• : I'mnovation
    Imnovation
      • Startups
      • esp
      • eng
    • Energy
    • Construction
    • Water
    • dt Created with Sketch. Digital Transformation
    • st Created with Sketch. Science & Technology
    • Society
    • SUSCRÍBETE A NUESTRA RSS
      • Startups
      • esp
      • eng
  • Home
  • Society
  • Innovative recycling with robotics AI
Previous Next
  • Artificial Intelligence and Robotics for Innovative Recycling

    The future of recycling involves using AI and robots to sort plastic waste or electronic waste in processing plants.

If you were asked how many plastics there are, perhaps two or three would come to mind, but the truth is that there are half a dozen types with their respective subclassifications. Plastics are one of the most problematic waste to recycle. Issues such as size, material type, or impurities drastically affect recycling efficiency. And that's where separation and sorting in processing plants come into play. Fortunately, new scientific and technological breakthroughs drive innovative recycling and bring us a step closer to the circular economy of zero waste.

In this article, we will talk about:

  • Smart robots for sorting waste
  • Innovative recycling with artificial intelligence
  • The recycling of the future

Smart robots for sorting waste

Plastic recycling rates vary substantially from country to country. For example, in Europe, 40 % of packaging plastics are recycled, and the target is to reach 50 % by the middle of this decade.

In turn, within these figures, there are plastics with an even lower percentage, such as bags and soft plastics. In this case, the figure can drop to 9-10%, as in Australia. It is not surprising that this country is experimenting with innovative recycling through robots capable of sorting these types of plastics.

Plastics from packaging often get stuck or snagged on machines, requiring manual sorting processes. These can be slow and unsafe. Now researchers at the University of Sydney have embarked on a new project that will combine robotics, artificial intelligence, and computer vision.

Thanks to these technologies, the robot will learn to discern soft plastics and remove them from the conveyor belt. This innovative recycling aims to convert soft plastics into raw materials such as industrial oils.

However, the Australian project does not stop at the processing plants but will be accompanied by an improvement in recycling practices at the source. Thus, users will also contribute to improving recycling efficiency by using QR-coded garbage bags and a mobile app.

When users fill the bag with a specific type of waste, such as coffee capsules or plastic bags, they scan the bag with their cell phone and the label. Once the bag arrives at the plant, the machines automatically detect the code and the associated waste.  

Innovative recycling with artificial intelligence

The University of Sydney robot is part of a new generation of robotic systems to optimize recycling. Many of them, such as the one developed by MIT, have sensitivity levels to identify the strength or weight of a plastic container.

Of course, there are also other wastes such as e-waste that could benefit from such technologies. At least if a promising project at the University of Idaho in the USA comes to fruition.

In this case, in addition to the auxiliary robotic technology, they have focused on developing software that will allow the identification of smartphone types in a recycling plant.

The idea is to harvest valuable metals from devices by automatically recognizing the model and components. This will be based on a database with 2D and 3D images of the phones. Once they have been identified, they can be automatically dismantled.

This is cutting-edge technology used in very few plants. The iPhone manufacturer is one of the few companies using these smart robots, but it has the advantage of a reduced catalog of devices. The work of the University of Idaho researchers, on the other hand, would make it possible to process hundreds of makes and models. Ultimately, the recycling rate could be improved by 10 to 15%.   

Other companies are also applying AI to waste sorting in the construction industry. This is the case of a Danish company that will inaugurate its first fully robotic and autonomous plant to process construction waste in the summer of 2022. The robot will be able to lift up to four thousand pieces of thirty kilograms per hour, which is obviously beyond the capabilities of a human being.

The recycling of the future

The future of recycling is defined by a change in philosophy, in which waste becomes a resource rather than a lesser evil. And all of this is complemented by the reduction in consumption and the reuse of products and materials. In other words, the three Rs of the circular economy. Under this umbrella, advanced materials such as degradable bioplastics or new construction materials such as regenerative concrete with a longer useful life are beginning to increase.

However, existing materials will also benefit from new recycling techniques. One example would be chemical recycling, which, using renewable energy, will be able to process any plastic regardless of its origin. Instead of shredding and melting the plastic, this technique breaks it down into essential oils. Thus, plastic materials could be recycled infinitely.

These are very experimental plants. Of course, regardless of these innovative recycling systems, the best plastic will still be the one that is not used.

Sources: University of Sydney, The Verge, https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20210510-how-to-recycle-any-plastic 

  • robotics
  • Recycling
  • Recycled plastic
  • Artificial intelligence

Share on social media

{{CommentsCount}} Comments

Currently no one has commented on the news.
Be the first to leave a comment.

{{firstLevelComment.Name}}

{{firstLevelComment.DaysAgo}} days ago

{{firstLevelComment.Text}}

Answer

{{secondLevelComment.Name}}

{{secondLevelComment.DaysAgo}} days ago

{{secondLevelComment.Text}}

Write your comment

All fields are mandatory.

Name

Email address

Comments

250 max char.

Accept the information on data protection

You must accept the information on data protection

{{btnSendCommentText}}

Thank you for your comment

Information on data protection

In compliance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 on Data Protection and with other Data Protection regulations in force, you are hereby informed that your personal data shall be processed by Acciona, S.A. (hereinafter “ACCIONA”), whose identification data are as follows: Tax ID No. (NIF): A08001851, Address: Avenida de la Gran Vía de Hortaleza, 3, 28033 (Madrid), Tel. No.: +34 91 663 28 50, email: protecciondedatos@acciona.com, in order to address and manage your queries, requests, claims and suggestions, as well as to electronically send information regarding our products and services through the contact email address.

