AI robots help sort demolition waste

AMP Robotics, which specialises in artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics for the recycling industry, and Japanese waste management technology company Ryohshin plan to make and sell AI-driven industrial robotics for material recovery in the construction and demolition (C&D) sector.

They have also announced the commercial launch of a C&D robotic system, now available in Japan. Another system is due to be launched in North America.

Ryohshin and AMP co-developed a system using the AMP Neuron AI platform to guide robots that recognize, sort, pick and process C&D debris for recycling. The two C&D robotic systems are called ‘AI-Benkei’ and ‘AI-Musashi’.

AI-Benkei is described as a heavy-duty workhorse, using a single-robot cell to handle heavy debris up to 40kg. It can process up to 25 tonnes per hour, said the developers. AI-Musashi claimed to be a “high speed racehorse” using a tandem-robot cell that picks smaller items at a speed of 160 pieces of material per minute, processing up to 10 tonnes per hour.

“The two systems combine payload and speed to form a complete solution that can operate 24/7 and process a vast array of material including metal, wood, electronics, concrete and much more,” said the company.

Osamu Kono, chief executive officer of Ryohshin, said: “Our customers will benefit greatly from AI-Musashi and AI-Benkei. This technology marks a significant advancement for recycling in Japan.”

AMP has licensed AMP Neuron to Ryohshin for use in the robotic systems in Japan. In return, AMP will use the robotic technology developed with Ryohshin for its own next generation AMP Cortex C&D robotic system for sale in North America.

“Ryohshin’s strong reputation and leadership in the Japanese recycling market makes a perfect match for us as we expand internationally,” said AMP chief executive officer Matanya Horowitz. “They are a fantastic technology partner and we see this as the first of many collaborations.The combination of AI-Benkei and AI-Musashi with AMP Neuron is a tremendous leap in technology and productivity for C&D businesses. We are excited about the market response and will launch our own next generation AMP Cortex robotics system for C&D in North America soon.”

AMP Neuron is described as being the “eyes” and “brain” of the robotic system, using real-time pattern recognition to identify target materials. It learns by processing data converted from millions of images captured via its vision system. AMP Neuron recognizes different colours, textures, shapes and patterns to identify material characteristics.