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Laundry-Folding Robots

The Laundroid Robot Can Execute Different Folding Techniques

— October 9, 2015 — Tech
The Laundroid is a robot that can fold your laundry for you. The machine's technological workings involve two distinct parts, namely image analysis and robotics. When you present the robot with a bundle of clothes, different items will require different folding techniques. The machine uses image analysis to figure out what piece of clothing it is dealing with. Once it figures that out, it feeds the robot that information, priming it to fold the clothing article accordingly.

Laundroid started as a research project eight years ago so it's great to see it making major progress. A collaboration between Daiwa House, Panasonic and Seven Dreamers, Laundroid will be made available in retail in 2019, although preorders, beta machines and industrial folding machines will be available before then.

This machine is the stuff of dreams for those of us who run our laundry and then leave a pile of clean clothes on our bed for days before finally finding the resolve to fold them. 2019 can't come soon enough.
Trend Themes
1. Robotic Folding - The Laundroid showcases the trend of robotic folding, which could disrupt the laundry industry by automating the tedious task of folding clothes.
2. Image Analysis - The use of image analysis in the Laundroid highlights the trend of AI-powered technology, presenting opportunities for the development of advanced image recognition systems in various industries.
3. Smart Home Appliances - The Laundroid is an example of a smart home appliance trend, suggesting potential innovations in creating other robotic devices that can assist with household chores.
Industry Implications
1. Laundry - The laundry industry can explore the introduction of robotic folding systems to revolutionize the way clothes are folded, reducing labor costs and increasing efficiency.
2. Retail - The retail industry can seize the opportunity to offer Laundroid and similar robotic folding machines as innovative products that simplify and streamline the laundry process for consumers.
3. Technology - The technology industry can capitalize on the advancements made in image analysis and robotics showcased by the Laundroid to develop new AI-powered solutions for various applications, such as automated sorting and categorization.
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