Helsinki, Finland - 2014

The ZenRobotics Recycler (ZRR) is an intelligent robotic system which separates construction materials on a conveyer belt, plucking out recyclable materials and depositing them in bins for collection. The system is designed to replace manual sorting, which can be dangerous and frequently prohibitively expensive.

The ZRR identifies different types of waste using a process called "sensor fusion." By analysing the data, the sensors sort through objects on a conveyor belt and distribute them into surrounding chutes. The sensor fusion system uses a range of technologies including weight measurement, 3-D scanning, tactile assessment and spectrometer analysis, which measures how much light reflects from various different materials.

The ZRR's sensor fusion system works through a complex analysis procedure conducted once items are put onto the conveyor belt. The system's sensors gather data, which is sent across to the bespoke artificial intelligence system, christened by the team as the "ZenRobotics Brain."
The brain assesses each object's material (wood, metal, stone, etc.) and decides what to do with it. Commands are then issued to the robotic arm, which picks up the objects and deposits them in the appropriate bin, ready for collection.