ReCover Återanvändningstjänst för smartphones by Anastasia Klimova

ReCover Återanvändningstjänst för smartphones by Anastasia Klimova is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2021 A' Design Award i Järn in Hållbara Produkter, Projekt och Grön Design Competition Category.

JärnHållbar produkt· 2021

ReCover Återanvändningstjänst för smartphones

by Anastasia Klimova

Client: Anastasia Klimova

A' Design Award i Järn Winner in Hållbar produkt Category

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Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #115778

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About ReCover Återanvändningstjänst för smartphones

ReCover är en konceptuell tjänst som gör det möjligt för smartphoneägare att omvandla uttjänta telefoner till användbara enheter, såsom en webbkamera, en övervakningskamera eller en styrplatta. ReCover-applikationen skannar telefonens hårdvara och firmware och föreslår sedan lämpliga alternativ baserat på dess skick. Ett kit beställs, och ett nytt operativsystem förbereder telefonen för dess nya roll. Telefonen placeras inuti ett skal tillverkat av formsprutad återvunnen ABS-plast. ReCover håller gamla telefoner borta från deponier och erbjuder användbar hårdvara till en låg kostnad.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award i Järn

ReCover Återanvändningstjänst för smartphones är vinnare av A' Design Award i Järn, ett prestigefyllt erkännande som tilldelas bra designverk som uppfyller de professionella och industriella krav som förväntas av välgjorda skapelser. Järnvinnare visar stor skicklighet, hög specialisering, expertförståelse och skaparnas kreativa förmåga. ReCover Återanvändningstjänst för smartphones förväntas vara en högt skattad, beundrad och älskad skapelse som är praktisk och innovativ. Detta vinnande verk i A' Design Award i Järn integrerar branschens bästa praxis och har kompetenta tekniska egenskaper kopplade till kunnande och talang. ReCover Återanvändningstjänst för smartphones respekteras för sin grundlighet och är utformat för att åstadkomma förbättringar av livskvaliteten som hjälper till att göra världen till en bättre plats.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: ReCover is a conceptual service offered by smartphone manufacturers that helps non-tech-savvy users to repurpose obsolete phones into useful devices. Intelligent ReCover app allows user to find a suitable repurpose solution. The service helps users to save phones from the landfill and acquire new useful hardware for less. ReCover is intended to be offered directly by device manufacturers who can profit from old devices by providing subscription-based services without developing new hardware.
Dimensions & Packaging: 132.5 x 181.5 x 22 mm (webcam),
171.5 x 45.5 x 80 mm (touchpad),
109 x 181.5 x 44 mm (security camera)
Tags: sustainability, technology, smartphone, e-waste, recycling, upcycling, service, affordable, webcam, security camera
Production Technology: ReCover hardware was designed to be extremely affordable and is made of injection moulded recycled ABS plastic, using off-the-shelf elements such as bi-coloured LED panels. On the inside, memory foam was used to make sure phones of a wide range of thicknesses can be secured. Other materials such as 70% transparent optical beamsplitter glass and extra thick 200gsm vellum were used to discretely conceive the smartphone inside the ReCover webcam and touchpad cases respectively.
Design Challenge: Fitting a wide range of phones of different sizes, camera and charging port locations was a significant challenge during this project's form development. Additional challenges included software integration across various phone manufacturers. Research conducted into complexities of jailbreaking and rooting led to the conclusion that the service will have to be offered by the company that released the original OS, which has opened up a possibility of a dedicated OS that would tailor the phone's system for the chosen repurpose solution.
Research: Market analysis, user interview and survey were used to gain research insight. My goal was to determine what kind of users were most likely to have old phones and what their needs were. Research has revealed that users in developed countries were more likely to hoard old technology devices. Millennials, this project's target market, were found to need simple and affordable repurpose solutions the most due to the combination of financial challenges, higher environmental awareness, and being the most DIY-averse demographic.
Inspiration: 7.1 billion smartphones have been produced since 2007. In the UK, only 12% of those went on to be recycled. 57% of Britons have old phones lying around, which amounts to staggering 125m devices. Most brands strive to offer more recycling options, but according to Ellen McArthur Foundation, repurpose is more sustainable since materials remain in use longer and less additional energy is spent. Old smartphones remain powerful electronic devices, and their potential inspired me to create ReCover.
Project Duration: This project has started in Nottingham, United Kingdom on 03 October 2020 and finished on 11 December 2020.
Operation Flow: User downloads ReCover app and launches intelligent hardware and firmware scan after which app gives user options of what their phone can become based on its condition. User orders the ReCover kit of their choice. When it arrives, the app erases current OS and installs new OS that optimises phone for its new role. It takes less than 5 minutes to put the phone in the ReCover case, set it up and start using as an entirely new product.
Team Members: Anastasia Klimova
Image Credits: Anastasia Klimova