We all know how China has an iron grip in the sporting event known as table tennis, or in its other moniker, ping pong, and chances are no other country will be able to match China’s strength in this sport anytime soon, and in the longer term future as well. Having said that, count on scientists in China to come up with ping pong robots that are capable of executing a serve and even make a return thanks to the clever implementation of computer ‘eyes’ as well as hydraulic arms. Needless to say, each of these robots will need integrated high-powered computers to be able to perform the complex calculations when it comes to making a return.
The robots known asn Wu and Kong are able to process 120 images a second, making the right calculations to know where the ball is going to land, where its hydraulic joints will then enter into action to make a return. No idea on whether those smashes can be handled well enough though. Right now, they play at an extremely leisurely pace according to human standards, so hopefully newer versions might see the ante increase.
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