Imagine if your smart pillbox or wearable health sensor worked like a soda can—instead of throwing it in the trash, you'd put it in a smart bin to be cleaned and reused. This project creates a system to collect these gadgets and figures out how to take them apart to save rare materials. It's basically a recycling program specifically for high-tech medical gear.
Rapid adoption of digital health devices is creating a surge in electronic waste and depleting critical raw materials. Current medical supply chains lack efficient systems to collect, refurbish, and recycle these specialized devices.
A network of 25 AI-powered smart collection boxes and a reverse logistics app. They also created 31 design guidelines and tested refurbishment processes for ePaper labels.
If you are a wearable health tech producer dealing with electronic waste and material scarcity — this project developed 31 circular design guidelines that help you build devices that are easier to reuse and recycle.
If you are a specialized e-waste recycler dealing with complex medical electronics — this project developed AI-based item detection in smart collection boxes that automates the sorting and transport of returned devices.
If you are a hospital supply chain manager dealing with the disposal of single-use digital tools — this project developed a reverse logistics chain and smart collection boxes to optimize how devices are returned and processed.
Based on available project data, specific pricing or implementation costs for the smart collection boxes are not provided.
The project deployed 25 smart collection boxes across Belgium, Slovenia, and Spain and conducted hospital pilots to validate local reprocessing scenarios.
Based on available project data, the specific IP and licensing terms are not listed, though exploitation is managed by the 24 partners.
The project specifically addresses devices within the scope of the EU Medical Device Regulation (MDR) and the European Health Data Space Regulation (2025/327).
The system uses an application connecting collection boxes with the reverse logistics chain, utilizing AI-based detection to ensure safe transport to partners.
The consortium is heavily industry-driven with a 38% industry ratio, comprising 9 industrial partners and 5 SMEs. This strong commercial presence, led by Janssen Pharmaceutica NV and involving 24 partners across 9 countries, suggests the outputs are designed for immediate market application rather than purely academic research.
Contact Janssen Pharmaceutica NV regarding circular health device logistics.
Contact us to license the circular design guidelines for your medical device portfolio.
