New AI-enabled automated sortation solution for new recycling infrastructure

AMP Robotics Corp. (“AMP”), a pioneer in artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and infrastructure for the waste and recycling industry, now offers a complete line of AI-powered automation solutions for materials recovery facilities (MRFs), along with a standalone, integrated facility solution to expand recycling infrastructure.

“As demand for automation in the waste industry continues to grow, we’ve expanded our capabilities to provide customers with solutions for both new and existing recycling facilities alike,” said Matanya Horowitz, founder and CEO of AMP Robotics. “We’ve gained invaluable experience from developing best-in-class technology and deploying hundreds of systems globally, and the modern recycling infrastructure we’re creating through retrofit solutions and facility expansion is helping more economically recover valuable commodities and increase recycling rates.”

New compact robotic sortation solution

AMP Cortex™-C is a compact version of AMP’s industry-leading AI-guided robotics system that adapts to space constraints and brings the company’s proven AI expertise and robot technology to more facility locations. Cortex-C is a small-footprint, easy-to-install robot designed to provide MRFs and plastic reclamation facilities (PRFs) with a consistent, reliable sortation solution for tight locations that are hard to staff or where existing labor could be redistributed.

Cortex-C leverages AMP’s proven robot technology and gripping innovation, unmatched AI for object recognition, and patented control software consistent with AMP Cortex™ units. The system shares the robustness, reliability, and experiential learning of AI gained from a global fleet of more than 300 installations and fits into additional locations to expand sortation points and material recovery within facilities.

“The expertise we’ve built in recycling technology has enabled us to expand where and what we can sort so we can bring the benefits of AI-driven automation to more locations in more facilities,” said Jeremy Neigher, general manager of AMP’s technology solutions group. “We’re committed to innovating so we can deliver the latest advancements in AI and automation to our customers to increase their profitability and improve their bottom line.”

Cortex-C is adaptable to an array of conveyor belt sizes, angles, and configurations, without the need for costly retrofits or downtime. AMP completes installations over the course of a weekend with on-site support. Cortex-C shares parts and components with the standard Cortex system, with similarly minimal service expectations to streamline the fleet within a facility. Like AMP’s other solutions, Cortex-C is backed by the company’s dedicated service and support teams.

AI-driven improvements in targeting and robotic gripping reliability

Along with Cortex-C, AMP is also rolling out breakthrough AI innovations to further increase recovery performance and reliability. The company’s new AI - Advanced Targeting (“AT”) algorithms leverage machine learning to determine the optimal grip area for each item its system identifies, based on the object’s discrete material features and condition. This ability to target and guide a robot to the desired grip area increases yield by learning to avoid creases, holes, and other difficult-to-grasp locations on objects. Similar to AMP’s AI for identification of material type, these algorithms learn from experience across the fleet and adapt to new gripping technologies. These AI-driven software advancements will be available for all Cortex and Cortex-C units.

Cortex and Cortex-C are among AMP’s portfolio of recycling solutions powered by its industry-leading neural network, which has recognized more than 75 billion containers and packaging types in real-world conditions annually. AMP Vision™ is a modular computer vision system that helps operators understand material flow throughout key stages of sorting operations. When integrated with AMP Clarity™, the company’s portal for recycling data and insights and robot optimization, users can monitor real-time material characterization and performance measurement throughout a facility. AMP Vortex™ is an AI-powered automation solution designed to tackle film contamination and improve recovery of film and flexible packaging. Combined, AMP’s technology suite can tackle the majority of non-automated sorting stations in a MRF, all dropping in without a significant retrofit to existing infrastructure.

Integrated AI-powered facility solution

The strength of AMP’s AI platform, which powers the company’s range of offerings for existing MRFs, also enables AMP to extend its capabilities to a comprehensive facility solution. The company’s pilot of secondary sortation facilities—AMP economically processes recyclable mixed plastics, paper, and metals sourced from residue supplied by primary MRFs and other material providers—allowed it to incubate and improve its model for new recycling infrastructure. For nearly three years, AMP has been actively testing the capabilities of AI and automation to direct facility design, with a focus on dramatically lowering the cost of recycling while maximizing yields in terms of both recovery and quality. AMP is applying its experience and learnings in secondary sortation to next-generation facilities the company will design, build out, operate, and service for customers. These facilities will target single-stream and secondary feedstocks.

“The current MRF infrastructure is insufficient to capture the billions of dollars worth of recyclables that go unrecovered annually, and its high-cost burden compounds this problem, making recycling economically unfeasible in many geographies,” added Gale Clark, general manager of AMP’s facility solutions group. “Our technology can influence not only sorting processes within the current MRF infrastructure, but the design of AI-powered facilities to increase efficiency and recycling capacity, prevent loss of recyclables to landfill, and supply greater volumes of post-consumer recycled content. AMP brings creative structuring so customers experience capital efficiency in partnering with us.”

AMP is exhibiting and speaking at WasteExpo 2023 this week in New Orleans. Neigher is participating in the May 1 panel, “Disruptive Technologies Impacting the Industry,” and Jonathan Levy, director of government affairs, will join the May 3 “The Rise of EPR: Unpacking the Details” panel. Visit AMP’s team at booth 847 throughout the show to learn more about AMP’s latest technology innovations and its offerings for new and existing recycling facilities.