Sony AI has developed an autonomous table tennis robot named Ace that has achieved a significant milestone in robotics and artificial intelligence. In a series of matches held in Tokyo, the robot demonstrated the speed and precision necessary to challenge and sometimes defeat elite human players.
Competing under official rules, Ace won three out of five matches against elite players. The robot faced a tougher challenge against professional athletes, losing two matches and winning only one game across seven contests.
According to a study in the journal Nature, the robotic system utilizes nine synchronized cameras and three vision systems to track a spinning ball. This matchup between biological and artificial intelligence showcases advances that could presage an array of other applications for similarly adept robots.