A Finnish team has developed a fascinating system that uses robotics and artificial intelligence to break battery packs down to individual cells with great vision and dexterity. 

It's a complicated task, as each lid can include up to 50 screws. But Recirculate's contraption can nimbly identify each one, gauge depth and other intricate details, and extract the fasteners, according to Recycling Today. 

"With a depth camera installed directly on the tool, the robot can precisely determine not just the 'x' and 'y' position, but also the z-depth for each component," Centria University of Applied Sciences principal lecturer Tomi Pitkäaho said in the story. Centria is involved with the project. 

It's all part of a European Union-funded effort to disassemble packs and sort through their parts, refurbishing ones that still have value. It differs from outright recycling occurring at projects invested in by Mercedes-Benz and other companies, according to Recirculate. 

Each battery that is processed is tagged with blockchain-based Battery Passports that document the history and condition of each unit, ensuring transparency throughout the process. Ones that can be refurbished are given a second life, and others are sent to a recycler, according to the company. 

The innovation addresses several key problems in the industry, including cost. Battery parts are made of expensive metals that require invasive mining to harvest. An electric vehicle battery replacement can cost between $5,000 and $16,000, for example. However, prices are expected to soon fall by as much as half thanks to better technology, cheaper parts, and recycling efforts, Recurrent and Goldman Sachs reported. 

The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences added that EV batteries can leach toxic metals into the environment if they are improperly discarded. Refurbishing them keeps them out of the landfill. 

California's B2U Storage Solutions is another company using old EV packs to store renewable energy for the grid. The solution spotlights the fact that power packs can still store loads of energy, even though they can't power rides anymore. 

Recirculate said on its website that its refurbished units will also be used for grid storage if they have greater than 80% state of health, which will be determined as each one is processed. 

"We've developed tools that can detect and manipulate parts with remarkable precision," Pitkäaho said in Recycling Today.

What is your biggest concern with EV batteries? They're not efficient enough ⚡ The materials used to make them ⚒️ They're not easily recyclable ♻️ They don't last long enough 🪫 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

The work can help lower battery costs even further, and ultimately, the expense of EVs and other technologies as well. And it's still a great time to make the switch to a cleaner ride, even though federal tax breaks have expired. EV owners save approximately $1,500 per year in gas and service costs, eliminating the need for regular oil changes. Many states still offer perks to help with buying and charging, as well. And prices are lowering. Ford is set to build a $30,000 electric truck in 2027, for example. 

Each EV that replaces a gas-burning car also prevents thousands of pounds of planet-warming tailpipe exhaust annually. Numerous studies have linked the fumes to health risks, including lung and heart problems, as reported by the government. 

As part of Recirculate's process, the team said its system can identify packs from all sorts of automakers, even without codes or markings. The 100% accuracy enables the system to choose the right disassembly program. It's a lynchpin to repeatable, reliable, and accurate dismantling, analysis, and repurposing. 

"This is one of the first working, real-world examples of battery disassembly using machine learning and robotics," Pitkäaho said in Recycling Today. "Until now, most efforts have been purely academic."

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