Laundry Folding Record

Addressing common tasks.

Robot Laundry Folding Speed Record Broken

Ars Technica, Benj Edwards, October 19, 2022

Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley and Germany's Karlsruhe Institute of Technology have achieved a new robot laundry-folding speed record with the SpeedFolding system. SpeedFolding combines machine vision, the BiManual Manipulation Network (BiMaMa-Net), and two industrial robot arms to fold 30 to 40 randomly positioned garments per hour; the researchers said the previous record was three to six folds per hour. The BiMaMa-Net neural network analyzed 4,300 human and machine-assisted examples to learn to fold clothing. The system uses an overhead camera to study the garment's initial state, and to calculate where to grasp it. The SpeedFolding robot can fold clothes from a random initial position in less than two minutes on average at a 93% success rate, as well as generalize to clothes of differing material, shape, or color than those it trained with.  .. ' 

A Classic Difficult Problem for Robotic AI

 If only, we saw an early demo of this. 

Robots that Can Feel Cloth Layers May One Day Help with Laundry

By Stacey Federoff, Carnegie Mellon,

New research from Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Institute (RI) can help robots feel layers of cloth rather than relying on computer vision tools to only see it. The work could allow robots to assist people with household tasks like folding laundry.

Humans use their senses of sight and touch to grab a glass or pick up a piece of cloth. It is so routine that little thought goes into it. For robots, however, these tasks are extremely difficult. The amount of data gathered through touch is hard to quantify and the sense has been hard to simulate in robotics — until recently. 

"Humans look at something, we reach for it, then we use touch to make sure that we're in the right position to grab it," said David Held, an assistant professor in the School of Computer Science and head of the Robots Perceiving and Doing (R-PAD) Lab. "A lot of the tactile sensing humans do is natural to us. We don't think that much about it, so we don't realize how valuable it is."

For example, to fold laundry, robots need a sensor to mimic the way a human's fingers can feel the top layer of a towel or shirt and grasp the layers beneath it. Researchers could teach a robot to feel the top layer of cloth and grasp it, but without the robot sensing the other layers of cloth, the robot would only ever grab the top layer and never successfully fold the cloth.

"How do we fix this?" Held asked. "Well, maybe what we need is tactile sensing."

ReSkin, developed by researchers at Carnegie Mellon and Meta AI, was the ideal solution. The open-source touch-sensing "skin" is made of a thin, elastic polymer embedded with magnetic particles to measure three-axis tactile signals. In a recent paper, researchers used ReSkin to help the robot feel layers of cloth rather than relying on its vision sensors to see them.

"By reading the changes in the magnetic fields from depressions or movement of the skin, we can achieve tactile sensing," said Thomas Weng, a Ph.D. student in the R-PAD Lab, who worked on the project with RI postdoctoral fellow Daniel Seita and graduate student Sashank Tirumala. "We can use this tactile sensing to determine how many layers of cloth we've picked up by pinching with the sensor."

Other research has used tactile sensing to grab rigid objects, but cloth is deformable, meaning it changes when touched — making the task even more difficult. Adjusting the robot's grasp on the cloth changes both its pose and the sensor readings.  .... '

Clothes Folding Robot Closes

One of the ultimate examples for home chore completion was washing, drying, folding, ironing and putting away your laundry.    Well the company that had a demo doing that has folded (closed).    Implications for classic home tasks?  We have seen some home tasks become successes, like home security,  some wild successes, like voice managing your home entertainment and information, some partial successes, like vacuuming.  What should we aim at next?

Is There a Future for Laundry-Folding Robots? in IEEE Spectrum

The company behind the Laundroid robot folds itself, but that's not the end for laundry folding robots (yet) By Evan Ackerman

The original Laundroid concept was to combine washing clothes, drying clothes, ironing clothes, and folding clothes into one single (magical?) system that was fully autonomous, but the company had to scale back to a dedicated folding machine.

The promising thing about laundry-folding robots is that they target a job that everybody does frequently, and nobody really likes. But to be successful in robotics, especially in consumer robotics, you have to be both affordable and reliable, and robots are, still, generally awful at those things. Laundroid, a robotic system that could ingest wads of laundry and somehow spit out neatly folded clothes, put on a few demos at CES over the past few years, but the Japanese company behind it just announced bankruptcy—probably because the robot didn’t work all the time, and would likely have been absurdly expensive.

Laundroid may not have been a success, but does that mean that other laundry-folding robots, most notably Foldimate, are doomed as well? Of course it doesn’t, although I’m not particularly optimistic.  .... "

Procter to Roll Out Laundry

Apparently profitable, have never used the service though several are nearby.  Nice leverage of the Brand Name equity.  .

