Factories have been transformed by automation, with robots now taking on a considerable proportion of jobs once done by people – lifting heavy loads, assembling parts, and more. Some manufacturers are edging toward a future of factories focused on "lights out" or "dark" production. In such a setting, factories have near-total to full automation, with robots able to continue running overnight when humans are no longer there. The company is working to prepare and pack fruit with a lineup of robots that can operate with little to no supervision. Will the future of manufacturing truly be "dark"?

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Persons: packer, Atif Syed, Syed, Helge Wundermann Organizations: CNBC, University College London Locations: England