TouchFold: Automated fabric folding with sensory skin technology

AI Quick Summary

This project aims to improve automation by developing a robotic gripper with sensory skin technology that allows robots to handle and fold fabric easier - to enhance efficiency, precision, and sustainability in fashion manufacturing and logistics. Traditional fabric handling is labor-intensive and difficult to automate, as fabrics bend, stretch, wrinkle, and change shape unpredictably when picked up or moved. To address these issues, Inveel, in collaboration with FHNW is developing a gripping system for robots with force-feedback sensors, that can detect fabric properties in real time, enabling adaptive and damage-free folding. By automating fabric folding and handling, we reduce labor costs and reliance on manpower, improve quality and reduce waste, supporting a more efficient and sustainable textile industry. Problem:Fabric folding is a crucial process in the fashion and textile industry, affecting garment presentation, packaging efficiency, and overall product quality. However, the industry faces significant challenges due to labor-intensive manual processes Commercial laundries and textile logistics operations suffer from rising labor costs, workforce shortages, and inconsistent fold quality. Manual folding consumes up to 25% of operating labor. Existing automation systems are limited to flat linens and struggle with deformable or dark garments. Robotics could be a solution to replace the expensive manual workers, however the delicate nature of textiles leads to difficulties of automation due to the complexity of fabric manipulation.Unlike solid objects, fabrics bend, stretch, wrinkle, and change shape unpredictably when picked up or moved. This makes it difficult for robots to grasp and position them accurately. Conventional robotic grippers rely on force sensors, which may not be sensitive enough to detect fabric texture, thickness, or tension. Without tactile feedback, robots may apply too much or too little pressure, leading to stretching or improper folding. Because of this reason the current fabric folding process in manufacturing, retail, and logistics is highly manual, requiring human workers for precision. This slows down production, increases labor costs, and creates inconsistencies.Solution:Develop an initial prototype of a robotic gripper integrating soft sensory technology with high-resolution tactile sensing to enable precise, gentle, and adaptive fabric folding automation.The integration of robotic systems with sensory skin technology offers a transformative solution to these challenges. This proposal outlines how sensory-enabled robotics can revolutionize fabric folding, enhancing efficiency, quality, and sustainability. A robotic system integrated with sensory skin technology can enable automated, gentle, and precise fabric handling. By incorporating advanced sensors, the system can adapt its folding techniques based on the type of fabric, ensuring minimal wrinkles and preventing stretching or damage.The introduction of sensory skin-enabled robotic fabric folding can address critical inefficiencies in textile manufacturing and retail logistics. Inveel, together with FHNW (University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland), is developing a robotic fabric folding system integrated with sensory skin technology and force feedback. This innovative solution addresses the challenges of textile automation by enabling robotic grippers to handle soft, deformable fabrics with high precision. By reducing reliance on manual labor and improving consistency in garment folding, the system lowers production costs, enhances quality control, and optimizes packaging for logistics. Ultimately, this technology contributes to a more efficient, scalable, and sustainable textile industry. This technology will improve product quality, reduce waste, and make the industry more sustainable while ensuring cost-effective operations.Benefits:Increased Efficiency: Automating folding can speed up production and packaging processes, reducing reliance on manual labor. Consistency & Quality Control: A robot can ensure uniform folding with precise alignment, reducing wrinkles and improving presentation. Reduced Waste: Gentle handling with sensory skin can prevent fabric stretching, damage, and defects, improving overall garment quality. Sustainability & Cost Reduction: Optimized folding reduces packaging volume, cutting shipping costs and environmental impact.Customers/Users: The proposed solution targets industrial laundries, uniform rental plants, textile manufacturers, and 3PL / e-commerce apparel fulfillment centers. Initial focus will be on high-wage markets (EU, US, Japan), where the return on automation is highest due to escalating labor costs and stringent quality requirements. Our earliest adopters are expected to be large-scale laundry operations in hospitality (e.g., hotel chains, cruise lines) and healthcare (e.g., hospitals, long-term care facilities), particularly those processing more than 5 tons of textiles per day. These facilities are actively seeking solutions to reduce operating expenses and improve quality consistency through automationRelevance to Fashion & Lifestyle Innovation Booster: TouchFold sits at the intersection of robotics, textile logistics, and circular fashion. It supports more sustainable operations by reducing textile waste (from rework and damage), enabling flexible reuse models (like fashion rental or refurbishment), and providing garment data analytics. The innovation reflects the future of textile care, quality control, and product handling in both industrial and retail contexts.Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):SDG 8 – Decent Work & Economic Growth: Reduces unsafe manual labor and enables upskilling in robotics maintenance and logistics.SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: Deploys cutting-edge tactile robotics in textile automation.SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production: Reduces textile damage, rework, and energy use through optimized automation.Implementation PlanThe sensory skin incorporates high-resolution sensing with multiple sensor points, allowing the system to recognize textures, thickness, and elasticity in real time. The next step will be to scale up to around 100 sensing points, providing the robotic gripper with high-resolution tactile perception, and integration of the sensor skin onto a robotic gripper, essential for precise fabric handling. This integration will allow the system to actively "feel" and respond to fabric properties during manipulation. To support the increased sensor density, the readout electronics must be redesigned to process a much larger data stream in real time. The result is a robotic hand that can interact with its environment at an entirely new level of precision, mimicking human-like tactile perception. This ensures optimal folding techniques while preventing stretching, wrinkling, or damage—common issues in both manual and existing automated methods.WP1 – Sensory skin development (Inveel) - development of highly sensitive skin with high resolution on a small area. Milestone 1- functional skin prototype with approx. 100 tactile pixelsWP2 – Readout electronic development (FHNW) - design and fabricate custom electronics for low-noise, high-density data acquisition from the sensory skin. Milestone 2: Final PCB for hi-resolution sensorWP3 – Gripper development and implementation in folding scenarios (Inveel) - adapting and integrating the tactile sensor skin onto a robotic gripper and validating its performance in real-world folding tasks. Milestone 3: Demonstrator folding clothesWP4 – Desirability and viability tests (Inveel) – discussions with industry players to understand the need for folding robots Milestone 4: Positive feedback and in best case LOI from industry playersRisks:Data throughput bottlenecks: High sensor count may overwhelm the data acquisition system, requiring complex redesign of readout electronics and real-time processing pipelines.Gripper precision and dexterity: Risk that the robotic gripper cannot achieve the necessary dexterity or force control for delicate or complex textile folding operations.Sensor durability: Frequent mechanical stress during folding may degrade sensor materials or reduce calibration accuracy over time.Resources: WP1:8000 CHF (salary)WP2:10000 CHF (8000 salary + 2000 materials)WP3: 5000 CHF (salary)WP4: 5000 CHF (via Executional and Launchpad vouchers)Innovation Booster SupportOn top of the funding, the program can provide access to expert coaching and pilot partners in the textile/lifestyle space and give visibility and credibility to attract follow-on funding and grants.

