Startup Plans To Clean Up Cigarette Butts Using Crows (popularmechanics.com)

AmiMoJo writes: A startup in the Netherlands is developing the "Crowbar," a bird feeder that takes discarded cigarette butts as payment for dispensing food. A camera recognises cigarette filters and rejects any other objects placed in the Crowbar. The idea isn't entirely original, a gentleman in the US has already built a similar device and trained crows to deposit coins. The hope is that crows will be able to keep cities clean, sort through refuse and perform other tasks for our mutual benefit.
Popular Mechanics notes that crows "are some of the smartest animals in the world," suggesting this means "we could harness their abilities for the greater good of our planet."

Comments

Re:human smokers will be trained

[iggymanz]

crows can actually be taught to do that, even to peck the smokers faces as it wrests the cigarettes away. the ad campaign can feature excerpts from Hitchcock's "The Birds"

I for one welcome...

[Rujiel]

There was a college experiment several years ago where people put on masks, some of which then messing with the crows. It became clear that they remember faces. https://www.popsci.com/science...

Minute of hate

[DCFusor]

Let's have our minute of hate for those who grew up when smoking was cool and haven't been able to quit, despite a lot of hassle and hate. Then get real. Glad I didn't grow up around the hateful people posting on this (or the week older hackaday thread...and it looks like about the same dumb, intolerant crowd here). I smoked 44 years, then quit. It was EXTREMELY HARD to do. But I managed - and years later, it still tugs on me just about every day. When you've pulled that off, you can talk hateful about people who didn't do as well as you, maybe...but only maybe.
But you jerks grew up when it was already uncool and never got addicted. Proud of yourself for just going with the flow? You got lucky, you weren't smarter or more disciplined. Don't feel so superior just because you had situation luck...
Why not try actually being superior first. It's hard, it's why everyone can't be above average - or won't. Which are you? Most seem like they could, but won't. Lazy.