Electrolyzers-HSI: Close-Range Multi-Scene Hyperspectral Imaging Benchmark Dataset

The global challenge of sustainable recycling demands automated, fast, and accurate material detection systems that act as a bedrock for a circular economy. Integrating front-tier technologies into advanced recycling systems democratizes access to AI-driven sustainability, and transforms waste analysis from isolated research efforts into real-time, scalable industrial practice. This integration not only accelerates material recovery but also strengthens the technological backbone required to achieve large-scale recycling and alignment with the Green Deal ambitions. In response, we introduce Electrolyzers-HSI, a new multimodal benchmark dataset designed to accelerate the recovery of critical raw materials through accurate electrolyzer materials classification. The dataset comprises 55 co-registered high-resolution RGB images and hyperspectral imaging (HSI) data cubes spanning the 400-2500 nm spectral range. This enables non-invasive analysis of shredded electrolyzer samples, facilitating quantitative material classification. We evaluate various analytical methods, including state-of-the-art (SOTA) Transformer-based deep learning (DL) architectures, to validate the dataset for robust electrolyzers identification. The openly accessible dataset and codebase promote reproducible research and facilitate broader adoption of smart and sustainable E-waste recycling.