DiCE has delivered significant progress. The project developed Circular Recovery Flows and identified 31 potential circular design guidelines tailored to digital health devices (D2.1). Digital Display Labels (D2.2) smart pillboxes (D2.3) and an endocutter (D2.4) were redesigned to enable reuse and recycling strategies.
To support device recovery, DiCE designed and deployed 25 smart collection boxes in Belgium, Slovenia and Spain (D3.3 D3.4). These machines with real-time monitoring are equipped with sensors that detect returned items. The AI-based item detection is integrated into the reverse logistics workflow to ensure safe collection and transport to reuse and recycling partners.
Refurbishment processes were successfully tested for Digital Display Labels under simulated real-life condition, while recycling tests on multiple DiCE use cases generated recommendations for improving both product design and recycling processes. A critical raw materials assessment provided valuable insights into material recovery challenges and opportunities (D3.1 & D3.8).
Hospital pilots and a round table were conducted to understand stakeholder motivation for local and specialised reprocessing and to validate the feasibility of local reprocessing scenarios.
Citizen engagement played a central role in the project. Through Sustain-a-thons, design sprints, and co-creation sessions in the three pilot regions (D4.1) DiCE developed motivational strategies to stimulate device returns (D4.3). These strategies were tested in small-scale pilots (D4.2) and are now being validated in large-scale pilots, involving 100–150 participants per country.
To measure impact, DiCE advanced circularity and sustainability assessments across economic, social and environmental dimensions. Detailed value chains were mapped for selected the devices (D5.1) and a dashboard prototype was created to visualise circularity and sustainability performance at macro-level.
Finally, DiCE explored how business models can adapt to a circular economy. A taxonomy of four innovative circular models (D6.1) was expanded into a matrix of 12 propositions. Business models for DiCE use cases were co-developed with manufacturers and validated through stakeholder workshops. Policy analysis identified barriers to circularity and provided recommendations to remove some of the barriers as part of public consultations to the EU. To support consistent terminology and future standardization, DiCE also developed a comprehensive glossary of terms and definitions relevant to circular digital health devices.