Project Idea Metadata

• Project Idea Name: TouchFold: Automated fabric folding with sensory skin technology
• Date: 4/1/2025 3:21:01 PM
• Administrators:
  • Barbara Horvath

Project Idea Description

Problem:

Fabric folding is a crucial process in the fashion and textile industry, affecting garment presentation, packaging efficiency, and overall product quality. However, the industry faces significant challenges due to labor-intensive manual processes Commercial laundries and textile logistics operations suffer from rising labor costs, workforce shortages, and inconsistent fold quality. Manual folding consumes up to 25% of operating labor. Existing automation systems are limited to flat linens and struggle with deformable or dark garments. Robotics could be a solution to replace the expensive manual workers, however the delicate nature of textiles leads to difficulties of automation due to the complexity of fabric manipulation.Unlike solid objects, fabrics bend, stretch, wrinkle, and change shape unpredictably when picked up or moved. This makes it difficult for robots to grasp and position them accurately. Conventional robotic grippers rely on force sensors, which may not be sensitive enough to detect fabric texture, thickness, or tension. Without tactile feedback, robots may apply too much or too little pressure, leading to stretching or improper folding. Because of this reason the current fabric folding process in manufacturing, retail, and logistics is highly manual, requiring human workers for precision. This slows down production, increases labor costs, and creates inconsistencies.

Solution:

Develop an initial prototype of a robotic gripper integrating soft sensory technology with high-resolution tactile sensing to enable precise, gentle, and adaptive fabric folding automation.

The integration of robotic systems with sensory skin technology offers a transformative solution to these challenges. This proposal outlines how sensory-enabled robotics can revolutionize fabric folding, enhancing efficiency, quality, and sustainability. A robotic system integrated with sensory skin technology can enable automated, gentle, and precise fabric handling. By incorporating advanced sensors, the system can adapt its folding techniques based on the type of fabric, ensuring minimal wrinkles and preventing stretching or damage.

The introduction of sensory skin-enabled robotic fabric folding can address critical inefficiencies in textile manufacturing and retail logistics. Inveel, together with FHNW (University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland), is developing a robotic fabric folding system integrated with sensory skin technology and force feedback. This innovative solution addresses the challenges of textile automation by enabling robotic grippers to handle soft, deformable fabrics with high precision. By reducing reliance on manual labor and improving consistency in garment folding, the system lowers production costs, enhances quality control, and optimizes packaging for logistics. Ultimately, this technology contributes to a more efficient, scalable, and sustainable textile industry. This technology will improve product quality, reduce waste, and make the industry more sustainable while ensuring cost-effective operations.

