**Soft Robotic System Developed to Pack Groceries**

A new soft robotic system has been designed to pack groceries, potentially revolutionizing the way we shop. The system, called RoboGrocery, combines computer vision with a soft robotic gripper to bag a wide range of different items.

The system is capable of detecting objects on a conveyor belt, determining their size and orientation, and then carefully placing them in a bag. The gripper is equipped with pressure sensors that allow it to handle delicate items, such as grapes, with care. More robust items, like soup cans, are placed at the bottom of the bag to prevent them from getting crushed.

According to Annan Zhang, one of the study's lead authors, "This is a significant first step towards having robots pack groceries and other items in real-world settings. Although we're not quite ready for commercial deployment, our research demonstrates the power of integrating multiple sensing modalities in soft robotic systems."

The team notes that there is still room for improvement, including upgrading the gripper and imaging system to better determine how and in what order to pack items. As the system becomes more robust, it may also be scaled up for use in industrial settings, such as recycling plants.

Image Credits: MIT CSAIL

AndroGuider Team

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