A low-carbon computing platform from your retired phones

▤ Summary

Researchers at UC San Diego are building a low-carbon computing platform by repurposing retired smartphones into clustered cloud servers. The system removes nonessential phone components, installs Linux, and manages containers with Kubernetes. The project aims to support grading, research, and other cloud workloads at lower cost and with much lower embodied carbon than new hardware. The full deployment is expected to launch in Fall 2026 and will also test the reliability of consumer-grade devices in sustained datacenter use.

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