A UK-based TeknTrash Robotics has teamed up with Sharp Group to begin real-world testing of its humanoid robot ALPHA at a waste facility in Rainham, East London.
The project uses VR headsets worn by frontline workers to train AI models capable of performing complex waste sorting tasks. At the heart of the pilot is ALPHA — a humanoid designed to mimic human dexterity and mobility while sorting waste. Unlike traditional robotic arms, ALPHA moves autonomously along rails and performs high-precision sorting using grippers modelled after real human hands. This capability is enhanced by motion data collected from workers wearing Meta Quest 3 headsets during daily operations. The system captures posture, finger articulation, and video footage in real time, feeding it through a custom TeknTrash app to NVIDIA’s GR00T framework. Image processing and movement planning are handled in the cloud, enabling the robot to run efficiently on low-power hardware. With hyperspectral vision installed at the conveyor’s start, ALPHA can detect and identify waste types — even by brand — with higher speed and accuracy than existing systems.
The need for innovation in waste processing is urgent. The UK waste sector is one of the most hazardous industries, with injury and fatality rates far exceeding the national average. Sorting tasks, often repetitive and unsanitary, contribute to worker health risks and high contamination levels in recyclables — a major reason for the recent 7.1 percent drop in England’s dry recycling rates. ALPHA addresses these issues head-on. While human sorters manage 30 to 40 picks per minute, fatigue and contamination reduce efficiency and resale value. ALPHA’s continuous, precise performance offers a path to higher purity and reduced bale rejections — improving both environmental and economic outcomes. According to TeknTrash CEO Al Costa, the company plans to connect 1,000 ALPHA-equipped facilities across Europe, creating a vast dataset to continually enhance robot capabilities. “Through partnerships like this, we’re turning advanced robotics into real-world sustainability impact,” he said.
Sharp Group director Chelsea Sharp added, “This isn’t just about automation — it’s about building a smarter, more transparent waste ecosystem.” The collaboration represents a significant leap forward in clean tech, combining human expertise, artificial intelligence, and robotics to set new standards for safety and efficiency in recycling.