Account

The Actual News

Just the Facts, from multiple news sources.

A robot is beating human pros at table tennis. Its maker calls it a milestone for machines

A robot is beating human pros at table tennis. Its maker calls it a milestone for machines

Summary

Sony built a robot called Ace that can play table tennis at a level similar to expert human players. Using artificial intelligence, Ace learns from experience and can react quickly, sometimes beating professional athletes in matches on a specially built Olympic-sized table.

Key Facts

  • Sony created a robot arm named Ace to play table tennis.
  • Ace uses reinforcement learning, a type of AI where it learns by practicing instead of being explicitly programmed.
  • The robot has nine cameras around the court to track the ball’s movement and spin.
  • Ace has eight joints allowing it to move its paddle quickly and accurately.
  • Sony built a full-size Olympic table tennis court for fair matches with human players.
  • Some professional players were surprised by how well Ace performed.
  • Sony says this is the first time a robot has matched expert human play in a common physical sport.
  • The technology could be useful in factories and other industries requiring fast, adaptive robots.
Read the Full Article

This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.