Old mobile phones turned into 'mechanical butterflies'

The digital butterfly commissioned by O2 Recycle has been made out of smartphone components. Credit: PA

A group of designers have created a set of artificial butterflies made entirely from recycled phones.

Design company is this good? created the set of mechanical butterflies to give 'the old and forgotten' a new lease of life and show that there is use for old phones beyond the end of their user's contract.

"We hoped that, by creating 'Social Butterflies', we would raise a smile and remind people that we can create moments of recognition and happiness out of products we have previously loved and now overlook," creative director Chris Cairns said.

Hardware from a range of different mobile phones has been used with the designers taking inspiration from studying the butterflies at the Natural History Museum in London.

Designers say it took 7 months to create and involved spending time at the Natural History Museum to study butterflies. Credit: PA

Each recycled phone reacts differently when existing smartphones call their number and interactions range from light shows, to lasers and flapping wings which gives the sense of the butterfly robot "coming to life".

"Each of these butterflies have their own little personality quirks so I'm looking forward to the members of the public starting up a conversation with them," Chris added.

O2 hopes to place the butterflies in UK shop windows to promote their recycling campaign, as well as give consumers the chance to interact with the robotic insects.