Subj : Your old smartphone could one day become a minuscule data center
To   : All
From : TechnologyDaily
Date : Mon Jun 16 2025 18:45:07

Your old smartphone could one day become a minuscule data center - but I 
don't think it is worth it

Date:
Mon, 16 Jun 2025 17:32:00 +0000

Description:
Researchers turn old smartphones into micro data centers for marine research 
and smart cities.

FULL STORY
======================================================================Old 
smartphones could be reused to support data collection and analysis 
University researchers built data centers from recycled phones for just 8 
euros each Project shows environmental gains are possible through creative 
device reuse 

Each year, more than a billion smartphones are manufactured worldwide, and 
most are thrown out within a few years, often still in working condition -  
and with limited recycling and rising demand, the environmental toll 
continues to grow. 

A group of researchers at the University of Tartu in Estonia wanted to test 
whether retired smartphones could serve a second purpose beyond the landfill 
or recycling bin, and set about turning them into small, local data centers. 

Huber Flores, Associate Professor of Pervasive Computing, said of the idea 
behind the project: Innovation often begins not with something new, but with 
a new way of thinking about the old, re-imagining its role in shaping the 
future. A low-cost solution to e-waste 

Flores and his colleagues began by removing the phones' lithium-ion batteries 
to lower the risk of chemical leaks. Power was instead supplied externally. 

Next, four phones were mounted together using 3D-printed holders, forming a 
working prototype. Each phone cost around 8 euros to repurpose into part of a 
data center. 

The test model was deployed in multiple environments. Underwater, it helped 
with marine research by processing video footage directly on-site to count 
sea life species. Normally, a diver would need to record the data and bring 
it to the surface for analysis. The repurposed phones handled everything 
automatically. 

In another scenario, researchers suggested these phone-based systems could be 
placed in urban locations like bus stops. There, they could count passengers 
in real time, helping improve public transportation networks through local 
data collection and processing. 

With global e-waste growing fast, the project offers a low-cost way to give 
old electronics new life. It shows that phones dont have to be replaced every 
two years, or tossed once they are. 

Ulrich Norbisrath, Associate Professor of Software Engineering, summed up the 
teams view, saying, Sustainability is not just about preserving the future, 
it is about reimagining the present, where yesterdays devices become 
tomorrows opportunities. 

While the project is framed around the idea of micro data centers, the 
examples, like underwater species tracking and passenger counting, are closer 
to IoT applications in practice. Still, the concept shows that with a shift 
in perspective, even outdated consumer tech can take on meaningful new roles 
in local data processing. More from TechRadar Pro These are the best portable 
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density and charges in seconds



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Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/pro/your-old-smartphone-could-one-day-become-a-minus
cule-data-center-but-i-dont-think-it-is-worth-it


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