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Recycling rates have been stagnant for years. One big reason? Properly sorting crowded conveyor belts covered in a grimy array of glass, metal, and plastic is tricky and labor-­intensive. AMP Robotics has a solution: the Cortex-C, a compact and adaptable robot for recycling facilities. Paired with AMP’s AI-backed computer “vision” system, it can correctly identify, say, a specific strawberry company’s plastic clamshell. “What’s powerful about AI is its ability to handle ambiguity and imprecision,” says CEO Matanya Horowitz. The robot’s speed and accuracy could also lower sorting costs.

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