Microsoft’s recyclobot uses machine learning and computer vision to open and recycle 90% of hard drive components [Video]

Data centers around the world produce a combined total of 50 million metric tons of e-waste every year and defunct hard drives contribute no small portion to that amount. Typically, these are all shredded and ground up to prevent sensitive data from being accessed. Microsoft reckons it has a better solution: Use robots to fully disassemble every drive and recycle almost all of the materials.

Data and AI servers work storage drives hard so they’re replaced on a regular basis to ensure services aren’t disrupted. However, that results in 20 to 70 million hard drives being shredded every year, according to Microsoft (via Sweclockers), and relatively little of that material ever gets recycled.

Ranganathan Srikanth, a principal data scientist at Microsoft, was somewhat dismayed by this so set up a project for the 2022 Microsoft Global Hackathon, …