Microsoft created a robot to disassemble and recycle 2 million hard drives per year

Faulty or worn-out hard drives can contain a lot of valuable data that needs to be guaranteed to be deleted beyond repair. But they also consist of some pretty valuable parts, such as aluminum plates, neodymium magnets and a stainless steel chassis. So instead of shredding the disks, Microsoft has invented robots that disassemble them in industrial quantities to extract all the valuable materials.

Image source: Microsoft

In 2022, a team led by Ranganathan Srikanth introduced robots that disassemble hard drives, remove data by shredding the platters, and recycle the remaining parts to recover valuable materials and parts for reuse. Microsoft’s AI-based robotic system, Dobot Robotics, uses computer vision to recognize different types of hard drives and choose how to disassemble them.

This new NoShred approach aims to achieve 90% reuse and recycling of hard drives by 2025, according to Microsoft. Robots ensure data security by destroying only data-carrying components and extracting valuable materials. It should be noted that in many cases, companies that are supposed to destroy their drives do not, and they end up collecting dust in storage areas or being sent to landfills.

Microsoft’s efforts go beyond internal politics. The company partners with hard drive manufacturers and governments to influence the global approach to e-waste recycling. By collaborating and sharing its technology, Microsoft hopes to reduce the environmental impact of e-waste and improve safety for companies around the world. The initiative also reflects Microsoft’s sustainability goals, which include being carbon neutral by 2050.

Today, according to various estimates, from 20 to 70 million hard drives end their life cycle every year around the world. Microsoft alone destroyed two million hard drives in 2022, and the company did not disclose the percentage of disassembled and recycled devices.