Researchers at the KU Leuven’s Life Cycle Engineering (LCE) research group (SIM2 – KU Leuven) are developing innovative robotic gripping systems and intelligent task scheduling strategies to enhance the efficiency and autonomy of waste sorting systems.
This work is part of the EU-funded RECLAIM project, which aims to advance small-scale material recovery with modular, multi-robot systems.
Robotic Manipulation for Autonomous Waste Sorting
Efficient sorting of complex and heterogeneous waste streams remains a major challenge in advancing a circular economy. Manual sorting still dominates the sector but is labor-intensive, costly, and often results in lower material purity. Robotic systems offer a promising alternative, however their application in waste management has been limited by technical constraints, particularly in the manipulation of irregular and variable waste items.
This research tacklers these challenges by optimizing robotic sorting systems deployment, supported by advanced perception and control systems for autonomous waste sorting.
Innovative gripper solutions
KU Leuven’s research centers on the development of advanced robotic grippers tailored to handle diverse packaging waste materialsm such as those found on conveyor belts in material recovery facilities (MRF’s). The team assessed several gripping technologies, using key performance indicators including durability, effectiveness, and cost-efficiency.
In a first step, the analysis focused on different sorting system configurations minimizing cycle times, followed by detailed testing of various gripper technologies suited to various material properties and geometries.
Vacuum suction grippers were found to be particularly effective for flat surfaces, such as crushed water-bottle bottles and aluminium foil. In contrast, Bernoulli grippers, using a cushion of air to lift objects without direct contact, were more effective at grasping rougher or more irregular surfaces.
The most notable innovation, however, is the HAVCO (High Airflow Vertical Conveying) gripper, a novel technology developed by KU Leuven. Unlike traditional grippers, HAVCO employs pressurized air to create a strong airflow that both grasps and transports objects, either through integrated tubing or via air propulsion, directly into collection bins. This approach eliminates the need for further robotic manipulation after grasping, simplifying and accelerating the sorting process.
Smart Scheduling and System Optimization
Complementing hardware development, the team has also introduced a smart task planning and scheduling algorithm designed for multi-robot systems. This algorithm dynamically selects the best target object based on grasp-ability, material type, and overall system efficiency, ensuring high pick rates and minimal cycle times.
Additionally, the researchers further evaluated system configurations, analyzing factors, such as conveyor belt speed and waste-to-bin allocation. These insights help balance the workload among robots and adapt to the changing waste stream compositions.
Gripper Technology and Grasp Planning
While the choice of gripper technology is critical, the team also emphasizes the importance of robust grasp-planning algorithms. Even well-engineered grippers can fail if paired with poor grasp strategy. Recognizing this, ongoing work is focused on developing a reliable grasp planning framework to maximize object pick success.
Impact and Outlook
This work makes a significant step towards fully autonomous and highly efficient waste management solutions. It demonstrates that combining innovative gripper design, intelligent scheduling, and well-configured system parameters can significantly improve sorting throughput and success rates. These advancements are key for the transformation of the waste management sector, bringing the vision of fully autonomous, scalable, and localized material recovery facilities (MRFs) closer to reality. Ultimately, the work contributes to improved resource recovery and reduced environmental impacts.
About the RECLAIM project
The EU-funded RECLAIM project is developing a portable robotic material recovery facility (prMRF) tailored for small-scale waste sorting. Traditional MRFs rely on manual labor and are centralized in urban areas, while current automation solutions remain costly and limited in scope. RECLAIM addresses these gaps by combining advanced robotics, AI, and data analytics in a modular, multi-robot system designed for flexible, localized deployment.
Watch the video of RECLAIM’s portable robotic material recovery facility here.
For more details about this work, please refer to the paper.
To learn more about the RECLAIM project, visit the website.
