The robotics industry should be creating robots that could be reprogrammed and repurposed for other tasks once its life span is completed, University of Bristol and University of West England researchers have advised.
The study, published by Towards Autonomous Robotic Systems, aims to challenge individuals working in the robotics industry and in academia to note the effect that their early work can have on the long-term use of a robotic system.
With 80% of a robots environmental impact decided during the initial design phases of a product life-cycle, experts argue it is essential that researchers, designers and manufacturers understand the limitations of recycling an electronic product at the end of its life, and instead consider the other options possible to move products and the industry towards a sustainable life-cycle.
Repurposing, compared to reuse, is unique to robots, as systems can be fully reprogrammed and integrated with new hardware, resulting in a product which is still a robot, but one with a different utility to the original.
Helen McGloin from Bristol's Faculty of Science and Engineering explained: "Regardless of being in industry, academia, or the general public, we are all aware of the growing piles of e-waste produced around the globe.
"This research summarises the growth of electronics waste levels and the hazards to the planet and people this is causing.
"The Global e-waste monitor, issued by the UN, highlights that in 2019 alone 54 million metric tons of e-waste were produced, and this is expected to rise to 75 million metric tons by 2030."
Currently, robots and robotic systems are not classed as electronic waste, however the authors argue that they meet current definitions and will therefore be likely to be included in scope of e-waste in the future. With this classification will come additional scrutiny of the robotics industry and the way it designs and plans end-of-life for electronic robotic products.
As with other electronic products, there are and will be a variety of options for what to do with a robot when it reaches the end of its primary life. Currently, many businesses, research centres and universities 'hibernate' their robotic electronic waste – where e-waste is stored for a period without being used.
Helen added: "Levels of electronic waste are growing annually around the globe, and the introduction of new robotic products in homes, schools and work places will only add to this problem in the near future.
"While recycling may seem like an easy option to tackle electronic waste, it is so often miss-managed that alternatives must be sought. This paper looks to challenge all those in the robotics industry to think creatively and pre-emptively into designing for a circular economy."
The team have also highlighted a variety of challenges to implementing repurposing in the robotics industry such as assessing economic and environmental viability, proving technical capability of repurposing robots, addressing attitudes towards the circular economy through use of incentives and legislation.
They will now investigate further consumer attitudes towards second hand robots, industry attitudes towards e-waste, right to repair, repurposing and the circular economy as well as the processes to repurpose robots and barriers to a circular economy in the robotics industry.
This is introductory paper focuses on a literature review and applies and analyses concepts from other areas of the electronic industry within the context of the robotics industry.
Paper:
'Consulting an Oracle; Repurposing Robots for the Circular Economy' by Helen McGloin, Matthew Studley, Richard Mawle and Alan Winfield published in Towards Autonomous Robotic Systems.
