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reasonsforhope · 15 days

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"Clothing tags, travel cards, hotel room key cards, parcel labels … a whole host of components in supply chains of everything from cars to clothes. What do they have in common? RFID tags.

Every RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tag contains a microchip and a tiny metal strip of an antenna. A cool 18bn of these are made – and disposed of – each year. And with demands for product traceability increasing, ironically in part because of concerns for the social and environmental health of the supply chain, that’s set to soar.

And guess where most of these tags end up? Yup, landfill – adding to the burgeoning volumes of e-waste polluting our soils, rivers and skies. It’s a sorry tale, but it’s one in which two young graduates of Imperial College London and Royal College of Art are putting a great big green twist. Under the name of PulpaTronics, Chloe So and Barna Soma Biro reckon they’ve hit on a beguilingly simple sounding solution: make the tags out of paper. No plastic, no chips, no metal strips. Just paper, pure and … simple … ? Well, not quite, as we shall see.

The apparent simplicity is achieved by some pretty cutting-edge technical innovation, aimed at stripping away both the metal antennae and the chips. If you can get rid of those, as Biro explains, you solve the e-waste problem at a stroke. But getting rid of things isn’t the typical approach to technical solutions, he adds. “I read a paper in Nature that set out how humans have a bias for solving problems through addition – by adding something new, rather than removing complexity, even if that’s the best approach.”

And adding stuff to a world already stuffed, as it were, can create more problems than it solves. “So that became one of the guiding principles of PulpaTronics”, he says: stripping things down “to the bare minimum, where they are still functional, but have as low an environmental impact as possible”.

...how did they achieve this magical simplification? The answer lies in lasers: these turn the paper into a conductive material, Biro explains, printing a pattern on the surface that can be ‘read’ by a scanner, rather like a QR code. It sounds like frontier technology, but it works, and PulpaTronics have patents pending to protect it.

The resulting tag comes in two forms: in one, there is still a microchip, so that it can be read by existing scanners of the sort common within retailers, for example. The more advanced version does away with the chip altogether. This will need a different kind of scanner, currently in development, which PulpaTronics envisages issuing licences for others to manufacture.

Crucially, the cost of both versions is significantly cheaper than existing RFID kit – making this a highly viable proposition. Then there are the carbon savings: up to 70% for the chipless version – so a no-brainer from a sustainability viewpoint too. All the same, industry interest was slow to start with but when PulpaTronics won a coveted Dezeen magazine award in late 2023, it snowballed, says So. Big brands such as UPS, DHL, Marks & Spencer and Decathlon came calling. “We were just bombarded.” Brands were fascinated by the innovation, she says, but even more by the price point, “because, like any business, they knew that green products can’t come with a premium”."

-via Positive.News, April 29, 2024

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Note: I know it's still in the very early stages, but this is such a relief to see in the context of the environmental and human rights catastrophes associated with lithium mining and mining for rare earth metals, and the way that EVs and other green infrastructure are massively increasing the demand for those materials.

I'll take a future with paper-based, more humane alternatives for sure! Fingers crossed this keeps developing and develops well (and quickly).

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cube-cumb3r · 1 year

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while im at it neopronoun opposition is weird to me as a swedish person.. the whole debate is so anglocentric that they assume every language landed on the same solution they did, to reuse a plural pronoun as a gender neutral one and then they think any other solution is absurd or unheard of. what do you mean you just made another pronoun up you cant do that!! etc

coz its like here in the 2014 the swedish academy accepted 3rd person pronoun "hen" (as opposed to hon/han) like officially into our word list after it gained some popularity in the 2010s. like that is a NEOPRONOUN that someone just Came Up With in like the 60s and then people just started using it and now its just a recognized part of our language. sure we could've also reused our plural pronoun "de/dem" as a gender neutral one but we just made up a new one instead. and to like imply that mainstream use of a neopronoun is just UNHEARD OF and that neopronouns is something the mainstream could NEVER GET USED TO EVER!!! is... your perspective is very limited to the english speaking world is all i can say

#now like it is pretty cool that the swedish academy did choose to include it in our word list even despite the conteoversy #because ofc there was conteoversy what do yoy MEAN youre CHANHING OUR LANGUAGE????#but like even if that disnt happen the word still gained lots of traction before that and started being used #like smth doeant have to be accepted by the mainstream nevessairly to be valid anyway #some ppl are happy even if only their friends and loved ones r the ones using their neopronouns #so like. bleh #q-rambl3 #sorry for the many gender rambles these past weeks #i see so much discourse and it irritates me ans TBIS IS MY ONLY OUTLETTTT

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chloesimaginationthings · 3 months

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I think it's absolutely adorable how Movie Mike and Vanny's relationship is like this

But Mike's still comfortable sleeping on her shoulder and in the palm of her hand.

I think that's sweet.

