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Robot Catches High Speed Objects
shpoffo writes "Engineers at the University of Tokyo in Japan have created a robot that can catch a ball moving faster than 186 miles per hour (300 kph) - more than 270 feet per second. It uses an array of photodetectors to directly control the three finger actuators - which can rotate 180 degrees in 0.1 seconds. It's only catching softballs at the moment, but operators are optimistic for it to soon catch other objects and grasp moving things. A video with odd sci-fi TV-series (coral cache) accents is available."
can it catch a fly with chopsticks?
Add a ball-throwing mechanism and you can watch two robots playing with eachother. If we are very lucky, humans won't have to have fun at all, we have robots for that.
11. Thou shall obey Da mighty Swing
1) Make them big
2) One of these on Earth
3) One of these on the Moon
4) Make big ball-shaped transport vessels.
5) SPACE PROFIT!
Certainly a lot better than crappy shuttles that are critically damaged by bloody foam insulation.
What do you mean? A hard boiled or a raw egg?
Huh? I-- I don't know that! Auuuuuuuugh!
Wow this is great! Has anybody told the Ballistic Missile Defense Agency? Maybe they'll have more luck catching a missile than shooting it down!
== Shipwrecked and comatose
Steinbrenner has already optioned the contract on the robot for 2008. Apparently, he likes it because you can scream at it all day long and it doesn't get upset.
When the revolution comes people like you will be the first against the wall.
Well, since you're compiling a wish-list, let's not forget ... BREASTS!!
You were 80% angel, 10% demon. The rest was hard to explain. - Over The Rhine
"Math in a song is good."-Linford
"186 miles per hour (300 kph) - more than 270 feet per second."
Or 499,968.9936 furlongs per fortnight, if that helps you put things into perspective...
=Smidge=
Screw the robot... how do you launch a softball at 190mph? I believe that has a more useful application.
"The need to build the internet comes from something inside us, something programmed... something we can't resist."
We allow Mexicans to come into this country in lieu of robotic research. Japan has a much tighter immigration policy.
...
They also have a moat the size of an ocean
No sig for you. YOU GET NO SIG!
I think we've all had our balls-busted enough to know that we don't need to put breasts on something which can catch balls at 300 km/hr.
It wouldn't be long before we have a bunch of cranky, female-looking robots grabbing your parts at high-speed and little delicacy.
Not a good combination.
Lost at C:>. Found at C.