Microsoft is using AI-powered robots to help dismantle and destroy hard drives used in its data centers

In a bid to cut e-waste, Microsoft is employing AI-powered robots to streamline the disposal of old data center hard drives.

The initiative is part of the Secure and Sustainable Disposal of Hard Disks project, which originated during the 2022 Microsoft Hackathon. Spearheaded by Principal Data Scientist Ranganathan Srikanth, the project expands on Microsoft's Circular Centers scheme which is designed to repurpose and recycle servers and related cloud hardware.

Circular Centers are a pivotal part of Microsoft's broader environmental goals . In 2020, Microsoft President Brad Smith committed the company to being carbon-negative by 2050, with zero waste by 2030.

#NoShred

Data centers, which house computer systems and essential components like telecommunications and storage, contribute significantly to global electricity demand. In 2022 this accounted for approximately 1-1.3%, but thanks to AI, energy use is skyrocketing and is expected to at least double by 2026. The strain on local power grids is intensifying as a result, and end-of-life data centers risk clogging landfills with e-waste.

Srikanth recognized the potential to address these mounting issues through the Hackathon project. "If it was just one hard disk, it wouldn’t be an opportunity," Srikanth noted. "However, in 2022 alone, there were two million hard disks shredded and that would fill the cargo of up to nine 747s."

Historically, end-of-life hard drives have been shredded to protect sensitive data, but this process also destroys valuable materials like neodymium. Up to 70 million HDDs are destroyed annually, resulting in a significant waste of rare metals.

The Hackathon team proposed a #NoShred solution, which prioritizes dismantling HDDs with robotics. "The process uses computer vision and robotics to disassemble the hard disk, sorts them, and destroys the media that contains data. The materials are then recycled," a Microsoft narrator explained in a new video which you can watch below. By breaking down the disk drives, the robots ensure data security while preserving and recycling component parts.

Microsoft's Circular Centers employ machine learning to decommission servers onsite, sort reusable parts, and improve future equipment sustainability. A successful pilot in Amsterdam demonstrated reduced downtime, increased availability of parts, and lower carbon emissions, Microsoft says.

The Secure and Sustainable Disposal of Hard Disks project aims to achieve a 90% reuse and recycle rate of all hard disks by 2025.

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