They’ve gotten to know each other better, so he feels safe to sleep around her

#ask reply #if that’s smart of him I’ll let yall decide BAHA #YES maybe sometimes she does a little evil now and again #but that’s okay everyone has their flaws 🙏🏾#also no matter how cool Vanny is she’s also still a fail girl at heart #so they match pretty well pff

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raveartts · 4 months

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gonna take a break and make another sketch page later :3

#raveartts #hazbin hotel #alastor #i have like. 3-4 more screenshots i wanna redraw to practice #and then i guess i gotta think of a cool idea to draw him in #he's actually quite satisfying to draw once i actually...don't suck at it 😍#i really love this man. like i saw him in the pilot and i knew he had potential if he got the necessary screentime #and they SERVED alastor to me on a gourmet plate <3 #and he's still got potential for season 2 as he's easily the most mysterious character #i literally just watch this show for him pretty much-#he's like the daniel of hazbin for me #though i like camp camp as whole actually but oh well. hazbin ain't terrible either

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wasyago · 18 days

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not drawing for others. not drawing for myself either. playing video games. okay? yay

#some more screenshots from my hardcore world <3 it's going good #built that tree from the last two pictures today :3 it's no bdubs level of course but i like how it turned out!#i think im slowly getting better at custom trees and building in general! happy #that building on the uhhh 6th image is my favorite so far! it houses my bee farm and it's so cool and vibrant and funky!!! loving it #the building on the 3rd image is also pretty good. it's an inn with a restaurant on the 1st floor and villager housing on the 2nd!#it's cozy in there but on the outide i think it could do with a bit more dress up. that part of the town is still in development so im sure #it'll come together eventually! like. with another house across the street and maybe some banner lines between them it's gonna look great #i also took that screenshot with my normal playing fov and not the low-good-for-screenshots fov so. yknow #welp. that's it for now i think #mining and building and also crafting #<- made the tag for it finally! check it out if you wanna; there's the previous set of screenshots as well #yagotalk

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azherwind-art · 8 months

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My girlfriend made an observation the other day that has forever improved my enjoyment of TotK

#azherwind #casual life comics #TotK #loz totk #tears of the kingdom #spanish enjoyment in specific but it's still pretty great #she's really cool is my point

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psychologicalwarclaire · 1 month

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Skyline

They jumpin

#i rarely paint so I'm shocked that this turned out #could have been better but like. it's still pretty cool!#art #my art #traditional art #cookie crumbs #painting #rottmnt #rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #rottmnt fanart

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meowmeowmeowmeow4x · 3 months

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Supersons +1 prompt answer

If you asked Danny, 12 year old half-ghost hero of Amity Park, how half-life was going, he'd tell you things were mixed.

On the one hand, he had just spent the last three or four months in family/scientist/'this house is a death trap waiting to happen' therapy with Jazz, and by some miracle, it worked. He wasn't sure if this was some kind of dream as his parents poured over years upon years of research, crossing out lines, rewriting equations, and reevaulating everything they thought they knew about ghosts.

Was the shudders family therapy worth not going over how they'd like to dissect him? he's still not sure. The horror.

Not to mention the attention. Danny was sure he was going to throw up if his parents drag him away for more bonding time, only for a ghost to attack and for him to run off to transform. What made it worse was when the Fentons came barrelling out, guns blazing, alternating between getting mad that he'd interrupted their family time, and asking him questions about "Your suspicious spook culture, if you even have one you dangerous delusional delinquent!"

At least they were trying, but Danny was very much comfortable not spilling the beans on the whole half-ghost situation, thank you very much.

And that's why, when Dad proposed to take him to Gotham to show off their latest invention, he jumped at the chance. The home city of the Batman, one of the greatest heroes known to man (except for Martian Manhunter and Superman of course) and Dad promised to take him to Gotham Observatory too. Not to mention how much he wanted to get away from Jazz's smug looks of superiority. Gotham here he comes!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Damian Wayne scowled as he scanned the crowed of scientists with more smarts than sense. Really, a flying toilet seat. For what deviant?

"Maybe they're for people who can fly." Kent piped up beside him. Father had let the two of them run off together, and his company was mildly more appealing than being alone with his thoughts.

"Why would Superman ever need to relieve himself mid-air. I do not believe you would appreciate your father's rear end being on display for all the world to see."

"True." Jon hummed. His voice lowered to a whisper. "You think indecent exposure is what your dad meant by "scoping out any potential future villains?"

Damian gave Jon a flat look. The sooner this convention ended, the better.

The crowded shifted, and the mass of visitors pushed toward a certain corner, where a man large enough to rival Superman's build stood upon a podium, with a boy their age off to the side.

"Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce to you the latest in FentonWorks' innovations, the Fenton Ghost Zone Radar, soon to revolutionise the study of ghosts!"

"I thought ghosts were a magic thing." Jon said. "You know, stuff Constantine and JLD deal with."

"They are."

"Mixing magic and science is like, like, oil and water. No way this guy's serious, is he?"

"His name is Jack Fenton. That's Daniel Fenton, his son." Damian pointed to the boy in question, looking like he'd seen this scene a hundred times before, but with that knowing glint that promised something deeper. "They're normally spotted alongside Jack's wife, Madeline. Widely regarded as quacks by the larger scientific community for chasing paper-thin theories about ghosts, they've nonetheless gained funding from the government. This is the first time they've left their base of operations in Amity Park for years."

