Tech watch: Humanoid robot set to revolutionise waste sorting

From the newsletter

This quarter’s focus on technology features an Automated Litter Processing Humanoid Assistant (ALPHA), a next-generation robot set to transform waste sorting and recycling. Developed by TeknTrash Robotics, the technology uses VR-trained AI and hyperspectral imaging to mimic human dexterity, improving recycling accuracy.

• ALPHA’s ability to learn from human motions helps overcome common robotic limitations in handling irregular and varied waste items, enabling it to perform complex sorting tasks that traditionally require skilled manual labor.

• By addressing human fatigue and sorting errors, ALPHA improves recycling purity, reduces contamination in single-stream waste and boosts resale value through precise, consistent robotic sorting that outperforms manual efforts.

More details

• The $400 million investment will fund the construction of a plant producing a range of vehicles, from low-cost SUVs to electric models, aimed at both the local and African markets. The plant will produce vehicles designed to meet the demand for affordable cars, a move aligned with global energy trends, such as electric mobility.

• Production launch will begin in late 2026 with a low-cost SUV and a utility vehicle, a sedan and another utility vehicle scheduled for 2027, and a small city car in 2028. Algeria was chosen for its economic stability, its reforms attractive to foreign investment, and its strategic position in North Africa. 

• Hyundai’s entry into manufacturing of EVs in Algeria will increase competition in the budding sector. Chinese electric vehicle company SFE Electric Car Manufacturing Group is also racing to build an EV factory there. The factory's production capacity is expected to range between 50,000 and 200,000 electric cars annually. 

• Algeria is attracting increased interest from automakers seeking to take advantage of its cheap energy and proximity to Europe. Stellantis has a manufacturing plant in Tafraoui, where it produces Fiat models, including the Fiat 500 and Fiat Doblò. Renault also has a production plant in Oran, where it produces models like the Sandero. 

• For Hyundai, it will not be its first time to produce vehicles in Africa. The company has a joint venture with Ethiopia’s Marathon Motor Engineering through which it is assembling the all-electric Hyundai Ioniq in the country. The South Korean company also has a presence in Kenya through its dealer Caetano. It also has a presence in Uganda, Tanzania, South Africa and Morocco. 

• Hyundai is heavily invested in its EV strategy, aiming to become a leader in the global EV market. This involves expanding its global production capacity, developing advanced battery technology, and introducing new EV models. But to achieve this, it will have to battle Chinese EV heavyweights especially BYD, Xpeng and Nio but also the US’s Tesla. 

Our take

• ALPHA’s breakthrough shows how robotics can finally tackle the complexity and unpredictability of waste sorting, a task long dependent on human skill, marking a leap toward smarter, more efficient circular waste management systems.

• Toyoda Gosei’s advanced plastic recycling technology challenges industry norms by maintaining high material quality at scale, setting a new benchmark for sustainable automotive manufacturing and cutting CO₂ emissions significantly.

• The University of Leicester’s soundwave recycling efficiently recovers platinum, reducing mining needs and environmental impact, advancing a sustainable, circular economy in clean hydrogen fuel cell technology.