The consent given by users when they contact us comprises the legal grounds for processing the data.

The data shall be stored as long as the relationship is maintained and the elimination thereof is not requested, and in any case, never for more than twelve months.

In the event your request is not addressed to ACCIONA but to an entity belonging to the Acciona Group, such entity shall transmit the data to the Group company that can most efficiently address your request for information or a service. Accordingly, when these data are transferred such transfer may be international due to the fact that these companies are located in countries outside the European Union, in order to address the communication needs among the individuals that comprise the Group at the global level. (You can consult a list of Group companies at www.acciona.com/shareholders-investors/financial-information/annual-accounts/. By accepting the privacy terms, you consent to your data being transferred internationally in order for your request to be properly processed. Other data transfers are not anticipated, except where required by law.

The interested party can exercise their rights of portability and to access, correct, eliminate, restrict and oppose the processing of their data before Acciona, S.A. by addressing ACCIONA in writing at the Department of Data Protection located at Avenida de Europa, 18, 28108, in Alcobendas, Madrid or by sending an email to the following address: protecciondedatos@acciona.com. In either case, the interested party must enclose or attach a copy of their National ID (DNI) or other ID. Furthermore, at any time the interested party may withdraw the granted consent by contacting the aforementioned address and file a claim before the Supervisory Authority (the Spanish Data Protection Agency www.aepd.es).

You can find more information in our Privacy Policy on our website.

Subscribe to our newsletter

... and stay informed with the latest news on innovation.

Send me the newsletter
{{ btnSendText }}

Wrong email format

Accept the information on data protection

You must accept the information on data protection

The subscription can't be done

YOU'RE JUST ONE STEP AWAY!

Please, confirm your subscription on the email we have sent you and your registration will be completed.

YOU ARE ALREADY SUBSCRIBED TO THE NEWSLETTER!

If you've missed our content, try checking your junk mailbox and add us to your address book so you can enjoy them without any problem.

Information on data protection

In compliance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 on Data Protection and with other Data Protection regulations in force, you are hereby informed that your personal data shall be processed by Acciona, S.A. (hereinafter “ACCIONA”), whose identification data are as follows: Tax ID No. (NIF): A08001851; Address: Avenida de la Gran Vía de Hortaleza, 3, 28033 (Madrid); Tel. No.: +34 91 663 28 50; email: protecciondedatos@acciona.com. Your data shall be processed in order to send you information, through the subscription to our Newsletter through electronic means, regarding our latest technological innovation of ACCIONA´s initiative "I’MNOVATION #Hub", which aims to bring the general public main news, advances and curiosities of the innovation technology of all the companies that make up the ACCIONA Group.

 

The consent given by the data subject by indicating that they have read and accept this data protection information comprises the lawfulness of processing. The data provide is your email address. If you fails to provide the required data, the subscription Request cannot be satisfied. We may also process your satisfaction or preferences, if you voluntarily respond to surveys. Data shall be stored until the elimination is requested.

In order to carry out our purpose, we may give access to your data to service providers (such as technology service providers) who assist us in fulfilling this purpose. Some of its service providers, may be located outside of the European Economic Area in territories that do not offer a level of data protection that is comparable to that of the European Union. In such cases, we transfer User data with appropriate safeguards and always ensuring the security of the same.

 

The data subject can exercise their rights of portability and to access, correct, eliminate, restrict and oppose the processing of their data to Acciona, S.A. by writing the Department of Data Protection located at Avenida de Europa, 18, 28108, Parque Empresarial La Moraleja, in Alcobendas, Madrid or by sending an email to the following address: protecciondedatos@acciona.com. If we consider it necessary in order to be able to identify you, we may ask you for a copy of an identity document. Furthermore, at any time the data subject may withdraw the granted consent by contacting the aforementioned address and file a claim to the Supervisory Authority (Agencia Española de Protección de Datos www.aepd.es). You can also unsubscribe from the Newsletter communication.

 

For any further information you can visit the Privacy Police on the website https://www.acciona.com/privacy-policy/.

More about Society

  • Society

    Educational robotics: the robots are kids stuff

    Schools are now introducing the basic principles of robotics to children at a very early age.

  • Society

    Mineral carbonation of CO2, a rock solid remedy for global warming

    Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is the long-term solution, but capturing them and transforming them into something harmless could prove helpful – and viable – in the meantime

  • Society

    Mathematics and technology at the service of fire prevention

    Wireless sensors, Big Data analysis and computation merge into an innovative project for forest fire occurrence management.

Featured topics

Read the most discussed articles

  • Innovation
  • Artificial intelligence
  • Sustainability
  • Renewable energies
  • Technology
  • Urbanism
  • Society
  • Robots
  • Future
  • Global warming
  • Water
  • Solar energy

Categories

  • Energy
  • Construction
  • Water
  • Digital Transformation
  • Science & Technology
  • Society

Featured topics

  • Renewable energies
  • Innovation
  • Sustainability
  • Technology
  • New materials
  • Robots

Innovation is a change that introduces new features. The concept is generally used in the sense of inventions, new ideas, devices, methods and processes, and the application of improved solutions meeting fresh economic or societal requirements. Strictly speaking, however, ideas can only be termed “innovations” once they have imposed themselves as successful new products, services or procedures.

About us
Subscribe to our RSS
Imnovation
Acciona

An ACCIONA innovation initiative

  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Legal notice
  • Site map
  • Contact
  • ACCIONA's websites
  • Ethical Channel