“The use of these systems could reduce the consumption of raw materials in the Basque Country by 6%”
TECNALIA is developing a vision AI system capable of characterising materials in real time
This system optimises the use of raw materials and improves the efficiency of processes and circular value chains. TECNALIA transfers these computer vision AI developments to information generated by advanced sensors. With these sensors, which are capable of providing chemical, physical and structural information, systems are created that characterise various materials online.
These systems are capable of detecting, sorting and separating materials accurately and in real time, e.g. construction and demolition waste and plastics. These systems are also able to detect the chemical composition of different materials; this allows the detection of impurities or the recycling of batteries, among others. Such systems can also monitor the chemical composition in the factory, which is particularly useful for quality control and detection of product degradation.
Optimisation of material resources
The aim of this initiative, which is in its initial phase, is to facilitate and enhance digital transformation in the manufacturing and eco-industry. It will offer improvements in decarbonisation plans, optimisation of material resources, increased efficiency of industrial processes and less external dependence on supplies.
The forecast is that these systems could reduce the consumption of raw materials in the Basque Country by 6%. As well as that, the incorporation of recovered material in new cement-based products could entail savings of between 2.4 and 30 million euros for manufacturing companies in the Basque Country.
Demonstrators in different sectors of the Basque industry
By the end of the year, demonstrators covering the entire product cycle will be set up in different sectors of Basque industry.
- Characterisation of industrial waste: demonstrators will be created to allow the online characterisation of industrial processes, from the characterisation of construction and demolition waste to be used for applications with high market value, to the characterisation of battery composition and types of plastics.
- Characterisation of very high speed productionprocess.
- Characterisation of structural manufacturing process (surface characterisation of metal components).
- Characterisation of high-value metals in waste automotive electric batteries: a prototype will be developed to determine recoverable metals in electric battery recycling streams.
SmartEye Consortium and its industry advisory committee
The initiative is led by TECNALIA and is backed by the Basque Government’s Elkartek programme.
- Contributors: Tekniker, Vicomtech, UPV/EHU, BCMaterials and Mondragon Unibertsitatea.
- SmartEye has an industrial advisory committee to ensure that this project is geared towards the right industry and sectors, and to ensure the applicability of its results. It is made up of companies from the construction, industrial manufacturing and recycling sectors. These include Belako Lanak, Lezama Demoliciones and Ogerko.
