Samsung Electronics, one of the most valued electronics and smartphone brands in the world, is repurposing old Galaxy smartphones into medical equipment for people in India, Morocco, Vietnam, and Papua New Guinea who are underserved.
The company said in a statement that old phones would be repurposed as eyecare equipment to scan patients for eye diseases.
When the South Korean handset manufacturer launched its recycling programme in 2017, it also released a handheld camera that could be used to diagnose an internal organ. The smartphone took pictures, and the Galaxy system analysed them for ophthalmic diseases using artificial intelligence (AI). It then connects to an app that analyses the patient's data and recommends care, according to Samsung.
Sung-Koo Kim, the VP of Sustainability Management Office, Mobile Communications Business at Samsung shared that people around the world are still facing a lot of difficulties when it comes to accessing basic health care. This is where Samsung electronics sensed the opportunity to make a difference by providing innovative smart solutions.
The idea is to collect and recycle the old devices into healthcare instruments, which eventually creates a sustainable brand value, coupled with a positive impact on society and the environment.
The electronics firm created a portable retina camera out of old smartphones, which is tested on over 19,000 Vietnamese residents. The service will now be expanded to India, Morocco, and Papua New Guinea. The company will also produce portable colposcopes that can be used with a smartphone to scan for cervical cancer.
The recycling programme, according to Samsung, will help divert e-waste from landfills to units that manufacture medical devices for underserved populations.
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