Cohda recently developed R.I.D (Recycling Identifying Device), a simple to use handheld device that uses NIR spectroscopy to identify appropriate recyclable and non-recyclable materials. The device is aimed to empower users with a greater recycling knowledge to reduce the amount of recyclable material going to Landfill.
For even the most discerning and diligent recyclers the confusion over whether a waste item can or can't be recycled is a common one. This is caused by the changing guidelines imposed by waste organizations and the multitude of different packaging materials that consumers commonly encounter. This results in two negative outcomes: the consumer will attempt to recycle non-recyclable items causing issues for waste processors, or worse, the consumer disposes of a recyclable item into their general household waste leading to landfill and, ultimately, the oceans.
R.I.D was created to help users shift to a more circular economy requiring minimal changes to existing processes and infrastructure. Holding R.I.D against waste packaging triggers it to identify the product material from a stored database of "digital fingerprints" and indicate to the user through illumination and haptic feedback whether or not it can be recycled.
Using an R.F.I.D card supplied by the local council, R.I.D can be updated with regional data as and when guidelines change. This makes R.I.D accessible to all computer competency levels without the need for smartphone apps, connection to the internet or access to a P.C.