Tide to roll out laundry cleaning service nationwide in Retailwire  by Tom Ryan plus expert discussion.

Procter & Gamble announced a commitment to double the size of its current out-of-home laundry footprint by the end of 2020, making Tide Cleaners’ services available in more than 2,000 locations nationwide.

The expansion builds on Tide’s entry nearly a decade ago into dry cleaning that has since included several acquisitions in wash and fold services to meet the needs of the 26 million American households currently using shared facilities or outsourcing laundry. ... " 

Laundry Folding Robots

It was one of the key goals of the 60s.   Having a home robot fold your clothes and put them away after washing.   Second only to the robotic butler that would mix drinks and bring them to you with your newspaper.  Its debatable about how close we are to the latter, but had not seen any consumer examples of automatic clothes folding.  Except perhaps for this sighting in CES:

It’s the New Year and you’re getting laundry-folding robots, because the 1960s thought of everything  by Jonathan Shieber (@jshieber) in TechCrunch

The robot laundry-folding wars are heating up.

The German appliance manufacturing giant BSH is in the early stages of partnering with the U.S. and Israeli-based laundry-folding robot designer FoldiMate on product development and manufacturing in the latest volley in the battle to bring a commercially viable laundry-folding robot to market.

As technology moves inexorably closer to an episode of the Jetsons (flying cars are already on the horizon), it’s only fitting that laundry-folding robots become the next step on the path. ... "

Dash Buttons Open to Developers

Besides just buying things, how else might they be used?

Amazon opens up virtual Dash Buttons to third-party developers   By Swapna Krishna, @skrishna in Engadget

It also added new companies to its Dash Replenishment program

If you're a regular Amazon shopper, you're probably aware of the virtual Dash buttons on the site's homepage. The site will auto-generate buttons that allow you to re-buy your most recently purchased items with one click. You can also create your own Dash buttons. Today, Amazon announced the Virtual Dash Button Service (VDBS), a developer kit that will allow third parties to create Dash buttons and display them inside their own devices with screens.

Amazon also announced that new companies have joined Dash Replenishment. The program measures the supply and use of consumables; when you're running out, it will automatically reorder more of whatever it is you're using. HP is now developing printers that automatically reorder ink, while 3M is working on air filters that can order their own replacements. Kenmore's new line of appliances will automatically reorder supplies, such as air filters and laundry detergent, while illy's new coffee maker (that is now available for purchase) will reorder capsules. ... "

Wal-Mart Move Against Amazon

When I ask people about using Jet, they rarely know what it is.  Interesting that Wal-Mart is trying to expand that brand.   Note the essentials emphasis.

Walmart is about to debut a new initiative to bolster its defenses against its biggest rival.   By Marianne Wilson in ChainstoreAge


Walmart is about to debut a new initiative to bolster its defenses against its biggest rival.

The discounter's Jet.com site is launching a higher-end private-label brand of household and grocery essentials. The new brand, called Uniquely J, will launch in the coming months with a curated selection of products that include such essentials as coffee, olive oil, laundry detergent, paper towels, and more. Additional items will be added.  

The new brand is designed for "metro Millennial consumers," said Meredith Klein, director of PR for Jet.com. It will feature custom-packaging illustrations by artists. .... "

Sharp Appliances at IFA Berlin

Interesting new ideas from Sharp of Japan, but surprising nothing 'smart' being shown.  Sony's Google Assistant Speaker was featured otherwise.   Other than that.  saw a minimum of smart being featured.   Tell me otherwise.

Sharp Home Appliance Lineup at IFA Includes Washer that Auto-Dispenses Detergent   By Karl Utermohen

 Continuing to boost its arsenal of home appliances, electronic giant Sharp has released a variety of products ranging from a dishwasher that can wash your dishes in under 20 minutes to a washing machine that dispenses your laundry detergent for you. The products combine technology and hardware and have all kinds of bells and whistles built in. From air purifiers to washing machines, here’s a rundown of Sharp home appliances the Japanese electronics manufacturer has put on the floor this weekend at Berlin’s IFA 2017. .... " 

LG Announces Hub Robot Assistant

Note this uses Alexa's Voice recognition.  Another embedding example.  Article includes video.  Note the claimed use of facial recognition to differentiate household members.  This is unique. In Mashable: 

LG's new robot helpers are cute and friendly AF   by Karissa Bell
The Korean company showcased two Hub Robots, an Airport Guide Robot and an airport cleaning robot at CES Wednesday.

Sort of like a robot butler, the Hub Robot can control your Wi-Fi connected appliances, so it can preheat your oven and tell you when your food is done. ... Also available in a smaller "Mini" version, the Hub Robot has an interactive display that shows information about what it's doing, like checking the weather or starting your next load of laundry.

