Sadako Technologies

Based in Spain, Sadako Technologies offers MaxAI, an autonomous quality control system unit that uses cameras, AI, robotic technology, and machine learning to sort and identify complex objects from waste streams. The company partnered with Bulk Handling Systems (BHS), an Oregon-based waste recycling company, to launch this technology in 2016.

Sadako’s MaxAI was first launched in a material recovery facility (MRF) operated by Athens Services in California in 2017. Some of the clients using MaxAI include MRFs such as GreenWaste Recovery (California) and Repower South (South Carolina) as well as recycling companies like rPlanet Earth and CarbonLITE. The company claims that the unit can exceed 20 waste picks per minute. The company reported that it would price its robotic units below USD 100,000 each (2017).

From 2017 to 2019, the company conducted a project that helped them successfully launch an AI-based real-time waste monitoring system called RUBSEE. It is capable of analyzing the whole waste process, gathering data, and providing information on what’s moving across the lines. It can also help with driven decisions while alerting managers and technical teams to detect and resolve system issues. The system was successfully piloted at three Ferrovial Services (US-based construction company) sites.