. I am at the implementation stage with this product right now. I have used the TrashBot a handful of times, but I am still researching the idea and the results of it. 
I think that I do see myself reaching the confirmation stage of the idea sooner or later. If there were more of these devices around the midwest, I could get more information about them and also get more hands-on experience with them. I also am really interested what recycling companies can take in products that have not been filtered through a TrashBot. The only way that I will discontinue the use of the innovation is if the midwest never adopts this technology. The TrashBot costs quite a bit more than the average recycling container and really does not generate any income. These are the only two reasons why I think the midwest will have a hard time adopting the idea.
I see myself in the Early Adopters category when it comes to this innovation. I have used the innovation and will be more socially forward than the later adopters. I do not fit in the innovators category because I do not want to take that big of a risk with a product that has a high chance of failing here in the midwest. If I were to see people using them around here, I might change my mind.
One specific innovation comes to mind when looking about the different categories to fall into. I fell into the Knowledge/Awareness category when wireless headphones and earbuds were being talked about. I never thought that they would be able to produce the same quality as a wired headset. Years later, they can produce the same or better audio than a wired device can.
I must say, I didn’t know that this Trashbot was really even a thing, I had never heard of it until now, but it definitely sounds very interesting. A robot whose primary intent is to assist in sorting trash and recycling out sounds like it would be a great device to implement. I did a small bit of research to figure out what this was, and I must say I am impressed. These small robots are able to find and pick up trash and recycling and separate the two “better than humans” (https://cleanrobotics.com/trashbot/), and I must say I wouldn’t be surprised, considering the number of humans who don’t pay attention to what they recycle.
I think this small “Wall-E” sort of machine would be an amazing invention to include in our daily lives someday. I just agree that I hope this gets implemented in the Midwest, especially since these states can be slow to adopt new technology.
If you think about all of the places even in a town like Hays where these trash cans could be placed. This sort of technology, if taken seriously, could be beneficial for people all over. This is a super cool new innovation that I had never heard of before! I wonder how long it will take for that technology to get to somewhere like Wichita or Kansas City?