{"id":8169,"date":"2025-09-26T12:11:17","date_gmt":"2025-09-26T12:11:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/?p=8169"},"modified":"2026-02-19T14:30:41","modified_gmt":"2026-02-19T14:30:41","slug":"5-surprising-things-item-pickers-can-pick","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/5-surprising-things-item-pickers-can-pick\/","title":{"rendered":"5 surprising items the Smart Item Picker can pick"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n<section class=\"single-blog \" id=\"\">\r\n    <div class=\"container\">\r\n                            <div class=\"blog-row with-toc\">\r\n                <div class=\"row\">\r\n                    <div class=\"col-12 col-lg-4 toc-column d-none d-lg-block\">\r\n                        <div class=\"table-content-wrapper desktop\">\r\n                            <h4>Table of Contents<\/h4>\r\n                            <div class=\"table-content desktop\">\r\n\r\n                            <\/div>\r\n                        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size-full wp-image-8383 \" srcset=\"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Ron-Paulussen-Smart-Robotics.webp 1000w, https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Ron-Paulussen-Smart-Robotics-300x300.webp 300w, https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Ron-Paulussen-Smart-Robotics-150x150.webp 150w, https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Ron-Paulussen-Smart-Robotics-768x768.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/>                                        <\/div>\r\n                                                                        <div class=\"person-detail\">\r\n                                        <div class=\"person-name\">Ron Paulussen<\/div>\r\n                                        <div class=\"person-title\">Automation specialist<\/div>\r\n                                    <\/div>\r\n                                <\/div>\r\n                                <div class=\"form-text\">\r\n                                    <p>This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/intl\/en-GB\/policies\/privacy\/\">Privacy Policy<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/intl\/en-GB\/policies\/terms\/\">Terms of Service<\/a>\u00a0apply.<\/p>\n                                <\/div>\r\n                            <\/div>\r\n                                                    <\/div>\r\n                    <\/div>\r\n                    <div class=\"col-12 col-lg-8 content-column\">\r\n                        <div class=\"feature-image\">\r\n                            <img decoding=\"async\" width=\"737\" height=\"415\" src=\"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Untitled-design-10.webp\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-post-image\" alt=\"item picking toys\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Untitled-design-10.webp 737w, https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Untitled-design-10-300x169.webp 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 737px) 100vw, 737px\" \/>                        <\/div>\r\n                                                <h1 class=\"title mb-3 mb-lg-4 top\">5 surprising items the <strong class=\"title-blue\">Smart Item Picker can pick <\/strong> (and how)<\/h1>\r\n                                                <div class=\"meta-wrapper mb-4 mb-lg-5\">\r\n                                                        <div class=\"blogmeta\">\r\n                                <!-- <span><\/span> |  -->\r\n                                <span class=\"date\"> September 26, 2025<\/span> | \r\n                                <span class=\"author\">\r\n                                     \r\n                                    Kamelia Kamoun                                <\/span>\r\n                            <\/div>   \r\n                            <!-- social share -->\r\n             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                                                                                                                                                             <\/ul>\r\n                                    <\/div>\r\n                                <\/div>\r\n                                                        <!-- end social share --> \r\n                        <\/div>\r\n                                                    <div class=\"table-content-wrapper mobile d-block d-lg-none\">\r\n                                <h4>Table of Contents<\/h4>\r\n                                <div class=\"table-content mobile\">\r\n\r\n                                <\/div>\r\n                            <\/div>\r\n                                                <div class=\"content-wrapper\">\r\n                            <div class=\"blog-opening\">\r\n                                <p class=\"bigtext\"><\/p>\r\n                            <\/div>\r\n                            <div class=\"blog-content\">\r\n                                <p>You\u2019ve probably noticed how far item pickers have come these days. From picking random fruits off conveyor belts to handling those traditionally \u2018hard-to-pick\u2019 items, their abilities now stretch far beyond simple, uniform items.<\/p>\n<p>Thanks to AI <a href=\"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/technology-trinity-vision\/\">vision technology<\/a> and\u00a0over a decade in the <a href=\"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/what-is-a-pick-and-place-robot\/\">pick and place<\/a> industry, our <a href=\"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/item-picking\/\">Smart Item Picker<\/a> has evolved well beyond its early days. It can now reliably handle some of the most challenging products out there.<\/p>\n<p>In this article, we\u2019ll explore <span style=\"color: #2d8fa1;\">five surprising product types our robots<\/span> can pick, along with real-world examples and insights into how it all works.