Answers.Body: <p><a href="https://people.eecs.berkeley.edu/~pabbeel/" rel="nofollow">Peter Abbeel</a> does work in deep learning for robotics, and one of the projects they've tackled is manipulating clothes. Here's a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FGVgMsiv1s" rel="nofollow">video from 2011</a> of their robot folding laundry (one piece at a time).</p>
  
  <p>There are also companies attempting to market this; seven dreamers makes the <a href="https://laundroid.sevendreamers.com/?lang=en" rel="nofollow">Laundroid</a> and <a href="https://www.foldimate.com/" rel="nofollow">Foldimate</a> claims that it will start taking pre-orders in 2017.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-10-01T23:48:41.117Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2016-10-01T23:48:41.117Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Matthew Gray
Body: <p>I'm wondering how feasible it is to create a machine that can separate clothing from a basket.</p>
  
  <p>At the most basic level it would distinguish between tops, pants, button downs and socks</p>
  
  <p>Programmatically, I'd image this would require training a neural network to recognize these items, but in real time it becomes exponentially difficult to do this in a small space at a fast rate:</p>
  
  <ol>
  <li>pick up an item</li>
  <li>lay it in such a way that is recognizable </li>
  <li>deduce whether it is a top, button down, etc.</li>
  <li>sort it accordingly</li>
  </ol>
  
  <p>If this sounds ridiculous please let me know...</p>
  
  <p>If it is possible :</p>
  
  <p>would this be based on some sort of computer vision?
  or only a well trained neural network?</p>
  
  <p>Any insight is much appreciated!</p>
  
Tags: <neural-networks><image-recognition>
Title: Feasibility of sorting a basket of clothes in the real world
UserDisplayName: mir-aclewhip
ThreadText: # Feasibility of sorting a basket of clothes in the real world
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2016-10-01)
  
  I'm wondering how feasible it is to create a machine that can separate clothing from a basket.
  
  At the most basic level it would distinguish between tops, pants, button downs and socks
  
  Programmatically, I'd image this would require training a neural network to recognize these items, but in real time it becomes exponentially difficult to do this in a small space at a fast rate:
  
  1. pick up an item
  2. lay it in such a way that is recognizable
  3. deduce whether it is a top, button down, etc.
  4. sort it accordingly
  
  If this sounds ridiculous please let me know...
  
  If it is possible :
  
  would this be based on some sort of computer vision?
  or only a well trained neural network?
  
  Any insight is much appreciated!
  
  **Tags:** neural-networks, image-recognition
  
  ---
  
  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2016-10-01. Score: 2 | Accepted answer
  
  [Peter Abbeel](https://people.eecs.berkeley.edu/~pabbeel/) does work in deep learning for robotics, and one of the projects they've tackled is manipulating clothes. Here's a [video from 2011](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FGVgMsiv1s) of their robot folding laundry (one piece at a time).
  
  There are also companies attempting to market this; seven dreamers makes the [Laundroid](https://laundroid.sevendreamers.com/?lang=en) and [Foldimate](https://www.foldimate.com/) claims that it will start taking pre-orders in 2017.
  
  
  ---
  
  