“Nephron,” a robot that collects empty PET bottles, installed in the Prime Complex
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- Writer 커뮤니케이션팀
- 보도일자 2023-09-20
“Nephron,” a circulation resource recovery robot that automatically collects transparent PET bottles using an AI sensor, was installed on Tue, Sep. 19. This marks a step forward in creating an eco-friendly campus in accordance with the Sookmyung 2030 vision of ESG practice innovation.
On Tues, Sep. 19, the Student Support Center of the Student Affairs Office held a Nephron opening ceremony on the first floor of the Prime Complex. Academic board members, including President Jang Yoon-geum and Vice President Park Jong-seong, as well as students from SEM, an environmental volunteer group under the Student Support Center, attended the ceremony.
Nephron is a circulation resource recovery robot that picks out recyclable waste based on AI and Internet of Things (IoT) technology.
It is very simple to use. Simply enter your phone number into the robot and put a transparent PET bottle in, and you will receive 10 points per bottle. If there is a label or cap left on the bottle, Nephron determines this itself and rejects the bottle. If you accumulate over 2,000 points, you can receive them back in cash through the Superbin website or application.
Academic board members and students who attended the ceremony listened to SEM students’ explanation and learned how to use Nephron. A separate collection box for plastic bottle caps was also placed next to Nephron. The Student Support Center will collect the caps and upcycle them into products such as university keyrings.
Ahn Ye-jin (20, major in entrepreneurship) said, “I’ve seen a machine like this in other countries, but it’s amazing that we have one at our university as well. The students also seem to be very interested,” adding, “The key rings made from the bottle caps are cute, and they’re meaningful because they are a one-of-a-kind item.”
Meanwhile, Sookmyung University is the first to install Nephron on campus among universities in Seoul. With the help of Nephron, we will establish a culture of waste separation and put ESG into practice.
The university earlier signed an MOU with Superbin, the climate tech startup that operates Nephron, pledging to engage in carbon-reduction activities on campus. In addition to installing Nephron, the university also carries out various activities to put ESG into practice, such as installing of used mask collection boxes, tumbler campaigns, and Sookmyung Earth Hour campaigns.