♻️ Punarchakra - Intelligent E-Waste Management & Recycling Platform

"Turning Old Tech Into New Possibilities"
An AI-powered, gamified, and offline-first ecosystem designed to modernize e-waste collection and recycling.

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📖 Overview

Punarchakra is a comprehensive full-stack solution bridging the gap between consumers and e-waste recycling facilities. By leveraging Groq AI Vision for waste classification, IoT simulation for smart bins, and a gamified rewards system, functionality meets sustainability.

The platform relies on a "Human-Centric AI" philosophy, ensuring accessibility through Voice Commands, Multi-language Support (English, Hindi, Spanish), and a robust Offline-First architecture.

✨ Key Features

🧠 AI & Smart Automation

• AI Vision Scanner: Instantly detects and classifies e-waste (Laptops, Phones, PCBs, Batteries) using Llama Vision (via Groq).
• Auto-Pricing Engine: dynamically estimates scrap value and credit points based on item type and condition.
• Voice Assistant: Hands-free navigation and interaction using the Web Speech API ("Find Bins", "Scan QR", "Dark Mode").

🚮 Smart Bin Kiosk Interface

• Industrial Design: A dedicated, high-contrast interface for physical kiosk terminals.
• Interactive States: Real-time feedback for "Processing", "Accepted", "Rejected", and "Maintenance" states.
• Fault Tolerance: Fully functional Light & Dark modes for various lighting conditions.

🌍 Map & Logistics

• Interactive Bin Locator: Leaflet-based maps with custom 3D markers indicating bin fill levels.
• Optimized Routing: (Planned) Route suggestions for collectors based on high-priority full bins.

🎮 Gamification & user Dashboard

• Impact Charts: Visual analytics of CO2 saved and total waste recycled.
• Leaderboards & Challenges: Community-driven goals to encourage sustainable habits.
• Rewards Store: Redeem "Green Credits" for vouchers and products.

🛡️ Admin & Security

• Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): Secure admin portal for managing bins, users, and logistics.
• Secure Auth: Powered by NextAuth.js v5 with JWT and encrypted sessions.

📶 Resilience

• Offline-First Architecture: Changes are queued locally when offline and synced automatically when connectivity returns.
• Progressive Enhancement: Critical features work across varying network speeds.

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🛠️ Technology Stack

Frontend (Client)

Category	Technologies
Core	Next.js 15 (App Router), React 19, TypeScript
Styling	Tailwind CSS 4, Shadcn UI, CSS Variables
Animation	Framer Motion, GSAP
Maps	Leaflet, React-Leaflet
State	React Context, Custom Hooks
AI Integration	Groq SDK (LLM Vision)

Backend (Server)

Category	Technologies
Runtime	Node.js, Express
Database	MongoDB, Mongoose ODM
Auth	JWT (JSON Web Tokens), NextAuth.js Integration
Security	CORS, Helmet, Rate Limiting

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🚀 Getting Started

Prerequisites

• Node.js (v18+)
• MongoDB (Local or Atlas)
• Git

1. Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/Vortex-16/punarchakra.git
cd punarchakra

2. Backend Setup

Navigate to the server directory and install dependencies:

cd Server
npm install

Create a .env file in Server/ with the following:

PORT=5000
MONGO_URI=mongodb://localhost:27017/punarchakra
JWT_SECRET=your_super_secret_jwt_key

Start the backend server:

npm run dev
# Server running on http://localhost:5000

3. Frontend Setup

Open a new terminal, navigate to the client directory:

cd Client
npm install --legacy-peer-deps

Create a .env file in Client/ with the following:

NEXT_PUBLIC_API_URL=http://localhost:5000/api
NEXT_PUBLIC_GROQ_API_KEY=your_groq_api_key_here
NEXTAUTH_SECRET=your_nextauth_secret_hash
NEXTAUTH_URL=http://localhost:3000

Start the frontend development server:

npm run dev
# Client running on http://localhost:3000

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🔑 Default Credentials

Admin Account:

• Email: admin@ewaste.com
• Password: admin123

User Account:

• Email: user@demo.com
• Password: user123

(Note: You can register new users directly from the login page)

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📚 Documentation

For a deeper dive into the architecture, design choices, and user stories, please refer to:

• Design & Technical Documentation: Detailed breakdown of the architecture, tech stack decisions, and core user flows.
• Design Thinking & Philosophy: Q&A on how we handle trust, accessibility, and scalability.
• User Scenarios: Real-world use cases (Student, Elderly, Admin) and edge-case handling.

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📂 Project Structure

Punarchakra/
├── Client/                 # Next.js Frontend
│   ├── src/
│   │   ├── app/            # App Router Pages (Dashboard, Scan, Map)
│   │   ├── components/     # Reusable UI (SmartBin, VoiceAssistant)
│   │   ├── hooks/          # Custom Logic (useSession, useOffline)
│   │   ├── lib/            # Utilities & Constants
│   │   └── contexts/       # Global State Providers
│   └── public/             # Static Assets (Images, 3D Models)
│
├── Server/                 # Express Backend
│   ├── src/
│   │   ├── controllers/    # Route Logic (Auth, Bins, User)
│   │   ├── models/         # Mongoose Schemas
│   │   ├── routes/         # API Endpoint Definitions
│   │   └── middleware/     # Auth & Error Handling
│   └── config/             # DB Connection
│
└── README.md               # Project Documentation

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🤝 Contribution

Contributions are welcome! Please fork the repository and create a pull request for any feature enhancements or bug fixes.

1. Fork the Project
2. Create your Feature Branch (git checkout -b feature/AmazingFeature)
3. Commit your Changes (git commit -m 'Add some AmazingFeature')
4. Push to the Branch (git push origin feature/AmazingFeature)
5. Open a Pull Request

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📜 License

Distributed under the MIT License. See LICENSE for more information.

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Made with 💚 to protect our 🌍

Punarchakra Team © 2026