It uses Amazon's Alexa voice recognition technology to listen to commands and has facial recognition abilities to distinguish between different members of the household. 

The robot is also trained to use simple body language like nodding when answering questions and keeps track of when people enter and leave the house. ... LG didn't announce pricing or availability for the Hub Robot, so no word on when we might actually see it in homes. .... " 

List of assistants covered.

Can Procter & Gamble Find its Way?

In Fortune.  Fascinating piece on my former career manager Procter & Gamble.  Which includes changes on their innovation process and management influence.   Largely agree with the points made.

" .... On the ninth and 10th floors of Procter & Gamble’s   ... Cincinnati headquarters, in a secure area that few are permitted to enter, sits the company’s Retail Innovation Center. The “I,” as it’s known, is slick and highly digital. P&G’s top executives believe it contains the ingredients of the company’s coming turnaround.

The center, which existed at another location for years but was revamped and moved in 2015, aims to tell P&G’s story to its major customers. There are video case studies of disrupters, from Uber to Airbnb. There are mocked-up shelves of both P&G’s and competitors’ products and rooms set up to show P&G items in their intended habitats (such as a baby’s room with a diaper table in a suburban home and a laundry setup in an apartment). One room is being prepared for a feminine-care presentation, with lingerie, pads, and tampons demonstrating various levels of absorbency. This is serious business.  ... " 

Open Innovation in CPG

Interview with my colleague Wayne Fisher

" ... For more than 25 years, Wayne Fisher worked for Procter & Gamble in a variety of Corporate R&D and Business Unit roles. 

He was an Upstream Product Development Manager, an Innovation Guide and a Technology Entrepreneur for P&G’s widely lauded Connect and Develop program. Wayne also introduced TRIZ and other innovation methodologies into the multinational, training thousands of engineers and scientists around the globe. He led the early discovery work on water soluble pouches, including Ariel laundry detergent Liquitabs and Cascade dishwashing detergent Action Pacs. Today, he is President of Rockdale Innovation and continues to work with P&G on a consultancy basis, as well as helping other multinationals install innovation best practices to drive revenue and profit growth. 

In this interview with IdeaConnection, Wayne shares his thinking about open innovation, the importance of effective problem definition, and the power and potential of creative problem solving. ... " 

SmartThinQ Sensor from LG

How do you connect older home appliance devices to new networks?  I was pointed to LG's SmartThinQ sensor.  This was mentioned this past September in CNet:  

" ..... LG's new SmartThingQ sensor smartens up your old appliances ... Ever wanted a device that can notify you when your laundry load is done or when food in the fridge is about to spoil? LG's SmartThingQ claims to be able to do that and more. ... LG has already said it'll show off a new tablet at this week's IFA convention in Berlin. But that's far from the only gadget up the company's sleeve, as on Monday the South Korean electronics giant announced its new SmartThinQ Sensor. ... The sensor attaches to compatible home appliances to make them "smart-aware," feeding information to the user through a corresponding SmartThinQ app. ... " 

The Future of the Intelligent Conversational Interface

The virtual assistant with a conversational interface.  Some just trading questions and answers via text, but increasingly including a human-like voice.   Have explored this for some time.  From building systems we delivered to consumers to converse with a popular brand, to others that helped them solve their laundry problems.   Some of these are still in use.  The progression of AI/Cognitive has made these systems seem much smarter than before.   But they are still not intelligent in any normal sense.

In the last year there has been an explosion of new efforts, and I have made a point of experiencing a number of them recently.  Although vocal conversation with a limited intelligence assistant needs to be learned,  it does turn out to be more engaging than text interaction.    But is this our future?  Are we willing to take the time to learn how to talk to them?  Or do we need to wait for much better intelligence?  Lets talk.

In Wired, a good look at some of the history, with media examples,  and further directional thoughts.  And an exploratory look on Linkedin.

How P&G Tripled Its Innovation Success Rate

From the HBR in 2011, and I may have posted this before, but found it again looking for innovation examples.   Worth repeating.  Mentioning now VA guru Bob McDonald.  Just a few months ago I was approached by the VA concerning McDonald and innovation.