<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #2d8fa1;\">1. Soft and delicate clothing items\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Loose clothing is known for being notoriously difficult for item pickers to handle. Clothing items are often delicate and can easily get sucked into the gripper if it relies on vacuum suction.<\/p>\n<p>To avoid damage and make picking more reliable, garments are usually packed in thin plastic bags or bubble wrap. This protects the clothing item and gives it a more defined shape, making it easier to handle.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8170\" src=\"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Clothes-.webp\" alt=\"item picking clothes\" width=\"737\" height=\"415\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Clothes-.webp 737w, https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Clothes--300x169.webp 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 737px) 100vw, 737px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>To handle clothes wrapped in plastic bags, we developed an algorithm that assesses the surface area of an item to identify spots with the highest probability of a successful pick.<\/p>\n<p>The algorithm randomly samples different areas on the surface of the clothing item and assigns each one a score. The winning score is based on three key factors:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Surface flatness under the suction cup<\/li>\n<li>Proximity to the item\u2019s center<\/li>\n<li>Available space for multiple suction cups<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Areas with plastic wrinkles (which can break the vacuum seal) are automatically ruled out, while flatter regions are prioritized. If the item has carton labels, the algorithm gives preference to those areas as well, as they provide more stable suction points.<\/p>\n<p>Once the optimal pick point is selected, our <a href=\"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/technology-trinity-motion\/\">motion planning<\/a> system generates precise approach and pick trajectories designed to minimize swing and reduce the risk of dropping the item. Combined with our fashion-specific suction cups, this approach ensures a secure grip and gentle handling, keeping each garment stable from pick to place.<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #2d8fa1;\">2. Shiny, transparent packaging<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Vision systems have a hard time fully &#8220;seeing&#8221; packaging that is clear or reflective. When edges aren\u2019t clearly visible, it becomes difficult to identify reliable grasp points. This type of packaging is common for products like pens, toothbrushes, razors, and batteries.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8171\" src=\"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Pens-.webp\" alt=\"item picking pens\" width=\"737\" height=\"415\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Pens-.webp 737w, https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Pens--300x169.webp 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 737px) 100vw, 737px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>While our models are trained to handle a large variety of challenging scenes, good lighting still remains essential for capturing high-quality data and maximizing detection performance in real time.<\/p>\n<p>To further increase our robustness against challenging light conditions and reduce the dependency on the quality of the camera data, we are developing a new depth data processing pipeline that includes a deep learning model to improve the overall quality of the data without using extra hardware.<\/p>\n<p>The pictures below show the potential of this new pipeline:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-8221 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/BEFORE-300x209.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"209\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/BEFORE-300x209.webp 300w, https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/BEFORE-768x534.webp 768w, https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/BEFORE.webp 802w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The picture above shows the depth data without the new process pipeline, containing many holes and noise.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-8220 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/after-300x209.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"209\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/after-300x209.webp 300w, https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/after-768x534.webp 768w, https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/after.webp 802w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>After passing the data through our new deep learning pipeline, the output dramatically improved, producing smoother surfaces that more closely match the real item.<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #2d8fa1;\">3. Oddly shaped &amp; colorful toys<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Picking up toys is challenging for robotic item pickers, as you might expect. Toys can be made of any material, come in any shape, and be of any size. Usually, that means no two items look the same on a conveyor belt or in a tote.<\/p>\n<p>Packaging makes things even trickier. Light can bounce off colorful boxes, making it harder for the system to detect where to pick.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8172\" src=\"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Untitled-design-10.webp\" alt=\"item picking toys\" width=\"737\" height=\"415\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Untitled-design-10.webp 737w, https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Untitled-design-10-300x169.webp 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 737px) 100vw, 737px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>With AI vision and machine learning, the Smart Item Picker can adapt its grip on the fly to handle this wide variety. Lighting is, however, a critical factor here, as it directly affects the quality of the data used for calculations.