Robot that can do laundry by itself will help test washing machines

A completely automated system for using a washing machine, from loading to unloading, is already being used for appliance tests by one manufacturer

By Payal Dhar

A robot capable of doing laundry sadly won’t be available for the public to buy, as it is only intended to help appliance manufacturers test their washing machines.

Gianluca Palli at the University of Bologna, Italy, and his colleagues have developed “a complete robotic laundry operation” in partnership with Electrolux, a Swedish firm that is one of the world’s largest appliance makers.

The robotic system, which uses pre-existing commercial robots, is able to detect dirty clothes, pick them up and load them into a washing machine, interpret the machine’s display and choose the correct wash cycle. It can …