Robotics & Automation News

Where Innovation Meets Imagination

Toyota’s basketball robot is why humans should give up and go home

If you find being confronted by a 7-foot human basketball player somewhat intimidating, wait ’til you see the new Toyota basketball-playing robot. 

Luckily, the 6-foot-3-inch monstrosity doesn’t move around at all and only throws the ball into the hoop – but it does so with 100 per cent accuracy. (See video below.)

According to Asahi Shimbun via CNBC, ZDNet and others, the robot – named “Cue” for some reason – threw 200,000 hoops with almost perfect accuracy. 

Cue uses a range of technologies, including light detection and ranging as well as stereo vision and an electronic rangefinder.

While some may argue that shooting hoops from a stationary position is a lot less complicated than scoring points while on the move in various parts of the basketball court, not many teams would turn down a player who can virtually guarantee points from within the free-throw circle.