Benefits:

• • Increased Efficiency: Automating folding can speed up production and packaging processes, reducing reliance on manual labor. 
  • Consistency & Quality Control: A robot can ensure uniform folding with precise alignment, reducing wrinkles and improving presentation. 
  • Reduced Waste: Gentle handling with sensory skin can prevent fabric stretching, damage, and defects, improving overall garment quality. 
  • Sustainability & Cost Reduction: Optimized folding reduces packaging volume, cutting shipping costs and environmental impact.

Customers/Users: 

The proposed solution targets industrial laundries, uniform rental plants, textile manufacturers, and 3PL / e-commerce apparel fulfillment centers. Initial focus will be on high-wage markets (EU, US, Japan), where the return on automation is highest due to escalating labor costs and stringent quality requirements. Our earliest adopters are expected to be large-scale laundry operations in hospitality (e.g., hotel chains, cruise lines) and healthcare (e.g., hospitals, long-term care facilities), particularly those processing more than 5 tons of textiles per day. These facilities are actively seeking solutions to reduce operating expenses and improve quality consistency through automation

Relevance to Fashion & Lifestyle Innovation Booster: 

TouchFold sits at the intersection of robotics, textile logistics, and circular fashion. It supports more sustainable operations by reducing textile waste (from rework and damage), enabling flexible reuse models (like fashion rental or refurbishment), and providing garment data analytics. The innovation reflects the future of textile care, quality control, and product handling in both industrial and retail contexts.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

• SDG 8 – Decent Work & Economic Growth: Reduces unsafe manual labor and enables upskilling in robotics maintenance and logistics.
• SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: Deploys cutting-edge tactile robotics in textile automation.
• SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production: Reduces textile damage, rework, and energy use through optimized automation.

Implementation Plan

The sensory skin incorporates high-resolution sensing with multiple sensor points, allowing the system to recognize textures, thickness, and elasticity in real time. The next step will be to scale up to around 100 sensing points, providing the robotic gripper with high-resolution tactile perception, and integration of the sensor skin onto a robotic gripper, essential for precise fabric handling. This integration will allow the system to actively "feel" and respond to fabric properties during manipulation. To support the increased sensor density, the readout electronics must be redesigned to process a much larger data stream in real time. The result is a robotic hand that can interact with its environment at an entirely new level of precision, mimicking human-like tactile perception. This ensures optimal folding techniques while preventing stretching, wrinkling, or damage—common issues in both manual and existing automated methods.

WP1 – Sensory skin development (Inveel) - development of highly sensitive skin with high resolution on a small area.

       Milestone 1- functional skin prototype with approx. 100 tactile pixels

WP2 – Readout electronic development (FHNW) - design and fabricate custom electronics for low-noise, high-density data acquisition from the sensory skin.

       Milestone 2: Final PCB for hi-resolution sensor

WP3 – Gripper development and implementation in folding scenarios (Inveel) - adapting and integrating the tactile sensor skin onto a robotic gripper and validating its performance in real-world folding tasks.

       Milestone 3: Demonstrator folding clothes

WP4 – Desirability and viability tests (Inveel) – discussions with industry players to understand the need for folding robots

       Milestone 4: Positive feedback and in best case LOI from industry players

Risks:

• Data throughput bottlenecks: High sensor count may overwhelm the data acquisition system, requiring complex redesign of readout electronics and real-time processing pipelines.
• Gripper precision and dexterity: Risk that the robotic gripper cannot achieve the necessary dexterity or force control for delicate or complex textile folding operations.
• Sensor durability: Frequent mechanical stress during folding may degrade sensor materials or reduce calibration accuracy over time.

Resources: 

WP1:8000 CHF (salary)

WP2:10000 CHF (8000 salary + 2000 materials)

WP3: 5000 CHF (salary)

WP4: 5000 CHF (via Executional and Launchpad vouchers)

Innovation Booster Support

On top of the funding, the program can provide access to expert coaching and pilot partners in the textile/lifestyle space and give visibility and credibility to attract follow-on funding and grants.

This project aims to improve automation by developing a robotic gripper with sensory skin technology that allows robots to handle and fold fabric easier - to enhance efficiency, precision, and sustainability in fashion manufacturing and logistics. Traditional fabric handling is labor-intensive and difficult to automate, as fabrics bend, stretch, wrinkle, and change shape unpredictably when picked up or moved. To address these issues, Inveel, in collaboration with FHNW is developing a gripping system for robots with force-feedback sensors, that can detect fabric properties in real time, enabling adaptive and damage-free folding. By automating fabric folding and handling, we reduce labor costs and reliance on manpower, improve quality and reduce waste, supporting a more efficient and sustainable textile industry.