<\/p>\n<p>To improve item detection, our models are trained on a large variety of items and environments, allowing them to handle challenging scenes where lighting or data may be imperfect. As a result, we can often detect items even when reflections partially obscure in their centers or edges.<\/p>\n<p>This adaptability is especially useful for toy makers, wholesalers, and e-commerce warehouses, where quick and accurate picking is crucial during busy times like the holidays.<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #2d8fa1;\">4. Protective gaming cases<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Even something as simple and straightforward as a sturdy gaming case can be hard for robots to pick. These cases are often covered in shiny cardboard sleeves that reflect light, making it hard for vision technology to &#8216;see&#8217; where it can grab them.<\/p>\n<p>If these cases are in totes where it\u2019s cluttered or there are a lot of overlapping products, then it\u2019s even harder from a vision and task-planning perspective. The system has to carefully plan how to approach and lift the item without hitting surrounding objects, which requires precise motion planning.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8174\" src=\"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Protective-gaming-cases.webp\" alt=\"item picking protective game cases\" width=\"737\" height=\"415\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Protective-gaming-cases.webp 737w, https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Protective-gaming-cases-300x169.webp 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 737px) 100vw, 737px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>To tackle this, the Smart Item Picker uses deep learning models that are trained to recognize objects in shiny, reflective packaging. Just like with oddly shaped toys discussed above in the article, good lighting plays a key role here. While the system is trained to handle tricky scenes, having proper lighting helps it capture clean, high-quality data &#8211; making it much easier to find reliable grasp points, even in challenging conditions.<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #2d8fa1;\">5. <span class=\"TextRun SCXW96811497 BCX8\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW96811497 BCX8\">Lotion, <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW96811497 BCX8\">shampoo<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW96811497 BCX8\"> and beauty products<\/span><\/span><span class=\"EOP SCXW96811497 BCX8\" data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559737&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:279,&quot;335559991&quot;:360}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Beauty products such as makeup come in many different shapes, sizes, and packaging types. This makes sense considering they\u2019re designed to appeal to a certain type of target audience. However, these variations may make it challenging for item pickers to do their job well.<\/p>\n<p>For cosmetics and beauty products, we use the same algorithm described in the \u201csoft and delicate clothing items\u201d section. In short, the algorithm simulates how well the suction cup would stick to different parts of an item and rules out areas where the grip wouldn\u2019t be secure, such as round edges or uneven surfaces.<\/p>\n<p>This approach allows the Smart Item Picker to consistently pick oddly shaped items at the ideal location (for example, picking at the center of the beauty product below).<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8175\" src=\"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Beauty-products.webp\" alt=\"item picking beauty products\" width=\"737\" height=\"415\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Beauty-products.webp 737w, https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Beauty-products-300x169.webp 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 737px) 100vw, 737px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>This is especially important in the beauty and personal care industry, where large volumes of different-sized and shaped items are sold. Logistics teams in this industry can then rely on the Smart Item Picker to consistently make successful picks.<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #2d8fa1;\">How does vision work in item picking<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>To learn how item pickers decide what to pick and how to pick items, watch this video:<\/p>\n<div style=\"width: 1920px;\" class=\"wp-video\"><video class=\"wp-video-shortcode\" id=\"video-8169-1\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" preload=\"metadata\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Item-Picking-Video-Version-6-2-1.mp4?_=1\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Item-Picking-Video-Version-6-2-1.mp4\">https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Item-Picking-Video-Version-6-2-1.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>In short, the video shows how our AI agent uses both 2D and 3D data to make decisions based on the highest chance of success. You will see in the video that the largest and highest item in the tote was picked first.<\/p>\n<p>The 3D color map then guides the robot\u2019s pick order:<br \/>\n1. Green \u2013 pick first!<br \/>\n2. Yellow<br \/>\n3. Orange<br \/>\n4. Red<\/p>\n<p>After each pick, a new image is captured to prepare for the next.<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #2d8fa1;\">In short<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Automating item picking can feel like a big risk for many logistics and e-commerce businesses. It\u2019s natural to wonder: \u201cCan it really handle all our different products?\u201d or \u201cWhat happens if something can\u2019t be picked?