Robots Are Now Better Than You at Basketball

03.03.2011
I'm sure that those of you who are really devoted to robotics know that robots being better than you at sports is nothing new. But is a bit of a different beast.

Rather than just mechanically making the same shot at the same distance every time this unnamed robot works in tandem with a second basketball hoop robot that moves after each shot giving the throwing arm a new target.

The robot then dynamically adjusts its throw based on a stereo camera set up to track the backboard of the basket and then uses that data to map the basket in space. While this set-up may seem simple researchers report the system is 99% accurate.

The robot itself is just a simple robotic arm but for its "performances" the researchers who created it disguise the arm in a plush seal outfit to create the illusion of an adorable sea creature tossing basketballs with pinpoint accuracy.

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