Meet new iPhone dismantling robot, Daisy
dubai — Liam, the friendly, hardworking robot designed by Apple whose sole purpose in this world is to happily dismantle iPhones, has just been ‘recycled’. Perfect timing for Earth Day celebrations, so to speak.
The US tech company announced that it has a new machine to continue Liam’s duties: its name is Daisy, and a number of ‘her’ parts are made from the former’s old components.
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Released in 2016, Liam, a product of years of research and development, was originally designed to take apart iPhone 6 units every 11 seconds. Daisy, meanwhile, has the ability to disassemble 9 different versions of the iPhone, and up to 200 units an hour.
The ultimate goal, though, remains the same: throughout the dismantling process, Daisy sorts the iPhones’ high-quality components for recycling, allowing Apple to recover materials that traditional recyclers can’t, and at a higher quality.
Once the process is completed, single components from iPhones — screws, batteries, etc — are placed in their own boxes, ready to be refurbished.
Apple also announced that it will make a donation to the nonprofit group Conservation International for every device received at Apple stores and apple.com through the Apple GiveBack programme until April 30.
The initiative is intended to support the organisation’s efforts to preserve and protect the environment. Eligible devices turned in will receive credit that customers can use toward in-store purchases or put on an Apple gift card.
The moves from the Cupertinobased company coincide with the release of its annual environment report, which details Apple’s environmental progress in three key areas, including reducing Apple’s carbon footprint by using renewable energy sources, conserving precious resources and pioneering the use of safer materials.
Last week, Apple announced its global facilities are now powered with 100 per cent clean energy. This includes retail stores, offices, data centres and co-located facilities in 43 countries. The company also announced nine additional manufacturing partners committed to powering all of their Apple production with 100 per cent clean energy, bringing the total number of supplier commitments to 23.
— alvin@khaleejtimes.com