Circufix: VITO employees develop app that uses AI to help repair electrical appliances
That we at VITO also support and encourage innovations from our own employees is proven by the brand-new Circufix app. It started as a business case of four VITO colleagues. They wanted to use a smartphone app to ensure that as many electronic devices as possible are repaired, rather than thrown away. During the internal innovation bootcamp AYOUBI, their business concept was further refined with continued support from VITO afterwards. Meanwhile, the development of the app is in the demo phase and will be shown for the first time during the FTI festival in Hasselt.
Everyone has been through it: your washing machine, iron or coffee machine is broken... Can it be repaired? Where can you get it fixed if you are not a handy (wo)man yourself? How much will it cost and how long will it take?
Repairing a broken appliance is often still too complex or difficult for many people, which is why it is too often thrown away and replaced by a new one.
VITO employees Yoko Dams, Jeroen Gillabel, Frederik Byl and Philip Marynissen wanted to do something about the current 'throw-away' economy and developed the Circufix app: a smartphone app that uses AI to provide personalised repair instructions or addresses based on your input. The app is part of the EU's recently much-discussed 'Right to repair' regulations, which aim to encourage more sustainable consumption by making it easier to repair faulty goods (or have them repaired), reduce the waste pile and support the repair sector. Consumers should be encouraged to choose repair over a new purchase, and that is exactly what Circufix wants to help with.
Circufix: your smart help for fast repair!
Through generative AI, the Circufix app helps you diagnose your device correctly. Everything starts with setting your level of handiness: do you have two left hands, are you so handy that your friends sometimes call you a 'screwdriver', or somewhere in between? Once you have registered in the app, you can get started via the chat module.
After a brief description of your problem and device, the app makes a technical and environmental calculation to conclude whether it is optimal to repair your device yourself, have it repaired by an authorised repairer or replace it with a new one.
Can and do you want to do it yourself? Then Circufix will provide you with the necessary repair instructions for your specific device and problem. Not a handy person? The app lists the professional repairers and repair cafés in your area. Via the contact details you can write them directly. Is the appliance in need of replacement? Then the app will show you where to find a similar device. So Circufix is good for your wallet and the climate and brings us one step closer to a circular economy.
Test case with KBC employees and launch at FTI Hasselt
The enthusiasm for the new Circufix app was not limited to VITO. The development of the app is now in demo phase and even aroused the interest of KBC. In fact, Circufix will in the future be tested in the test environment of the KBC Mobile app, exclusively for 200 KBC employees.
Curious yourself? You can already test Circufix at circufix.eu. For the general public, the Circufix app will be presented for the first time during the Flanders Technology & Innovation city festival in Hasselt. There, you can discover the app on Saturday 16 March during the Repair Café XL activity. The VITO team behind Circufix will also open the stage at the finals of VITO4starters on 19 March. We are proud of our innovative colleagues!
A question or feedback for the Circufix team? You can reach the via info@circufix.eu.
