Static electricity could help robots finally conquer the fashion industry, said Marc Bain at Quartz. While robots can deal fairly easily with the mostly uniform and rigid materials that go into cellphones and automobiles, they have trouble handling the wide variety of soft materials needed to make footwear and clothing. "A vacuum may pick up pieces of leather, for instance, but it can't deal with mesh." As a result, the apparel industry has been slower to automate.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.