eLiminators - 2nd Place - Artist/Designer Category - 2010 Int'l eWaste Design Competition

eWaste Competition website:
http://ewaste.illinois.edu/

Team's School: California State University, Long Beach

Project Description: The E-Volve cellular phone was developed out of the necessity to gain control of the worsening e-waste problem. There were two possible directions to take for the Designer/Artist category; 1) reuse existing e-waste components in a new beneficial way, or 2) develop a new product that minimizes e-waste over the course of its life. We saw the first option as only a temporary solution because the new product will only be used so long before it needs to be replaced. We chose the second option so we could reduce e-waste from cradle to grave.

Upon researching e-waste, we decided to tackle cellular phones because of their overwhelming popularity, their relatively short lifecycle, and the lack of emotional attachment between a user and his phone. We also found that the most common reasons for cellular phone replacement are broken parts and outdated technology. Our groups goal was to address the reasons for cellular phone disposal while giving it a modern configuration. This was done by using the most advanced materials available. We used aluminum for the phones chassis because of its recyclability. We chose the power-paper battery because of its thin size and eco-friendliness. Mirel plastic was used for the touchscreen because it completely biodegrades when buried, and the touchscreen feature minimizes the amount of parts over traditional keyed phones. The processors use recycled e-waste that can be refurbished. Finally, this phone uses cloud-computing technology to relocate much of the internal componentry to a central hub.

We addressed the two reasons that cell phones are replaced with our interchangeable part configuration. This means that if a certain part of the phone breaks, the user can easily replace just that individual part. The use of cloud-computing also allows the user to upgrade the interface with available updates from the manufacturer so that they have the most recent technology available without having to replace the actual phone. With the ability to download different interfaces and features, the E-Volve will be marketed to everyone, from the simple adolescent user to the tech-savvy professional.

E-Volve is a beneficial new product for users, manufacturers, and the environment. Users benefit from using E-Volve because the cost of purchasing a new phone will be reduced to just a one-time initial transaction, they will have customizability through cloud-computing, and they will gain awareness of the greater e-waste problem and feel good about helping the cause. Phone manufacturers will benefit from E-Volve by reducing the amount of individual parts made, which reduces production costs. They will also sell fewer phones which will reduce the distribution costs, but they will profit by manufacturing individual replacement components and developing software available for download by the customer. Finally, the environment benefits because reduced parts manufacturing will reduce the depletion of natural resources, and reduced transportation will minimize the countless tons of pollution that would otherwise be produced.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• ewaste
• mobile
• phones