Toyota built a 2,07 meters basketball player robot. It was demonstrated yesterday at a gym in Tokyo, Japan.
Source: AP News
It can’t dribble, let alone slam dunk, but Toyota’s basketball robot hardly ever misses a free throw or a 3-pointer.
Toyota Motor Corp.’s robot, called Cue 3, computes as a three-dimensional image where the basket is, using sensors on its torso, and adjusts motors inside its arm and knees to give the shot the right angle and propulsion for a swish.
Swish is a basketball term that means when the ball goes directly into the basket without touching the rim. Cue 3 made five of eight 3-point shots.
Right after missing, the robot slumped over. It wasn’t disappointment, but a temporary power failure.
Cue 3′s name is supposed to reflect the idea the technology can serve as a cue, or signal of great things to come, according to Toyota.
Experts say robots that can mimic human movements, even doing them better, could prove useful in various ways, including picking crops, making deliveries, and working in factories and warehouses.
Robots that can manipulate fragile objects and obtain a desired trajectory when throwing an object need to use sensors, make high-speed calculations to determine the necessary torque, and step of motors. It will be very important for many activities. Here is a video of Cue 3’s demonstration.
Already exists technology for humanoid robots to run and jump. As the robots of Boston Dynamics show.
To be a complete basketball player, one has to know how to move in the gym. How and when to dribble, identify allies and adversaries, etc.