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As we\u2019ve seen in this article, modern AI vision, task planning, and motion planning have come a long way. An important concept behind this advanced technology is that it is not gripper dependent. This means that if a customer requires a special gripper, we can still deliver.<\/p>\n<p>By combining deep learning models that identify the best pick points to evenly distribute weight for gentle handling, along with advanced depth data processing to pick even the trickiest items, the Smart Item Picker can now handle a wide range of products &#8211; from soft clothing to shiny, reflective packaging.<\/p>\n<p>For logistics teams, that means faster operations with little to no manual intervention. With technology like this, \u201chard-to-pick\u201d items are quickly becoming a thing of the past.<\/p>\n                            <\/div>\r\n                        <\/div>\r\n                                                                            <div class=\"author-wrapper\">\r\n                                                                <div class=\"author-img\">\r\n                                                                            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Kamelia-Kamoun.jpg\" alt=\"kamelia kamoun\" title=\"Kamelia Kamoun\" width=\"2315\" height=\"2315\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-6037 \" srcset=\"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Kamelia-Kamoun.jpg 2315w, https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Kamelia-Kamoun-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Kamelia-Kamoun-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Kamelia-Kamoun-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Kamelia-Kamoun-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Kamelia-Kamoun-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Kamelia-Kamoun-2048x2048.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2315px) 100vw, 2315px\" \/>                                                                    <\/div>\r\n                                <div class=\"author-detail\">\r\n                                    <div class=\"author-name\">\r\n                                         \r\n                                            <p>Kamelia Kamoun<\/p>\r\n                                                                            <\/div>\r\n                                    <p class=\"author-title\">\r\n                                        Creative Content Writer                                     <\/p>\r\n                                    <div class=\"author-description\">\r\n                                        <p>Kamelia is a creative content writer passionate about robotics and technology. She explores the latest in pick-and-place robots, smarter warehousing, and AI-driven solutions that free employees from repetitive, physically demanding tasks. Her goal is to make complex, tech-heavy topics accessible and engaging for everyone.<\/p>\n                                    <\/div>\r\n                                <\/div>\r\n                            <\/div>\r\n                                                                                                            <div class=\"form-wrapper d-block d-lg-none\">\r\n                                    <h4>Get in touch with our team<\/h4>\r\n                                    <div class=\"form-content\">\r\n                                        <script src=\"https:\/\/js.hsforms.net\/forms\/embed\/developer\/9125639.js\" defer=\"defer\"><\/script><div class=\"hs-form-html\" data-region=\"na1\" data-form-id=\"41c0b4f3-dc2f-4284-a92c-313a4ab8b567\" data-portal-id=\"9125639\"><\/div>                                    <\/div>\r\n                                    <div class=\"person-wrapper\">\r\n                                                                                    <div class=\"person-image\">    \r\n                                                <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Ron-Paulussen-Smart-Robotics.webp\" alt=\"Ron Paulussen Smart Robotics\" title=\"Ron Paulussen Smart Robotics\" width=\"1000\" height=\"1000\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-8383  \" srcset=\"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Ron-Paulussen-Smart-Robotics.webp 1000w, https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Ron-Paulussen-Smart-Robotics-300x300.webp 300w, https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Ron-Paulussen-Smart-Robotics-150x150.webp 150w, https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Ron-Paulussen-Smart-Robotics-768x768.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/>                                            <\/div>\r\n                                                                                <div class=\"person-detail\">\r\n                                            <div class=\"person-name\">Ron Paulussen<\/div>\r\n                                            <div class=\"person-title\">Automation specialist<\/div>\r\n                                        <\/div>\r\n                                    <\/div>\r\n                                    <div class=\"form-text\">\r\n                                        <p>This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/intl\/en-GB\/policies\/privacy\/\">Privacy Policy<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/intl\/en-GB\/policies\/terms\/\">Terms of Service<\/a>\u00a0apply.<\/p>\n                                    <\/div>\r\n                                <\/div>\r\n                                                                        <\/div>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n            <\/div>  \r\n            <\/div>\r\n<\/section>\r\n\n\n    <div class=\"separator\" style=\"height: 100px;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n  \n\n\r\n    <section class=\"click-to-action\" style=\"background:url(https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Mask-Group-13.jpg); background-position: center; background-repeat:no-repeat; background-size:cover;\" id=\"\">\r\n        <div class=\"cta-wrapper row align-items-center text-center\">\r\n            <div class=\"col-xs-12\">\r\n\r\n                <blockquote class=\"title\">Curious if the Smart Item Picker can handle your products?