These are independent reviews of the products mentioned, but TIME receives a commission when purchases are made through affiliate links at no additional cost to the purchaser.
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.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- How Kamala Harris Knocked Donald Trump Off Course
- Introducing TIME's 2024 Latino Leaders
- What Makes a Friendship Last Forever?
- 33 True Crime Documentaries That Shaped the Genre
- Long COVID Looks Different in Kids
- Your Questions About Early Voting, Answered
- Column: Your Cynicism Isn’t Helping Anybody
- The 100 Most Influential People in AI 2024