The Frederick Research Center (FRC) announces the presentation of a prototype robotic construction waste sorting system developed at Frederick University's laboratory facilities with the application of Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing technologies. The presentation will take place on February 17 in the laboratories of the Polytechnic School of the University, in Nicosia, during the hours 10:00-12:30. Greetings at the event will be addressed by Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Kostas Kadis.
The robotic system was developed in the context of the DEFEAT research project, the aim of which is to utilize construction waste to create an innovative, fire-resistant and heat-insulating construction material for building facades.< /p>
Each year, approximately 2.2 million tons of waste from excavation, construction and demolition (ECD)are produced in Cyprus, with 57% of them ending up in burial grounds. This is a last resort, in accordance with the appropriate prioritization of the European Union in waste management. In contrast, waste reduction, reuse and recycling are considered best practices. “Although there is an integrated legislative framework regarding the management of AEKKs since 2011, in Cyprus the performance of this management is very low”, comments Dr. Dimitris Nikolaidis, Associate Professor at the Department of Civil Engineering at Frederick University and coordinator of the DEFEAT project, who on February 17 will present the methodology followed and the challenges faced by the project's research team. “The recycling and reuse of AEKKs is a one-way street. However, there are no worthwhile recycling technologies for this purpose. We therefore proposed the development of new technologies to create a new building material from construction waste. The robotic system that we will present concerns the sorting of waste, which until now has been done manually. By applying artificial intelligence and image analysis technologies, our robots recognize whether a material is ceramic, iron, concrete, glass, etc.”
During the presentation, Dr. Pavlos Mavrommatidis, Lecturer in the Department of Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering and Informatics at Frederick University and Researcher at FRC >, will talk about the implementation of the standard screening system while Dr. Dimitris Dimitriou, Researcher at the University of Cyprus, will talk about the application of Artificial Intelligence technology in the system. It will be preceded by a presentation by Mr. Alexis Onoufriou, Director of FRC,about the research carried out by the research organisation. “Frederick Research Center develops research that responds to the challenges of the modern world. We are particularly proud of the DEFEATproject, which is based on the idea of circular economy and sustainability, with a direct positive impact on the environmental footprint created by the hitherto poor management of waste”, says Mr. Onoufriou.
The DEFEAT project received funding from the European Regional Development Fund and the Research and Innovation Foundation of the Republic of Cyprus, through the RESTART 2016-2020 program. The project is coordinated by the Frederick Research Center, with partners the University of Cyprus, the Department of the Environment, the Department of Public Works, Farmakas Quarries, the companies RRC, RECS, Stratagem and the Cyprus Federation of Associations of Builders Contractors (O.S.E.O. K.). The Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL) also participates in the project as an external body.
For more information:
Viktoria Avraamidou, Press Officer, Communications and Outreach Service
- +357 22394394, ext. 41199 | E. v.avraamidou@frederick.ac.cy
About the University Frederick:< /p>
Frederick University has been operating since 2007 as an internationally recognized Institution of Higher Education, committed to academic excellence.
The five Faculties of the University offer more than 80 degree programs at bachelor's, master's and doctoral level, in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, Letters and Arts. Its mission is to provide quality education through an environment that promotes knowledge and contributes to the academic and personal development of students, commitment to research, innovation and the production of new knowledge and contribution to society as a whole to achieve change that our world needs.
Frederick University is the only academic institution in Cyprus with a license to operate in Nicosia and Limassol. In 2022 it was ranked 139th among 1103 European universities and 194th internationally, among a total of 2068 Universities evaluated in the general ranking of the U-Multirank global university rating system, supported by the European Commission. In the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2022, Frederick University was ranked 101-200 globally in all four categories that factored into its final ranking (Quality Education, Affordable and Clean Energy, Fewer Inequalities, Collaboration for the Goals). As a result of this ranking, Frederick University is one of two Universities in Cyprus and Greece (out of a total of fifteen participating Universities) that was ranked in the top 301-400 Universities worldwide in this ranking.
