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Researchers Repurpose Old Google Pixel Phones into Data Center Clusters for Education
Key points
- University of San Diego and Google are reusing old Pixel phone motherboards.
- Motherboards are stripped and clustered for general-purpose computing.
- Project aims to reduce e-waste and provide affordable school computing.
- A 20-Pixel cluster can support 75 students; a 2,000-phone cluster is planned.
Repurposing Discarded Smartphones
Researchers at the University of San Diego, in partnership with Google, are investigating the reuse of old Google Pixel smartphones as affordable computing clusters. This project focuses on utilizing the still-capable motherboards from discarded phones to create small-scale data centers.
Reducing E-Waste and Carbon Footprint
The initiative aims to reduce electronic waste and the carbon footprint associated with discarded devices. The project involves stripping old Pixel models down to their motherboards, which are then integrated into clusters to serve as general-purpose computing platforms. A Pixel's motherboard accounts for 50 percent of its carbon footprint.
Educational Applications
The repurposed phone clusters are intended to provide computing resources for schools and students. A cluster of 20 Pixel motherboards has been shown to support educational applications for up to 75 students. The project's long-term goal is to establish a 2,000-phone computing cluster capable of supporting a hundred similar classes.
Pilot Program Launch
This system is scheduled to launch as a pilot program in the fall. If successful, the researchers believe this approach could offer schools a cost-effective solution for accessing necessary computer resources, potentially saving significant money compared to traditional setups.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
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Reporting from
Researchers at the University of San Diego, in collaboration with Google, are repurposing discarded Google Pixel phone motherboards into computing clusters for educational use. This initiative aims to reduce e-waste and provide affordable computing resources to schools, with a pilot program launching this fall.