The Attica Region, Heracles Group, and I-SENSE of ICCS Join Forces for a New Era in Recycling
The official launch of the Attica Region’s major recycling awareness campaign, “RECYCLING: LEARN TO DO IT RIGHT,” an initiative by the Attica Region and Heracles Group, marked the end of the mysterious “We Do It Right” public communication campaign and unveiled the immerge app, an innovative digital tool that brings recycling closer to the public -particularly the youth- through advanced technologies.
The immerge app, developed by the I-SENSE Group of the Institute for Communication and Computer Systems (ICCS) at the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) in collaboration with its tech spin off CogniSensus, uses Extended Reality (XR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), providing interactive and up-to-date content on recycling. Users of the app can learn in an enjoyable and practical way by scanning items and receiving personalized instructions on proper practices of recycling and waste management.
How do we recycle yogurt containers? How do we properly handle single-use plastic bags? Are lighters recyclable? What do we do with organic waste and plastic bottles? Is vegetable packaging recyclable? How do we correctly use the blue bins? These are just a few of the questions the app’s virtual assistant will help answer interactively and engagingly, allowing users to learn how to recycle correctly via their mobile phones. With a simple scan through an AI-driven scanner, users can identify materials and get instructions on their proper recycling, exploring constantly updated content with new topics, quizzes, interactive elements, and versions of the AI scanner.
“Immerge is not just an app, it’s the result of long-term research at NTUA’s I-SENSE Group, focusing on circular economy, sustainability, and environmental protection through innovative technologies. This collaboration with the Attica Region is perfectly aligned with our vision for producing research with social impact that addresses real societal needs and shapes future practices. The launch of the immerge app is a strong example of how partnerships between research institutions, public authorities, and private companies can help create a new environmental awareness for our citizens,” says Angelos Amditis, Director of Research and Development at ICCS and I-SENSE Group Director.
At the official press conference marking the campaign’s launch, Attica Regional Governor Nikos Hardalias commented: “Environmental protection is undeniably a priority and a crucial challenge for the Region. From this perspective, we seek clear plans that create value for citizens. And in such plans, the Region will be both a leader and a supporter. I believe that this collaboration serves as a great example for large companies on how they can handle Corporate Social Responsibility programs.”
The CEO of Heracles Group, Dimitris Hanis, emphasized the importance of recycling for sustainability: “In today’s world, full of environmental risks, recycling provides immeasurable benefits. Our goal, in this campaign with the Attica Region, is to turn the page on recycling, inform, and encourage proper recycling practices.”
Giannis Karasaitidis, Technical Director of the I-SENSE Group at EPYSEF, also spoke at the event, highlighting that “research must have a social impact, and this is our commitment at ICCS. Innovative XR and AI technologies have the potential to transform how we learn, contribute to the educational procedures and training, cultivate effective and new skills, and enhance public awareness related to crucial c. In this direction, we are working on digital solutions that use modern technologies to help understand and represent complex concepts and issues. That’s how immerge came to be. It is the result of a series of research activities that evolved through successive pilots. It will prove that technology can educate, inspire, and change the way we approach recycling. The app is still in its pilot stage, but it is constantly evolving, aiming to offer users a comprehensive experience and to expand to other topics that will bring sustainability to the forefront in the daily lives of citizens.”
Congratulations to all I-SENSE Researchers who contributed in this success: Dr Tina Katika, Head of XR Division, Dr Georgios Tsimiklis, Dr Ioannis Karaiseitanidis, Orestis Sampson, Panagiotis Sakaridis, Kostas Koukoudis, Eirini Varia, Spyridon-Nektarios Bolierakis, Kostas Naskou, Fotis Giariskanis, Ioannis Karagiannis, Nikos Mitropoulos, Nikolaso Tantaroudas.
Immerge is available for both iOS and Android, making it an essential tool in the effort to create a new recycling culture in Greece.
Download Immerge and be part of the change!
Available for iOS & Android! 
https://www.tokanoumesosta.gr
Together, we can learn to do it right!
