VivaCell-MTS to provide disused mobile phones to ArmRobotics project

PanARMENIAN.Net - VivaCell-MTS will provide used mobile phones to the robotics groups of the ArmRobotics project for them to recycle and use the devices for robot construction, VivaCell-MTS General Manager Ralph Yirikian and UITE deputy Director Hayk Chobanyan told a press conference Thursday, September 24.

Aimed at the development of robotics among schoolchildren, ArmRobotics program was initiated in 2008 by the Union of Information Technology Enterprises. 800 schoolchildren are already involved in 80 robotics groups around Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh Republic.

“According to the statistics, about 3.5 billion cell phones are currently in use worldwide, which is nearly half the global population,” Yirikian said. “And most of the people are not aware that the disposal of cell phones leaves a long-term toxic imprint on the environment. As studies show, if disposed improperly, the poisonous materials from the cell phones, mostly the batteries, end up in the rivers and soil, which can seriously harm people’s health. As a company with targeted interest on environmental issues, VivaCell-MTS is determined to come up with a number of activities raising awareness, especially among the youth, on more responsible phone use and disposal, and contributing to cell phone recycling.”

“Every child who is interested in technology and innovation from an early age likes to disassemble everything they get their hands on,” Chobanyan noted. “Thanks to this joint initiative, every child involved in robotics clubs will have enough technical details not only to satisfy their spirit of inquiry, but also to bring their own innovative ideas to life.”

Another subproject is the installation of special boxes at VivaCell-MTS service centers. Here the customers can leave disused mobile phones, which will end up in the “ArmRobotics” groups.

A survey carried out on VivaCell-MTS official Facebook page revealed that 61% of the participants owned more than 6 disused mobile phones. Most of them now use smartphones and usually replace them with newer models every 18-24 months. The survey also showed that 55 percent of the participants were more prone to get rid of disused phones or just keep them in a drawer.