循环经济知识港 Vol. 4

人工智能与循环经济

Artificial intelligence and the circular economy

这一期的网上课程探索人工智是如何加速循环经济的发展，主要体现在已在三个新机遇上：

  1. 通过辅助设计，从源头减少垃圾和废物的产生；
  2. 优化循环经济的商业模式；
  3. 提升基础设施的运行效率，使得产品和材料可以往复循环。

This learning path explores what artificial intelligence is and how it can be used to accelerate the transition to a circular economy, focusing in particular on the opportunities for AI to:

  1. inform and accelerate efforts to design out waste and pollution,
  2. increase the effectiveness of and optimise circular economy business models,
  3. streamline the infrastructure needed to keep products and materials in use.

AI superpowers – Azeem Azhar

【1】

人工智能辅助设计选择

Design Powered By AI: Informing Designers' Choices

案例: MOTIVO

Case Study: MOTIVO

MOTIVO 于2010年在旧金山成立，自成立伊始，MOTIVO 研发了一套计算分析系统来优化集成电路的设计与制造。在机器学习的帮助下，通过结合最佳的过往实践经验，MOTIVO 成功地缩短了多功能集成块失误率的检测时间。

Founded in 2010 in San Francisco, Motivo has developed a computational suite to optimise the design and manufacture of integrated circuits. With the help of machine learning, Motivo has shortened the time taken to detect complex chip failures by incorporating best practices from past designs.

人工智能对循环经济的贡献

Contributing to a circular economy by using AI 

Motivo 的科技大大降低了集成电路的生产和加工过程中产生污染的可能。计算机分析系统使用非迭代机器学习以及高级分析系统对不同数据进行分析加工，并综合考虑过程产出物、循环以及维护成本，从而最终优化集成电路的设计。

Motivo’s technology has the potential to reduce waste in the manufacturing process of integrated circuits for electronic products. The computational suite uses non-iterative machine learning and advanced analytics on multiple data sources to calculate optimal designs for integrated circuits, taking into account throughput, cycle, and maintenance optimisation.

商业解决方案

Solving real business problems 

基于 Motivo 的分析工具，半导体生产公司可以大大降低设计和测试的成本。在测试中，这个分析工具能够降低半导体的设计周期从几年到仅需短短几周。

Based on the insights from Motivo’s tool, semiconductor companies have been able to reduce the cost of design iterations and testing. In two pilots, it was shown that the tool can reduce semiconductor design processes from several years to a few weeks.

AI 在设计中的益处

Three key benefits of AI in design

简化设计中的复杂性 

Cutting through complexity 

通过对无数设计方案的过筛，最终得到一个符合循环设计标准的最优方案

Sifting through countless designs and suggesting the ones which best fulfill the circular design criteria

加速设计过程

 Speeding up the design process 

算法有助于加快大量数据的分析过程，类似于材料数据库分析，以及消费者倾向数据分析

Algorithms can rapidly analyse large quantities of well-labelled data, such as material databases and consumer preference

创新创意 

Coming up with novel designs 

人工智能帮助人类打破常规，跳出固有思维模式，按照新思路来设计

AI can help humans think outside the box, remove bias, and design things in new ways

【2】

优化循环经济商业模式

Circular Business Models:  Enabling New Business Models With AI

a future mobility system using AI

人工智能在创新循环经济商业模式中的运用

Three key benefits of AI in creating circular business models 

动态调整价格

Dynamic pricing

例如，对于临近保质期的食品进行减价处理，以减少食物浪费

Such as lowering the price of food as it approaches expiration date to reduce food waste

算法匹配

Matching algorithms 

通过共享或二手平台有效地匹配用户，帮助用户得到所需的产品，这类平台小到工具、大到公寓都有着广泛应用

Sharing or second-hand platforms to effectively connect people with things they want, from tools to apartment

可预估的维护成本

Predictive maintenance 

预估回收物流系统的需求

Prediction of reverse logistic demands

【3】

提升基础设施运行效率

Infrastructure:  Streamlining The Circulation Of Materials In The Economy

TOMRA Touchpoints

案例: TOMRA

Case Study: TOMRA

1972年，TOMRA 在挪威成立，在分拣和资源收集利用上，TOMRA 提供提高回收效率的一系列措施。在食品行业，该公司为用户提供精准分选、去皮设备，并能检测食物成熟度。

Founded in Norway in 1972, TOMRA provides a wide range of ways to increase resource productivity in sorting and collecting processes. In the food industry, they provide advanced sorting and peeling equipment and can provide insights into the ripening processes of food.

人工智能对循环经济的贡献

Contributing to a circular economy by using AI 


TOMRA 的传感设备可以自动检测食物的品质与成熟度，基于此技术，人工智能算法帮助测试、分析、进一步分选展品。其他的算法运用包括在食物切割过程中，不论食物本身的形状和大小，都能保证尺寸大小一致性，这样也降低了整体的食物浪费。

TOMRA’s sensor-based solutions autonomously evaluate food products based on different criteria, such as stages in the ripening process. AI algorithms help detect, analyse, and sort products based on potential uses. Other AI algorithms ensure that processing machines cut products into consistent pieces, regardless of original shape and size, thereby reducing overall waste.

人工智能在创新循环经济商业模式中的运用

Three key benefits of AI in creating circular business models 

自动化评估

Automated assessment

自动化评估对使用过的产品进行分析，在分析基础上，对于产品的再利用性、可在售性、可恢复性、可回收性给出推荐，从而最大化价值保存

Automated condition assessment of used products, and recommendations for whether they can be reused, resold, repaired or recycled to maximise value preservation

自动化装卸

Automated disassembly  

根据产品的自身状况以及部件所处位置，应用人工智能进行评估与调整，通过自动化装卸对使用过的产品进行分解

Automated disassembly of used products employing AI to assess and adjust the disassembly equipment settings based on the condition and position of a product

分拣

Sorting

利用人工智能的视觉辨识技术以及机器人辅助，从而分拣消费末端垃圾

Sorting of post-consumer mixed material streams using AI visual recognition techniques combined with robotics

循环经济知识港 Vol. 3
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