"Woah, you know your stuff, Dami!"

Damian glared at the young Superboy in disguise. "I read the briefing files. Didn't you?"

Kent looked uncomfortable and looked away. "Uhh, maybe?"

"Typical."

"Well, if he's so crazy, then why'd your dad even let him in." Upon another scathing glare, Kent relented. "Oh right, the whole supervillain thing."

"Enough chatter. We'll zero in on the younger Fenton. I intend to squeeze him like a grape, and make Father proud."

"Dami maybe you should be a little nicer-" Only for Damian to march off without him.

Honestly, inane niceties were above someone of his status. Those things were Superboy's job, and if Daniel Fenton wouldn't crack, then Damian was itching to try a new torture technique.

@impyssadobsessions

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cupcakecupid12 · 2 months

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Something that really bothers me about Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is that the professor being ai is technically foreshadowed throughout the game using their animation (if you look, any time they aren’t talking they are completely still, which in 3D animation looks unnatural), but because the game is so buggy, I put that aside as lazy animation and not foreshadowing.

#like if the games worked better it would have been such a cool way to foreshadow that #but because they are buggy messes it’s lost as an animation error #I mean it could still be an error but it seems so purposeful #and all the other animations are pretty good #if you ignore raifort’s hair #pokemon #pokemon scarlet and violet #ai sada #ai turo

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bloopuoo · 11 months

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belated happy fathers day to baiken

#i think shed still be the type to force delilah to eat her vegetables tho lol #i know theres a bedman? variation of this its pretty cool #first idea was supposed to be based on that vine where the kid goes daddy? and then the person behind the camera was like dO I LOOK LIKe-#thats them yeah or used to be at least lol #baiken is so fun to draw guys you should to do it #delilah guilty gear #guilty gear delilah #delilah #guilty gear #ggst #guilty gear strive #fanart #bloou_art

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celluloidbroomcloset · 6 months

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That man's collar's never gonna be straight again.

#ofmd season 2 #our flag means death #ofmd #stede bonnet #ed teach #edward teach #gentlebeard #blackbonnet #stede x ed #gif #honestly just still a bit in awe that a mainstream comedy has two men kissing and confessing their love for each other multiple times #that's...that's pretty cool

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alicornmoonstar · 1 year

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#homestar runner #strong bad #swearing #random internet stuff #2000s internet #still pretty cool

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simandy · 3 months

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do you guys mind if i go crazy for a moment

#im going to scream ive never made something this pretty #my brain does not acknowledge it #what do you mean >i< made this #yes this will come with that ridiculously long hair in a set #also ive got two more normal-ish lengths for the hair #i need to lay down #the sims 4 #ts4 #sims 4 #wip #cool fact: i own the silver one in real life #uncool fact: the opalite got loose one day and felt and broke down so now it's just the lone moon #i still use it tho #might buy a new one

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torgawl · 29 days

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sometimes i think about how crepus probably wasn't father of the year and i go a little insane. the way he pushed diluc into becoming a knight of favonious at such a young age; diluc receiving his vision so early in his life; how he saw his accomplishments as both his and his father's; crepus planning to gift or getting a delusion for his son despite his vision; and, the way diluc's namecard references him as crepus' creation, which is such an impersonal and cold way to put being someone's son. not only that but, again, referencing his strenght specifically. i'm not saying crepus was a bad father, diluc loved him dearly, but the projection he did of his own dream onto diluc's life and the efforts he went through to make sure diluc was "strong enough" doesn't appear to have been the healthiest thing.

we obviously have little to no information about diluc's relationship with his dad outside of a few mentions here and there but from his character story it just seems that even the praise crepus gave diluc was always because he did well in, somehow, living his father's dream and not necessarily because of who diluc was. it's a little bittersweet.

#i think this is really cool storywise though even though it's sad to aknowledge it could be true #relationships with parents are complicated. parents projecting onto their kids is something that happens a lot. it's relatable.#and even though diluc doesn't seem to be that impacted by it or at least they haven't explored that it's still a pretty interesting detail #to compliment his characterisation. it's just obvious that hoyoverse has a lot of love for diluc and even kaeya's lore and their own worlds #they feel done with great care and attention to detail and i love that very much #thinking about diluc because his bday is in two days <3 very excited!!!#diluc #crepus #genshin impact #genshin thoughts

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wasyago · 10 months

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so um, turns out Caspian is not a triton.... top 10 saddest anime betrayals.

#i mean.... water genasi are cool and all but.... its no fishy. no tail or gills or fins.... man #tried to kinda merge my old design with the new one and make him look more scruffy #idk if i got the feeling i wanted but he still looks pretty good #although he definitely looks less kind...#jrwi riptide #jrwi caspian #my art #sketch

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hurlyburlytopsyturvy · 4 months

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huh? guar— whuh???

↓↓ up close guardian spook below ↓↓

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