The hands themselves are made out of custom auxetics (materials that get wider when stretched) that twist when cut. Each finger in the robot’s hand includes “left-handed” and “right-handed” auxetics that counter each other’s rotation, allowing for more dynamic movement than a typical robot hand without having to resort to the air pumps and compressors of soft robots.

You’re not about to see RoCycle take over at the local recycling facility. It’s 85 percent accurate when objects are stationary, but only 63 percent accurate with a simulated conveyor belt. This also doesn’t factor in the complexities of sorting recycling in real life. What if somebody put their empty soft drink cans back into a cardboard box, for example? While there are refinements underway, the next big leap is likely to involve a planned combination of the touch system with camera-based computer vision.

If you can wait, the impact could be significant. While it could represent another instance of automation impacting jobs, it could also free waste workers to deal with safer, more pleasant tasks. It might also reduce costs for cities and, crucially, reduce the amount of recycling that winds up in landfills.