[October 07, 2009] North County Times, Escondido, Calif., Bradley J. Fikes column: E-waste to cash gets innovation nod Tweet Oct 06, 2009 (North County Times - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- The consumer electronics boom has produced a corresponding plethora in something less desirable: ever-growing mountains of discarded cell phones, cordless phones, PlayStations, GameBoys, iPods, etc. But what if you could get rid of e-waste as easily as you bought it -- and get some money back? San Diego's EcoATM put that idea into practice with a product that you can imagine from its name: an automated machine that accepts electronic devices and determines how much value they have, if any. And if they do, you get coupons or gift cards back. The first EcoATM machine was installed last week in Omaha, Neb., and the company plans to install more, here and around the nation. What's innovative about this concept is how it leverages something familiar for an unfamiliar use. Virtually everyone knows how to use ATMs and similar devices, such as the coins-for-cash machines at supermarkets. Connect, the nonprofit that encourages technology entrepreneurship, agrees. It has named EcoATM a finalist in this year's Most Innovative Products awards. Connect selected 26 finalists in eight categories out of about 100 entries; EcoATM was chosen in the clean technology category with two companions: -- On-Ramp Wireless was chosen for its Ultra-Link Processing Wireless Communication System, which connects meters, sensors and tracking devices with a very low-power system. -- Ultraviolet Sciences was chosen for its UVS Ultraviolet Water Purification Systems, which efficiently sterilizes water with UV light. Finalists in the seven other categories are: Action and Sports Technologies: Impact Sports Technologies; Neptunic Technologies and TaylorMade Golf Co. Aerospace and Security Technologies: Ebert Composites Corp.; Intevac Photonics, Inc.; Pixon Imaging and Space Micro. Communications and IT: Mushroom Networks; Nextivity and Nirvanix. Hardware and General Technology: Cymer Inc.; FreightScan and Rapid Bridge. Life Science -- Diagnostics and Research : Naviscan; ResMed and Ridge Diagnostics. Life Science -- Medical Products: Dhart Development; Novalar Pharmaceuticals and SynergEyes. Software: Anakam; DialPlus; V-Enable and Verance Corp. Winners will be announced Dec. 11 at a luncheon at the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines. For more information or to register, go to www.connect.org or contact Nancy van Dillen at [email protected] or 858-964-1315. Do you know of an entrepreneurial success story or bold beginning in North San Diego County or Southwest Riverside County? Contact Bradley J. Fikes at [email protected] or 760-739-6641. To see more of the North County Times or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.nctimes.com. Copyright (c) 2009, North County Times, Escondido, Calif. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]