Although Omron and Kuka have demonstrated similar systems before, a table tennis-playing robot may still sound like a novelty to some. After all, industrial robots already assemble cars, sort parcels and weld metal with remarkable precision.
But for researchers working at the intersection of robotics and artificial intelligence, table tennis represents one of the most demanding real-world tests imaginable.
A successful table tennis player must perceive a fast-moving object, predict its trajectory, decide on a response, position themselves correctly and execute a precise movement – all within fractions of a second. The challenge combines vision, motion planning, control, prediction and decision-making in a constantly changing environment. [Read more…] about How Sony AI’s table tennis robot is advancing physical AI