How P&G Tripled Its Innovation Success Rate
Back in 2000 the prospects for Procter & Gamble’s Tide, the biggest brand in the company’s fabric and household care division, seemed limited. The laundry detergent had been around for more than 50 years and still dominated its core markets, but it was no longer growing fast enough to support P&G’s needs. A decade later Tide’s revenues have nearly doubled, helping push annual division revenues from $12 billion to almost $24 billion. The brand is surging in emerging markets, and its iconic bull’s-eye logo is turning up on an array of new products and even new businesses, from instant clothes fresheners to neighborhood dry cleaners.  ... " 

Amazon Dash Button

Amazon Dash.  Automating Resupply.  A Buy button.   Simple IOT in the Smart Home?   Connects to a smartphone App.  Invitation for Prime Members.  Clever idea. What will the uptake be?  

" .... Place it. Press it. Get it. ... Dash Button comes with a reusable adhesive and a hook so you can hang, stick, or place it right where you need it. Keep Dash Button handy in the kitchen, bath, laundry, or anywhere you store your favorite products. When you're running low, simply press Dash Button, and Amazon quickly delivers household favorites so you can skip the last-minute trip to the store. ... " 

Ordered, will provide more information later.
More generally, for other applications, see the Dash Replenishment Service.

" How it works ... 

Dash Button is simple to set up. Use the Amazon app on your smartphone to easily connect to your home Wi-Fi network and select the product you want to reorder with Dash Button. Once connected, a single press automatically places your order. Amazon sends an order alert to your phone, so it's easy to cancel if you change your mind. Unless you elect otherwise, Dash Button responds only to your first press until your order is delivered. ... " 

Which further points out:

" ... Dash Replenishment Service can be integrated with devices in two ways. Device makers can either build a physical button into their hardware to reorder consumables or they can measure consumable usage so that reordering happens automatically.

For example, an automatic pet food dispenser made with built-in sensors can measure the amount of pet food remaining in its container and place an order before running out. Device makers can start using DRS with as few as 10 lines of code. ... " 

Wirelessly Charging Devices from your Washer

An unexpected thought covered in Engadget.    " ...   WattUp technology promises to deliver power over the same radio bands as a WiFi router and is apparently able to charge a smartphone from distances of up to 15 feet. The idea, at this early stage, is to cram these power transmitters into Haier's refrigerators, washing machines and microwaves, so that you can re-juice your phone while you wait for your dinner and do your laundry. .. " 

Smell Maps in the City

Interesting work in FastCompany.     With a geographic visualization.  We looked at a similar idea in retail, to influence shopping behavior.  But we did not get anywhere as far as this.    " ...  “Smellmaps” Chart City Odors, Mouth-Watering Or Repellant, Street By Street    ... Like a sommelier appreciates a fine wine, nose to glass, graphic designer Kate McLean appreciates a pungent street odor. Garlic, fresh laundry, cigarettes, malt: Nothing escapes the sensory maps she creates, charting cities in all their smelly glory. ... "

Team Robotics: Loving the Swarm

New research on a topic we had examined.  Using cheap, simple and disposable robots to perform sensor activity, like performing inventory in a warehouse.      " ...  It's one thing for a robot to walk around your house and do the dishes or fold the laundry. It's entirely another thing for 20, 50 or 1,000 robots to work together to complete a large, complex task. That's what researchers at MIT are figuring out how to do. MIT scientists are writing computer programs that can control large teams of robots or networks of devices with different functions. ... " 

Future of Laundry

Though it may seem an odd topic for here, have for a long time followed innovations in the process of doing the laundry.  Despite it seeming a very mundane thing, it combines advanced materials  technology, leading edge chemistry, devices and convincing consumers to change their behaviors.  Here some future concepts:  Article in Fast Company.

PowerHouse Factories: Brand Culture Plus Data with Analytics

Reconnected this past week with PowerHouse Factories.  Impressed by their linking branding with data and analytics.   Build the brand, but immediately link in how you plan to improve the brands operation.  And utilize all the social connections possible to make that work.   Makes sense.

" ... The fundamental relationship of brands and consumers has changed. People are asking more from their brands: to be more connected. To be more conversational. To be more relevant to their everyday lives. To be more human.

Or as we like to think of it, Culture-Led, Data-Fed Brand Building. Most companies do one or the other – we can’t imagine one without the other. Neither one alone can paint a complete picture.

Culture-Led: anticipating trends and uncovering insights, often using some of the most unlikely methods. Our Factory model keeps us a little ahead of the curve, yielding insights that have helped clients in laundry detergent, micro-brew beer and flooring to name a few.

Data-Fed: businesses and brands now have more data than they often know what to do with. We lower the signal-to-noise ratio to find the deeper patterns: rich segmentation, which products to put on sale, when to open that extra cash register to improve the shopping experience, and how often to run a coupon.

Brand Building: armed with insights from culture and data, we put them into action: brand architecture, co-creating a new product, identity development, brand meaning, social media, blogger conferences, digital advertising, skywriting – we’ve got your back.... "