We research: Artificial intelligence and recycling batteries

30.9.2021Petteri PulkkinenWe Research

Consumers are used to take their used batteries and piles to over 10 000 recycling points in different shops and supermarkets around the country. The aim is to recycle 45 per cent of batteries and piles, and during the last few years, this objective has been reached. In the recycling process ferromagnetic materials and zinc are separated from batteries and piles. These metals are reused in building, automotive and pharmaceutical industry.

Batteries on a production line.

Collected material must be recognized and sorted out, usually by people. Artificial vision can be used in recognizing batteries to be recycled. However, a human being is still better in this separation task. Unfortunately, a significant part of piles and batteries still are not recognized in the process.

We are developing some new recognition methods at Satakunta UAS. We aim at automatization and enhancing recycling of batteries and piles with help of artificial vision. Different artificial vision systems are explored,and artificial intelligence systems are taught to recognize pile and battery types in RoboAI research laboratory.

The research objective is to develop automatized recycling lines which could recognize and separate batteries and piles better than nowadays. As a result, we would get better sorted recycled material for reuse and refining. Demand for metals in technologies is expected to multiply because for instance transportation and even the whole society is powered more and more by electricity.

A man drops a battery into recycle bin.

Did you know?

  • There is an important cluster for recycling, product development and production of metals and metal chemicals in Satakunta
  • Prizztech and Satakunta UAS researchers develop together recycling methods for technology metals
  • Spectroscopic methods are in use to see what chemical elements there are in batteries

 

Pictures: paristokierrätys.fi

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