<\/blockquote>\r\n                                    <h4 class=\"text-center text-white\">Discover the answer by getting in touch with us!<\/h4>\r\n                                <a class=\"btn btn-primary\" href=\"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/contact\/\">Get in touch<\/a>\r\n                            <\/div>\r\n        <\/div>\r\n    <\/section>\r\n\n\n    <div class=\"separator\" style=\"height: 100px;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n  \n\n<section class=\"posts post-related \" id=\"\">\n    <div class=\"container\">\n                                                                        <div class=\"row justify-content-center align-items-stretch gy-5 gy-lg-0\">\n                                                                    <div class=\"col-12 col-md-6 col-lg-4\">\n                            <div class=\"card post-card\">\n                                <div class=\"card-header\">\n                                <a href=\"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/warehouse-of-the-future\/\" class=\"text-decoration-none\">\n                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/large-warehouse-with-bright-light-coming-through-door-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"item picking toys\" title=\"large-warehouse-with-bright-light-coming-through-door\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-6106 card-img-top\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/large-warehouse-with-bright-light-coming-through-door-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/large-warehouse-with-bright-light-coming-through-door-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/large-warehouse-with-bright-light-coming-through-door-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/large-warehouse-with-bright-light-coming-through-door-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/large-warehouse-with-bright-light-coming-through-door-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/large-warehouse-with-bright-light-coming-through-door-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/>                                <\/a>\n                                                                                <div class=\"card-label-wrapper\">\n                                                                                                                                                            <p class=\"card-label\">Blog<\/p>\n                                                                                                                                                                                                    <\/div>\n                                                                                                            <\/div>\n                                <div class=\"card-body\">\n                                    <h5 class=\"card-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/warehouse-of-the-future\/\" class=\"text-decoration-none\">7 key trends shaping the warehouse of the future\u00a0<\/a><\/h5>\n                                    <p class=\"card-date\">05-02-2025<\/p>\n                                    <p class=\"card-text\">What\u2019s next for warehousing? Discover 7 key trends\u2014from AI-driven inventory to cobots\u2014that are transforming the warehouse of the future.<\/p>\n                                                                            <a href=\"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/warehouse-of-the-future\/\" class=\"btn\">Read more<\/a>\n                                                                    <\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n                                                                    <div class=\"col-12 col-md-6 col-lg-4\">\n                            <div class=\"card post-card\">\n                                <div class=\"card-header\">\n                                <a href=\"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/differences-between-palletizing-and-depalletizing\/\" class=\"text-decoration-none\">\n                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Pal-and-Depal-1000-x-550-px.png\" alt=\"item picking toys\" title=\"Pal and Depal (1000 x 550 px)\" width=\"1000\" height=\"550\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-7110 card-img-top\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Pal-and-Depal-1000-x-550-px.png 1000w, https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Pal-and-Depal-1000-x-550-px-300x165.png 300w, https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Pal-and-Depal-1000-x-550-px-768x422.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/>                                <\/a>\n                                                                                <div class=\"card-label-wrapper\">\n                                                                                                                                                            <p class=\"card-label\">Blog<\/p>\n                                                                                                                                                                                                    <\/div>\n                                                                                                            <\/div>\n                                <div class=\"card-body\">\n                                    <h5 class=\"card-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/differences-between-palletizing-and-depalletizing\/\" class=\"text-decoration-none\">The differences between palletizing and depalletizing<\/a><\/h5>\n                                    <p class=\"card-date\">04-06-2025<\/p>\n                                    <p class=\"card-text\">Palletizing and depalletizing might seem similar, but they have very distinct roles in the world of automation. Learn the key differences, challenges, and how to choose the best solution for your facility.<\/p>\n                                                                            <a href=\"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/differences-between-palletizing-and-depalletizing\/\" class=\"btn\">Read more<\/a>\n                                                                    <\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n                                                                    <div class=\"col-12 col-md-6 col-lg-4\">\n                            <div class=\"card post-card\">\n                                <div class=\"card-header\">\n                                <a href=\"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/safe-collaboration-with-cobots\/\" class=\"text-decoration-none\">\n                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Pharma-industry-header.jpg\" alt=\"item picking toys\" title=\"Pharma-industry-header\" width=\"1620\" height=\"1080\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1944 card-img-top\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Pharma-industry-header.jpg 1620w, https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Pharma-industry-header-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Pharma-industry-header-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Pharma-industry-header-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Pharma-industry-header-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1620px) 100vw, 1620px\" \/>                                <\/a>\n                                                                                <div class=\"card-label-wrapper\">\n                                                                                                                                                            <p class=\"card-label\">Blog<\/p>\n                                                                                                                                                                                                    <\/div>\n                                                                                                            <\/div>\n                                <div class=\"card-body\">\n                                    <h5 class=\"card-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/safe-collaboration-with-cobots\/\" class=\"text-decoration-none\">Working safely with cobots in 2025: Complying with ISO 10218-2\u00a0<\/a><\/h5>\n                                    <p class=\"card-date\">25-06-2025<\/p>\n                                    <p class=\"card-text\">Great advantages of working with cobots are less required floor space and the ability of humans to help the cobots with difficult tasks. But how are we able to guarantee the safety of the operators when they work with and around cobots without a security fence?<\/p>\n                                                                            <a href=\"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/safe-collaboration-with-cobots\/\" class=\"btn\">Read more<\/a>\n                                                                    <\/div>\n                            <\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n                    \n                <\/div>\n                        <\/div>\n<\/section>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Item pickers can now handle more than just simple, uniform products. From clothing and toys to shiny packaging and beauty products, AI-powered vision technology enables robots to pick items once considered too difficult. Discover five surprising examples and see how Smart Robotics makes automated picking smarter, faster, and more reliable.","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":8172,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"iawp_total_views":93,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8169","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>5 Surprising Items Robots Can Pick with AI Vision<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Robots can now pick tricky items like clothes, toys, and beauty products. Discover 5 surprising examples powered by AI vision.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/5-surprising-things-item-pickers-can-pick\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"5 Surprising Items Robots Can Pick with AI Vision\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Robots can now pick tricky items like clothes, toys, and beauty products. Discover 5 surprising examples powered by AI vision.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/5-surprising-things-item-pickers-can-pick\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Smart Robotics\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-09-26T12:11:17+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-02-19T14:30:41+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/smart-robotics.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Untitled-design-10.webp\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"737\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"415\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Kamelia Kamoun\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@smartroboticsnl\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@smartroboticsnl\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Kamelia Kamoun\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"1 minute\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"5 Surprising Items Robots Can Pick with AI Vision","description":"Robots can now pick tricky items like clothes, toys, and beauty products. 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